Hello, I have an '87 brat. I suspect the ignition switch. I will turn the key, the radio lights up, but I get no starter engaging. I keep on turning the key and eventually it will fire up. It doesn't do it all the time though. No grinding or drag sound from the starter. Thanks for any thoughts. dp

Yea it sounds to me like your ignition is on its way out. Things to check however before you get to that is your battery connections (+,-) at the battery and at the starter and ground. Also you can use a volt meter and find out how much current is actually getting to the starter solenoid through that little wire (believe its blue). A way to rule out the starter is with a big screwdriver. Turn the ignition to the run position and make sure its in neutral. Connect the solenoid and the positive lead on the starter and see if it cranks the starter. If it does that right away, and all connections are found to be good then your ignition is on its way out. A common fix is to put a relay in line with the stock ignition solenoid wire (using the solenoid wire as a switch for the relay). There will still be enough juice to trigger the relay and start the car.

Before you change anything I suggest you prove where the trouble really is. The trouble could be somewhere else beside the ignition switch. Like the safety switch or starter solenoid.

Edited November 2, 200916 yr by Cougar

Thanks for the replys, especially the trouble shooting ideas.

Couger what is a safety switch? Is it the same as a neutral switch as in a auto tranny?

The safety switch should be on the clutch pedal. I assume you have to push the clutch in, in order to start the car. Technically speaking, Subaru calls the transmission switch the Inhibit Switch and the terms get swapped around by some folks.

EA81's did not have inhibitor switches. At least they didn't have them on the manual transmissions. Maybe the auto's did but I've not owned one of those.

 

On all the EA81's I've owned, you can start them in gear - which is actually nice when the clutch cable breaks.

 

GD

yes, there is no neutral saftey switch. i had this same problem and found it to be a dirty connectioin to the solenoid. i put new terminal on black/white wire to solenoid, starts every time now!!!! you probally just have bad connection, its a simple stupid blade terminal.

It very well could be the ignition switch too though. They are a common failure item on EA's. Can't pass enough current to engage the solenoid. Basically you just have to go through the whole crank circuit from the battery to the starter and see where you are losing your current.

 

GD