conley3.1 Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Okay. I did an engine swap on my car (myself, two buddies, in my auto tech class) Everything is done. Bought a brand new starter yesterday, it works (we tested it) but the car won't start. Everything is wired correctly, everything is plugged in (Except one plug) Does anybody have any ideas why the damn car won't start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conley3.1 Posted November 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Um... the one plug is the MAS, by the way. The ignition plugs are all in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomFE3 Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 does it turn over? does it make any noises? does the dash come on when you turn the key to the on position? do you have tha battery hooked up? tell us what happens when you try to start it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conley3.1 Posted November 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Yeah, the battery is hooked up. Sorry i didn't give much info, i'm frazzzled. The dash comes on, but it won't crank at all. Not even a click. It is kinda like there is no battery, but the radio and headlights and everything work. It's like... a mystery. If i don't have it figured out by tomorrow, i'm going to take it to my friends Uncle's shop, and have them fix it. Ugh. Oh well, at least i worked on my car more than most people work on theirs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostnawd Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 check all connections to the starter. sounds like the battery is ok, just not cranking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conley3.1 Posted November 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 yeah, all the connections are solid. I think my teacher tested the excitor wire, or whatever its called, the little one, and it wasn't getting any voltage... i can't remember what he said, though. There are three wires on the larger ground stud, and then the little wire on the little ground stud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redfox340 Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 check all connections to the starter. sounds like the battery is ok, just not cranking. If connections are steady and there still is no power to starter, [possible the ignition switch / wiring are not wired correctly. I would 'hotwire' the motor and see if it starts; once running the battery does not need to be connected. A working alternator will keep the engine running. Good electrical test: the battery is not needed to complete the circuit on the motor. EDIT: Transmission senors are over-looked when swaping powertrains, good thought Boostnawd. - Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostnawd Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 also, is the car auto or stick? possibility of a clutch switch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conley3.1 Posted November 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 92 LHO 3.1, 4T60 tranny. We didn't switch the tranny or anything, so its not that, i think. I'll try the hotwiring tomorrow, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slade901 Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 The starter is probably not getting power. Get a remote starter switch. It has two alligator clips on both end of the wire and there is a button in the middle of the wire. Hook up the remote starter switch on the starter. What you need to do is turn the ignition switch to a position right before cranking the engine. I think that might be the ACC position. Make sure you set the emergency brake. Now, push the button the remote starter switch to see if it tries to start the car. Also, try starting in Neutral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brother pig Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 If connections are steady and there still is no power to starter, [possible the ignition switch / wiring are not wired correctly. I would 'hotwire' the motor and see if it starts; once running the battery does not need to be connected. A working alternator will keep the engine running. Good electrical test: the battery is not needed to complete the circuit on the motor. - Erik What? An alternator is not needed for a car to run? An alternator needs power to make power....the only way a car would run with no battery is with a generator (back in the day) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey b Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 I'm missing where redfox said the alt wasn't needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonyman87 Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 check all connections to the starter. sounds like the battery is ok, just not cranking. If connections are steady and there still is no power to starter, [possible the ignition switch / wiring are not wired correctly. I would 'hotwire' the motor and see if it starts; once running the battery does not need to be connected. A working alternator will keep the engine running. Good electrical test: the battery is not needed to complete the circuit on the motor. EDIT: Transmission senors are over-looked when swaping powertrains, good thought Boostnawd. - Erik I agree with this Ignistion.. possibly a Security issue. turn the week back and forth. or is it one of those secturity keys with the sidways clip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conley3.1 Posted November 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 a sideways clip? It's not a typical GM security key thing, i know that. I don't know what you mean, by sideways clip. We tried starting in neutral, we tried to hotwire it, it cranked, but it didn't start. the teacher said that the ignition isn't getting any power... so he said it has bad wiring or something. Anyways, i took it to a mechanic today, he's going to have a look at it tomorrow (he's a damn good mechanic, too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slade901 Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 If connections are steady and there still is no power to starter, [possible the ignition switch / wiring are not wired correctly. I would 'hotwire' the motor and see if it starts; once running the battery does not need to be connected. A working alternator will keep the engine running. Good electrical test: the battery is not needed to complete the circuit on the motor. - Erik What? An alternator is not needed for a car to run? An alternator needs power to make power....the only way a car would run with no battery is with a generator (back in the day) You can start a car without a "working alternator". The initial startup is provided by the battery (large amount of Amps) and once the car engine is running, and the engine, accessories, etc., will get power from the battery and the car engine then dies once the battery is completely drained. You can start a car with a "working alternator" and good battery. Once the car engine is running, you can remove the battery. The alternator will provide all necessary power to the engine, accessories, etc., and the car engine will continue to run until it run out of fuel or the ignition switch is turned off. You can start a car with a "working alternator" and bad battery (with the help of a booster). Once the car engine is running, you can remove the bad battery and booster. The alternator will provide all necessary power to the engine, accessories, etc., and the car engine will continue to run until it run out of fuel or the ignition switch is turned off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redfox340 Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 I'm missing where redfox said the alt wasn't needed. Slade901, thanks for the great explaination on the electrical system! Much appriciated! - Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey b Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 show me the quote where redfox said that the alternator wasn't needed please read brother pig's post. And yes, I realize how a car will and won't run with an alt. And you forgot to mention that a car will run without an alternator but a good battery until the battery dies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slade901 Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 show me the quote where redfox said that the alternator wasn't needed please read brother pig's post. And yes, I realize how a car will and won't run with an alt. And you forgot to mention that a car will run without an alternator but a good battery until the battery dies. Ok.. didn't realize you were quoting "brother pig" and I thought you were questioning Redfox statement. Yeah, the first sentence of my previous post explains that a car will start "without" a "working alternator" as long as the battery is good to provide initial startup and will continue to run until the battery is completely drained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey b Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 I must have been WAY too frickin tired that day. This is the 2nd post that I look back over just to find that I said something completely assinine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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