Intermitent slow/no starting New problem...

[bbob203]

Had this happen a few times recently. Don't want car catching on fire what should i look for wiring kills me....

[TylerDurden]

Yikes. GP relay short...

or possible headlight short. Watch out for that stupid cluster screw by the headlight switch. The screw's edge can short the unfused terminal on the switch.

[bbob203]

i don't think its the gp system it happens after i've been trying to get it to crank when it wont just goes slow slow crank womp womp womp brrrrm then the smoke make sense? Also worth noting after an ip swap the other extened cranking was where this showed up also at one point the positive cable to the starter got hot and meltyish.

[TylerDurden]

IIUC, you mean the smoke occurs after extended slow-crank and lite-off... I would still suspect the GP wiring - the post-glow energizes the buss for a few seconds.

If there has been repeated occurrences of smoke, things have likely gotten hot enough to leave visible evidence. No fun to go looking for trouble in an inconvenient location, but better than a fire.

[bbob203]

I will head your warning of gp problems.   But no when this problem occurs it wont start up the cranking just like dies then ill try again in a few minutes and it cranks over and fires up right away.

[CRSMP5]

2 things....

1.)seat belt on door = relay so when buckled will start.. no buckle = no start...

it could be removed, jumpered... when wires break in door this cure..

2.)ignition switch dying could do that too..

[ORCoaster]

A short to the Glow plugs from the relay then.  There is a lot of juice headed out the firewall to the fuse.  Maybe there is a short as it exits the firewall but before the fuse.  

This is why some of us choose to Pimp our glow plugs.  It puts all the big current stuff out from under the dash.  Right now you have a potential fire hazard.  I carry a 5 LB fire extinguisher with me.  Generally use em on someone elses car.  Like yours.  

Another reason for the pimp I found today as I was removing the head is that all I have to do is pull the four wires at the external fusebox and I don't have to try and remove each wire from the ends of the gps. Saved me having to get behind the IP with the tiny 8 mm and loose the nut behind that whole mess.

[bbob203]

I have my glows individually wired with 10 ga wire then to a fuse block. still need to add the e 350 solenoid I have. Seatbelt *** bypassed by po. bad ground somewhere messing up my starting circuit?

[theman53]

ignition switch I would guess

[CRSMP5]

nope... check po work... bet he has crappy splice on the wire that was crossed to bypass the relay!! that wire is the one that goes to the starter... comes from ignition switch..

[CRSMP5]

also to add on glowplug thoughts... no...

why...

factory system..
1.)glow plugs stay powered and on for a few sec after its running... so letting off key = plugs still have load.. why smoke now?
2.) that big red wire would cut/weld before it smokes..

upgraded...
unless you know what it is.. no idea.. but wold no cause a "slow start" so this also goes with factory system...

so cross that out...

[bbob203]

the bypass is a wire from something in ignition switch to smaller wire on the starter.


edit: and its kinda ghetto how its spliced in. Casing stripped of about 3/8 of an inch section and wire wrapped around it and taped up.

[CRSMP5]

nope... check po work... bet he has crappy splice on the wire that was crossed to bypass the relay!! that wire is the one that goes to the starter... comes from ignition switch..

[bbob203]

New problem surfaced today. Drove my car around all morning came home for a few hours. Then I left for work at noon again no issues and home for lunch for a bit this is when I had the problem.. Get in hit the glow plugs real quick turn the key to start I get nothing and the digital clock went out when I turned the key when I released the key the clock came back but it had reset. Same thing happened second and third time and I just ditched it and drove my b3. 

[burn_your_money]

Bad wire from the battery to the starter or to the engine ground, it could be a loose connection as well. A voltage drop test should show you where the issue is.