Starter Replacement


I replaced the starter in attempt to solve the "click - no start" problem, that I had been intermittently having. A new starter did not solve the problem though. Sorry, no pics though.........It wasn't that exciting.
As a follow-up, I believe that the problem was caused by a poor connection of the ignition wire harness under the steering column. It was made worse by my HKS turbo timer. Once I removed it, the problem was immediately gone, however over time, the problem started to occur again. I crawled under the dash and pushed the connection firmly together, and have not had any problems in a while again. I don't have a permanent solution, so for now I will continue to do the same whenever I start to have the same problem again.


Update

The REAL Starter Click Click Solution - Starter Solenoid Relay


The "click - no start" problem had continued sporadically, and my remote starter was also frequently not working, however I continued to live with it because I did not know of a solution until I stumbled across this thread on 3SI. The following is an excerpt from HillbillyHomeboy explaining the cause:

It turns out that the factory wiring for the starter solenoid just barely meets the amperage draw requirements for the starter to engage. Even worse, the powersource comes from the actual ignition wiring. Over time, the connections corrode and the starter solenoid, as it ages, requires more amperage in order to engage the starter. The factory wiring is simply not up to par. You might notice that turning off the AC, stereo, radar detector, etc will sometimes help it start without clicking, this is because basically all the electronics in the car are fed through a very small connection from the battery. A turbo timer, if you have one, also draws its juice from the same line as the starter solenoid.



The solution, again taken from HillbillyHomeboy's post in that thread is:

Using a 30 amp or 40 amp relay (which can be purchased at just about any parts store) you want to use the factory starter solenoid wire as the trip wire for the relay. Cut the small wire going to the starter which can be found under the MAS. Connect the end coming from the ignition to Pin 85 and simply ground 86. Than run 10 gauge directly from your batter to Pin 30. Connect the old starter wire (the end that runs to the starter solenoid) to Pin 87.



So, that is pretty much all there is to it. I removed the MAS, cut the wire going to the starter solenoid. It is a black wire with a red stripe, and there is a connector that is black in the center and gray on the ends - see the pics below. I ran the ground wire to a stud that was used for the factory airbox. I started the car several times with the key, and with the remote start, and it started immediately on every try, with no clicking. Thanks very much to those who found the solution and shared it!







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