QuestionHi Ray:
I bought this car new in '89 when I had money before I retired, and now I'm retired I know I'll never be able to afford another car as good again - so I'm trying to keep this one in top shape! Always followed the manual for maintenance; did anything the Dealer said I should do. Have spent $20,000+ in maintenance in 17 years. I really hope you can help - have been to several dealers and mechanics with this problem and - over ten years - no satisfaction.
This is a nono-turbo fuel-injected V-6; 89,000 miles. Runs like a Swiss watch. Problem is, on a cold morning (below freezing), in my unheated garage or outside, it just won't crank. Turn the key - nothing. Lights ok,horn works, just - nothing from the starter. Oh, sometimes I get one "click" under the hood when I turn the key. Now, if the temp is above say, 20 degrees F, and you hold the key hard over for a minute or two - and do this several times over a period of 5 to ten minutes - and then get out of the car and wait for 3 or 4 minutes and then come back in and THEN, turn the key again, it will always start to crank. It's as if something in there needed to heat up, and holding the key over did the trick - but not immediately. It cranks weak for just one or two turns of the crankshaft, then, vigerously! Once it begins cranking, it starts as it normally would, in four or five seconds. Once started, it runs just fine. No smoke, no bucking. Completely normal engine action. You can then drive to town and turn it off in the parking lot for an hour or two while doing errands and (unless it is super, super cold outside - say, below 10 degrees F) it will always crank normally and it always starts. I've had the starter replaced 4 times, new battery 4 times, ignition switch twice, several starting relays replaced, Air mass detector replaced, fuel filters, etc. Everything every mechanic suggested, price not the object. No joy. Note this: The length of time in which you have to hold the key over gets worse when the weather gets colder; i.e. -The "Number of Seconds" of key holding-over is inversely proportional to "Outside temperature degrees in Farenheit". Note that - If the weather is below 10 degrees F and the car is standing outside in the freezing wind all night, forget it - it will never crank no matter how long you hold the key over. Once again, the lights are fine in this case, and the horn blows. My only hunch? Ten years ago the steering wheel lock had to be replaced when the steering wheel seized up; the mechanic said he had a "difficult time" replacing it. For years after the car would occasionally "cut out" while driving; this was corrected three years ago by replacing that ignition switch with a new one (the mechanic was driving the car and - wiggling the key - saw idiot lights go on and off on the dash - that clued him that the switch had been sloppily replaced, and he replaced that second ignition switch with a new one), and since then, it has never quit again while running, but the "no crank in real cold weather" problem is still with me. It gets worse as the outside temperature gets colder - there is a direct correlation here. Even on a cool Spring or Autumn morning (45 to 55 degrees F) you may have a wait of a second or two when you hold the key over for crank action - then it starts to crank - weakly for just a couple of turns, and then vigorously. On a warm or hot morning however - always starts instantly! And if it's been running and shut down for a bit, as long as it's warm, it always starts instantly.
Ray - any ideas? I sure appreciate your help here! We've been left stranded in the cold night a couple of times outside of shopping centers and had to take a cab home.
Next morning - around 10 am with the car sitting there in the winter sun - it starts right up.
Thank you so much!
Doug Kenney
dkenney@ix.netcom.com
AnswerDoug,
On the older cars I install a starter relay that delivers 12 volts to the smaller wire on the starter. I use this as the older cars have the tendency for the wires to oxidize and or corrode causing too much resistance and only allowing 10 or so volts to the starter (small wire), not enough to engage the starter.
BK1/STARTER RELAY
The BK1 installation is meant to solve the problem of low voltage in the circuit between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid. The symptom of this problem is: The starter engages some of the time, the starter clicks periodically, and the starter grinds with no engagement, but when shortening between the large solenoid terminal (Batt.) and the S terminal the starter operates properly.
1) Mount relay in a spot where it can be solidly mounted, clear of other wiring.
2) Route the loom carefully! Prevent it from touching or coming close to the exhaust manifolds, heat shields or any other surface that may burn the loom.
3) Make all terminal connections as per Diagram. After connecting male to female spade, heat shrink to seal connection. Double check all terminals for clean solid connection.
The relay requires only 125 MA to energize the solenoid and will supply about 30 Amps for “pull in” and 8-10 Amps for “hold in”. The relay will solve the voltage drop loss to the solenoid, thus resolving most non or intermittent starting issues.
Black Wire connect to battery terminal’ on solenoid
Green Wire Connect to ‘5” terminal on solenoid
~ White Wire Connect to wire formerly going to “S’
Red Wire Ground
Blue Wire Tape off, not used
