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EA81 Electrical Problem with starting?


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There is the tick, tick, tick, with the turn of the key coupled with the wipers coming on, even though they aren't switched on. :-\

 

I know its not the starter cause I just replaced it. ;)

It cost me alot of money but the old one was trashed inside I was sure that was the problem, it looked like it had lived on the East coast. :confused:

 

The battery is charged even though the voltmeter in the dash says it's below 8 volts, it's not.

Meter is saying somewhere between 10-11.5.

The voltmeter jumps when I turn on the blinkers, never took the time to figure that out.

 

I looked at every ground I could find and they are all hooked up and clean. I'm in the process of locating the starter relay.

It is eluding me, due to the fact, I am finding a common problem in all the wires that lead from the starter back to the ignition.

At each connection white then pink the plastic is melted! :eek:

 

It's time for a beer anyways. :cool:

 

So what's your input it would be great if someone like Skip could chime in on this one.

I have searched, and searched, and searched some more, and have noticed he sure seems to know alot about the electrical systems in Subarus.

 

Any one else that could help out please do.

 

The weather is fine, gas prices are high, and I like riding my bike, but I would like to start the car instead of asking my roommates to push start me when I wanna go someplace with the dog.

 

Thanks in Advance....

 

:)

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Check the ignition switch connector under the dash - they get burned - probably want to replace the whole switch with a good one, and possibly grab the harness connector from the junk yard too - solder it into the harness. Clean all the grounds - including the one behind the drivers side dash speaker, the one on the passenger intake manifold bolt, the one from the negative battery cable to the frame, the one for the radiator, the one from the transmission housing, and the small one near the drivers side firewall.

 

GD

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Had kind of the same problem on car I towed home that I bought.. There is the main wire coming off the positive terimal and a smaller one. When the smaller one is not hooked up the wipers came on in my car and would not turn over. When I hooked it up everything worked fine. Hope this helps.

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GeneralDisorder Im hearing what your saying but Im not understanding it fully.

Do you mean the pink plastic connecter from the ignition to the main wire bundle, or the ignition itself, or both?

I already checked all the grounds you mentioned but I will go through them again I didn't clean the one at the transmission got a little lazy there.

 

Ok so tomorrows another day.

I like the idea of trying a different battery.

I will have to come up with something Thursday.

 

Till then Is there a starter relay under the dash?

If so what's it look like? Oh yeah this is a manual not an auto...

I hear something clicking under the dash like a relay.

I think its coming from one of the steel cylinders mounted next to the fuse box. But aren't those for the blinkers?

 

Also Im really concerned about why the wire that runs from the ignition to the starter has melted the plastic connectors.

Could the wire be broken some place in between?

Is it somehow arcing to the wipers?

Why do they come on when I turn the key? not every time.

Why can't I hot wire the starter to work either?

 

Its been a long day and I still have lots of questions.

Thanks alot for the help and I'll check everything you guys posted so far.

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Yes - both.

 

The crank circuit is very simple - start with that. I would guess that you are not getting power to the starter solenoid (on top of the starter), said solenoid is bad, or the BIG wire to the solenoid is not connected or broken. I had a situation where the main positive to the starter was almost completely rotted through, and wasn't enough juice to turn it. Probably not your problem, but check it all out. Check the obvious stuff first - hotwire the starter with a wire directly from the battery to the solenoid spade terminal. That will at least tell you if the starter and it's solenoid are good.

 

Since you say that a push start works fine - your crank circuit is the culprit. Your ignition is ON, but you are unable to crank the engine for starting without outside influence. Simple problem - fix the crank circuit and you are on your way.

 

GD

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Yes - both.

 

The crank circuit is very simple - start with that. I would guess that you are not getting power to the starter solenoid (on top of the starter), said solenoid is bad, or the BIG wire to the solenoid is not connected or broken. I had a situation where the main positive to the starter was almost completely rotted through, and wasn't enough juice to turn it. Probably not your problem, but check it all out. Check the obvious stuff first - hotwire the starter with a wire directly from the battery to the solenoid spade terminal. That will at least tell you if the starter and it's solenoid are good.

 

Since you say that a push start works fine - your crank circuit is the culprit. Your ignition is ON, but you are unable to crank the engine for starting without outside influence. Simple problem - fix the crank circuit and you are on your way.

 

GD

 

Great!

thanks alot for clearing that up.

It will have to wait till tomorrow.

 

:grin:

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