Questioni have a 94 hyundai excel gl hatchback and i changed the starter, ignition switch and battery and it still takes a few tries before it actually starts. can u tell me what the problem is and how i can fix it?
AnswerWhat specificially does it do when it doesn't start? Does the starter crank the engine? Does the starter solenoid click?
Based on your initial repair attempts, I'm going to presume that the engine doesn't crank. Presuming the battery is fully charged and the ignition switch and starter are okay, the problem could be in either battery cable or in the solenoid circuit. To check each circuit, you should check the voltage drop along the circuit.
For the negative battery cable, touch one end of the voltmeter probe to the negative battery terminal and the other probe to a bare metal portion of the starter body. When cranking (or attempting to crank) the engine, the voltmeter should read less than 500mV (0.5V).
For the positive battery cable, clip one probe to the starter lug and touch the other to the positive battery terminal. Again, the voltage should less than 500mV.
For the solenoid circuit, clip one probe to the solenoid terminal on the starter and the other the positive battery terminal. Once again, the voltage should be less than 500mV.
If you have excessive voltage loss in either battery cable, the cable should be replaced. If you have excessive loss in the solenoid circuit, the easiest way to repair is to install a relay that powers the starter directly from the battery when it receives input from the ignition switch. Hyundai has a kit available, but it was designed for the 1990 Excel. I believe some minor modifications need to be made for it to connect to the 1994 Excel.
The part# is 91401-24Q00. You should be able to order one from your local Hyundai dealer. I checked to see how many were on hand in the Hyundai parts distribution system, and there are less than ten in the country, so your dealer may need to contact Hyundai to have them release one of these kits.
If the kit doesn't come with installation instructions, you can find them at www.hmaservice.com (required Internet Explorer). Register for a free account there. When you've logged in, go to the service information section, enter 1990 Excel, and click on the TSB tab. You'll be looking for TSB 92-36-001 in the Engine Electrical section. I believe the only modification you'll need to make is to remove the connectors for the solenoid wire from the vehicle and repair kit harnesses, since they don't match. Simply solder the appropriate wires together and the relay kit should operate fine.
