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I have a starter click issue. Everytime I turn the key to crank engine the starter makes a click. I have backprobe the starter signal terminal at the ignition switch and during that click the starter signal wire is showing 6 volts but when the starter working correctly and the engine is cranking I'm getting over 11 volts on the starter signal wire at ignition switch back probed
I have also backprobe the power feed at the ignition switch it shows 12.6 volts. During the click at the starter the voltage only goes from 12.6 to 11.5. Now if the engine cranks over that power feed goes from 12.6 to 6.7 volts when it does crank over. It seems to not be sending the voltage over to the starter wire correctly.
Now if I bypass the ignition switch and jump the starter at battery it never clicks it cranks without any problem. The ignition switch was replaced with a used one due to it burning out. The issue was the same before switch was replaced.
To me, it sounds like either one of the main cables, to the battery, is not making great contact. There could either be corrosion at either end... or both ends... or just one of the cables itself (or terminal end) need to be replaced.
In your case I'm leaning more towards the positive cable, because of the readings you're posting. Make sure to clean off the starter power post bolt, with a wire brush too, before reinstalling the main cable.
But you also state that if "jump" the switch wire directly, you never have issues. If you've already burnt up a previous ignition switch, it is very likely that switch wire is also cooked at some point. Not completely, obviously, but enough to where the switch wire is not strong enough to activate the solenoid properly. It may be a good idea to disconnect the ignition switch & switch wire at starter... check the resistance at the ends. Check resistance doing a wiggle test all along that switch wire too. There should be no resistance. Unless access to the ignition switch is too much of a hassle, I'd go right ahead and cut out the old wire and install a new one. There are some vehicles that have a relay or a fuse for the starter too. Without mention of the yr, make, model or engine size.... I'm throwing out all the possiblities I can think of off hand.
Please update with your findings or resolutions!! Good luck!
The first thing that I done was clean up all the cables Everything is clean and tighten down. But it still is an intermittent issue. I don't have the issue if I jump the starter to battery.
oh good! You're online... Reread my reply, because I kept adding & editing . Sorry about that, I didn't think you'd get bqack to me so quickly... At least you covered some of your bases.
You could also check the voltage drop across the ignition switch ie. measure the voltage beteween the power wire in and out to the starter solenoid --- more representative than a multimeter ressistance test.
" We're trying to plug a hole in the universe, what are you doing ?. "
(Walter Bishop Fringe TV show)
I did a voltage drop but everything looks normal since the problem is intermittent. I did the resistance check no large resistance across the wire from starter signal at switch to the starter.
What I do notice is that the full 12.6 voltage does not go to the starter wire at the ignition switch when it does make a click.main power feed wire only drops 1 volt to 11.6 and starter signal wire would show 6 volts But it's an intermittent problem sometimes it takes 6 turns of the key to crank over. So it's hard to test. Sometimes when it does click if I hold the key for a second longer somehow some way the starter cranks and goes from 6 volts to 11.7 at the signal wire to starter.
If your LT wire to the starter is showing 6volts when it clicks then I'd suspect a bad connection / contact in the ignition switch, especially if it never clicks when bypassing the LT wire from the battery.
When you bypass are you going to the post on the starter or the connector?
If you're going to the post then it could be something as simple as a bad connection on the starter.
Aside from this, a second hand ignition switch has already led a full life and you are adding variables into the equation - best to replace with new good quality parts when you can.
hope this helps (HTH)
Doc...
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Carstuff wrote: I have a starter click issue. Everytime I turn the key to crank engine the starter makes a click. I have backprobe the starter signal terminal at the ignition switch and during that click the starter signal wire is showing 6 volts but when the starter working correctly and the engine is cranking I'm getting over 11 volts on the starter signal wire at ignition switch back probed
I have also backprobe the power feed at the ignition switch it shows 12.6 volts. During the click at the starter the voltage only goes from 12.6 to 11.5. Now if the engine cranks over that power feed goes from 12.6 to 6.7 volts when it does crank over. It seems to not be sending the voltage over to the starter wire correctly.
Now if I bypass the ignition switch and jump the starter at battery it never clicks it cranks without any problem. The ignition switch was replaced with a used one due to it burning out. The issue was the same before switch was replaced.
One thing to keep in mind is the starter solenoid takes a surprisingly huge ammount current even before the contacts make and send current to the starter motor. Out of curiosity I measured the ressistance of the four I had lying around, different manufacturers but all from cars or vans under 2 litres and the solenoid ressistance was between 0.3 and 0.5 ohms. That implies on some cars and vans a 40 amp current in-rush even before starter motor contacts make and push power to the motor !
40 amps is enough to show up any high resistance connection or even a shorted cell on battery.
Because of surface charge on the battery plates a battery with shorted cell (somtimes called a dead or gassing cell) when under no load will show good voltage (>12.5v) across the battery termminals and will often start the car with no obvious signs. The problem is surface charge dissapates over several hours and as soon as the battery is placed under heavy load the available voltage will drop like a stone to 6 volts. At this low a voltage on a modern car with a "pre-engage" starter the starter solenoid will click but tthe starter motor not make any attempt to turn the engine When the key is relesed the voltage will instantly recover to normal levels around 12.4 volts.
Testing a battery for a dead cell can be a bit hit or miss, the modern way is to use a high-tech battery impedance tester, the tradditional way was to rest the battery off-charge for a few hours then measure the voltage when the battery is placed under very heavy current loads. Both methods aren't 100% reliable as they can give false pass results.
" We're trying to plug a hole in the universe, what are you doing ?. "
(Walter Bishop Fringe TV show)
Last edit: 7 years 9 months ago by Andy.MacFadyen. Reason: typo
Ok I replaced the switch again but this time with a new one from the store and haven't had the click problem for 2 weeks. I guess the 2 used switches were bad. Sometimes I get slow cranking but that's about all. I guess the switches had resistance. I open the used one and black sod and wear on contact point was not even.
