Any shipmates good at auto troubleshooting?

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Eclectikbob
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu May 25, 2006 5:09 pm
First Name: Robert
Last Name: Clements
Crew?: Blue
Which Years on Board: 1974-1979
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Any shipmates good at auto troubleshooting?

Post by Eclectikbob »

I bought my daughter a 1995 Chevy Cavalier with 160,000 miles on it a year ago for $700 and only had to rebuild the rear brakes and put new tires on it ($400). Car had a new NAPA premium battery with new battery cables. When she was leaving the mall yesterday, the car would not start. Turned the key on and push started it with no problem, fired right up. The starter solenoid mounting bracket was sheared and solenoid tilted. Replaced with a new starter. Car would not start. Measured terminal voltage of 0.02 vdc at small purple control wire to the solenoid while trying to start (should be 8-12 vdc). I connected battery booster cables to beef up the battery. While ignition switch was in start and the clutch depressed the cabin blower fan slowed down to a stop (excessive current flow somewhere). I removed starter and bench tested it sat using a starter switch jumper. I then reinstalled with the small purple control wire disconnected. The starter solenoid was jumpered to the battery using a remote starter switch, car started up, no problem. I did a resistance to ground test on the purple control wire, no ground indicated. I tested clutch/neutral safety switch continuity sat. According to a Chiltons wiring diagram, verified by hand tracing the purple control wire circuit, there is no external starter relay, the relay is internal to the starter. I reconnected the purple control wires and in parallel, ran a control power jumper with the remote starter switch to the battery. With the ignition switch selected to ON (not start), while using the remote switch, terminal voltage again read 0.02 vdc and car would not start. With the purple control wire disconnected from the starter, the remote switch starts car ok. Is it best (I know it is cheaper, but bypasses transmission safeties) to install a bypass remote starter pushbutton in dash and leave original start circuit abandoned in place (potential short if key selected to start? Removing the ignition switch to test it and/or replace appears to be a royal pain in the butt!). What else could be the problem? Checked out battery afterwards, had a full charge and load tested sat.
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