Help SR won't crank

[TwistAndBurn..Rubber]

Before anyone says it, I searched I really did. The last thing I wanted to do was to post a thread.

Background
I've had the car for about 6 months, it's never had a problem starting before but it's had this weird rough idle and rough start up that I think i've finally fixed.

The car
Previous owner did the swap last March it was his daily. It's a s13 hatch, auto to manual conversion, fmic, walbro 255. it's pretty much stock

The situation
a week ago I go to leave for work in the a.m. car won't crank, i try again and see smoke from under the hood (maf ground burnt) the maf has been replaced and re-wired. I can hear the solenoid pop but the starter won't start. I remove the starter take it to autozone, it passes but it doesn't actually spin like it would to crank the car.

I get a starter from someone off of here on thursday, take it to autozone, they test it and is passes completely. I install said working starter friday morning. the car still won't crank

today I checked, my plugs ( I have spark), My pump (it works), my injectors (they work), i've already tried jumping my battery twice ( i got nothing), no loose grounds that i can see, and i've already done the black/white to black/yellow wire loop you do for auto to manual conversions

The car will start if you push start it or clutch start it whatever you want to call it.

I removed the starter earlier and i was going to take it to test again, then i had a friend come over and that's when we found the auto to manual wire loop thing. We looked for the gray clip and found it with the wires already looped, I undid the loop and tried to start it, then the solenoid wouldn't pop. I re-did the wire loop and tried it and the second time i heard the solenoid pop the car fired up.

Then it wouldn't crank again.


This is a mega mystery and it's driving me nuts. This is my current daily since the other one is out of commission for now.


What am I missing, Please help

[S117A47]

Does the engine crank or turn over at all? Check and see if the flywheel is missing any teeth...

[TwistAndBurn..Rubber]

No not the fly wheel. the car ran fine aside from an idle issue from September 09 until last thursday.

It just starter solenoid just clicks like the battery or starter are dead.

Thanks though. My car is for sale on driven right now too. i have the same name on there.

[TwistAndBurn..Rubber]

Anyone? does anyone have any idea what I can do here? Can anyone Help me???? please?

[buentellomma]

had this problem years ago, check your battery terminals and check your ground. if its not getting a good connection it makes a clicking noise. i had this problem a lot when i had moved my battery to the other side of the engine. thats probably why it starts when you dump the clutch.

[SoguRacing]

check to see if you have B+ to the starter. check to see if you have a solid ground. it's possible that it could be the ignition relay or some sort of relay between the ignition cylinder and the starter. check that for continuity and resistance. about .2 to .3 ohms should be good with the relay closed. let me know if that works

[Sileighty_85]

try and add an extra ground on the starter

[TwistAndBurn..Rubber]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I did notice today that i've only got like .8v going to the signal wire on the starter. I think the battery cables are good.

Between tomorrow and wednesday i'm going to check the relays and more of the electrical stuff.

Thank you all so much. I'll post my results.

[buentellomma]

any updates on your car?