Question hi, ive began to have problems starting my 1990 chrysler lebaron, 3.0, when i turn the ignition over...its not starting...its almost like i have dead battery. i dont hear anything except a faint noise, like its making it to the starter. i'll do this several times...turning the switch on and off...after several times of this,.. if im lucky it fires right up. would this be the switch, or starter? thanks, Jim
AnswerHi Jim,
There are two sources of a clicking sound when you try the starter motor: the starter relay (on the driver side strut tower) and the starter motor solenoid (mounted on the motor at the rear side of the engine). If the motor doesn't respond, then you can hear the clicks (open the hood and have a helper try the starter switch) and determine whether you are getting only the starter relay, or that click as well as a louder click from the solenoid on the starter motor proper. If you only get a click from the starter relay, then either the contacts in the relay are worn (such that the current to the solenoid is not being forwarded to the solenoid from the relay) or the solenoid is faulty by not responding to current. You could identify which is the problem by testing for voltage to appear at the starter motor solenoid where the brown wire is attached to it (that is the wire that comes from the relay). If it shows 12V compared to ground (any shiney metal surface on the engine) when a helper turns the ignition switch to "start" position, then the relay is o.k. and the solenoid is not responding. You can test for voltage with a voltmeter or even a neon glow light, both available at a parts store). If the 12V doesn't appear at the solenoid, then the relay contacts are bad and you need to replace the relay (or very unlikely, but possible, the brown wire is not well-attached to the relay or the solenoid).
If both the relay and the solenoid click, then either the starter motor is weak/flakey, of the large red wire to the starter motor is not making good contact at the motor or at the other end of it (the + pole of the battery), or the battery itself is marginal. Does your battery seem to be well-charged and not too old (say less than 5 years; or you can test the specific gravity of the battery electrolyte with a testor, or bring the battery to a parts counter and ask them to test the battery). If the battery is o.k., try removing the clamp from the - pole of the battery (for safety and also in order to clean that terminal and post), then remove the + pole battery clamp and clean that post and clamp, then loosen and remove the nut on the motor where the red wire is attached and clean that connection. Then reattach that connection to the starter motor, then reattach the + post to the battery, and finally reattach the - clamp to the battery. (Follow this seqauence so you are at no time handling a "hot" battery wire which if accidentally grounded to any part of the engine or chassis will cause a large current short with attendant heating and possibility of burning yourself).
You might want to get a simple battery post cleaning tool and a tube of battery post anti-corrosion compound to use when you reattach the clamps and thus make sure the battery connections are good and will remain so.
While this seems complicated, you probably will be able to sort out which if the possibilities is responsible for the the lazy starting.
