Starter works intermittently

[tercle]

Sometimes the starter does nothing. No click or anything.
Battery tests good.
It did this once after sitting 2 hours, and then it started normally after sitting an hour more.
Another time, it wouldn't start and I hit the starter hard with a steering wheel lock handle a few times and jiggled the connections.
No change.
I rolled it down a hill and started it.
I accidentally let the engine stall at a stop sign one minute later.
It started right up. Starter sounded normal and fast.
Battery is charged.

[Mark]

I'd check the voltage at the small solenoid wire on the bottom of the starter. I had the same symptoms on my '85 Toyota van and it turns out the voltage was only about 9V due to dirty/corroded connections in the wiring run. This low voltage wasn't always enough to make the solenoid coil field strong enough to draw out the plunger and make the "click".

[NWMO]

tercle,

I agree with Mark, check all your wiring connections, sounds like a puny connection somewhere. Bright and tight is what you’re after.

Chris

[dlb]

Agreed with the other lads. Clean and tighten all connections for the battery and starter.

[tercle]

I pulled the starter and cleaned connections, including the battery.
Reinstalled and no change.
It started 3 times and then it failed.

Tomorrow hopefully I'll get some help and test the voltage at the solenoid when the key is turned.

[dlb]

Did you also check the ground where the battery connects to the frame?

[SirFoxx]

ive seen this happen before with other jdm vehicles -- somewhere down the line is a bad connecion; on its own it may show 12v, but as soon as you put a load on the signal line it cant carry enough current to engage the solenoid. the usual fix is adding a relay on the signal line to engage the starter solenoid.

[dlb]

I just thought of something else to look for. Check all the wires that go to the starter and battery and look for breaks. I used to have a 1991 VW Passat that would intermittently run terribly, most of the time it was totally fine but occasionally it would start bucking hard. I spent months looking for the problem and took it to a few local VW shops but I only figured it out by accident after a few months when I was doing something else in the engine bay and found a wire going to the distributor was badly corroded and broken underneath a rubber boot. Most of the time it naturally rested on itself so there was enough connection for the necessary electricity to get through but if it moved at all it disrupted that flow. So although this isn't super likely, I would look for something like that too.

[Petros]

I am late to this thread, but no one brought up the ignition switch. the internal contact can get corroded and make poor connection.

pull off the steering column cover and you expose the switch at the back of the ignition key cyclinder, you can see the wires off the back. put a volt meter on the last one (it is the one that goes to the solenoid) and turn the key to the "start" position. if you get less than 12 volts the switch is bad. you might get a weak connection, but not enough to engage the solenoid.

They do not cost much to replace, but the switch itself can also be taken apart and repaired. I just cleaned the contacts good, and bent them a bit to improve the connection, and put it back together. it worked like new.

[Angel]

when the starter fails, does it simply click and not turn over? If so, tap it hard a few times with a length of pipe or a 2x4, then try again. if it's gummed up with oil from being leaked on, it will do this. You can pull it, open it up, and clean it. I did that to mine now it works every time.