So we're having issues with the 1995 sc400 starting again. We replaced the the started in January 2014 and now we're having issues again. Moved some grounds, added a ground, tested the grounds and everything seems fine there. A couple of days ago when we were testing the grounds, we were measuring the ground on the top middle part of the firewall and the car coincidently started. We're pretty sure that was just a fluke though. When changing and testing the grounds today, it was still clicking instead of starting. Figured out that if you held the key to the right, it tended to start after a little bit of holding it. Could it be that the starter contacts were warming up or something this triggering it to start up? Trying to think of other possibilities before tearing it apart again to change the starter. Can this be caused by an ecu issue? We have yet to check that even with the issues we've had but if this starting problem can't be caused by that then we'll leave the ecu alone for now. Starter has a lifetime warranty but still don't want to go through all of the time of taking it apart and then messing with the terribly placed starter bolts. Thanks!

 

You're positive the battery is strong?

 

Every once in awhile my SC won't start. I have opened the hood a few times to see loose battery terminals.

 

Haha, I just realized I used "positive" and "battery" in the same sentence, and then SC400slide mentioned battery terminals.

 

Lol sorry, hadn't time to get on. Yeah, tested the battery with the multimeter and it's fine.

 

Back in 1998 there was a recall do to starter issues, Yoda improperly assembled the starters,(Probably to much Saki & it was a Monday) Mostly occurs in salt type enviroments North land Winters/ Sea air salt , but it allows the contacts to corrode slightly, when you hold the key on, or click off & on the corrosion heats up & Sooner or later makes contact. Perhaps your replacement starter is not sealed correctly.

 

I was unaware of that, thanks for info! So it could be a bad starter? But then again we replaced it in January but I don't remember the brand or if it was new or refurbished or whatever. I'll look into that.

We think it may be either something with the ignition or something in the gear shifter area. If you push up the shifter kind of hard towards the dash and move it around a little and then push the key in while turning it, it seems to start.

 

like i said in the message, just posting it here for other people. take the relay out in the engine bay fuse box. the starter relay is usually the purple one that's close to the main EFI fuse. pull the relay out and with the key to ON, stick a paperclip or wire in the 3 and 5 ports, if the car starts, then your starter is golden and something else is wrong. that's the problem i had so i ran wires straight from the relay location to the inside of the car to a push button start i got from ebay. be careful though, this method bypasses all security systems and the neutral start switch, so you can start your car in drive, which is a scary experience.

 

Okay just tried how you said, with connecting holes 3 and 5 with the key to on, and the car started right up. But when we used the key before and after to start it, it didn't click lol. So we're going to try again later. Kind of need it to click now so that we can more accurately test it.

 

By bypassing the relay does work, it also puts uncontrolled amps & volts to the starter which may eventually hasten the demise of your starter or even may start a fire, this method should only be used as a temporary fix till you can fix it correctly.

 

Yeah I read that somewhere in one of the push starter DIY threads I think.