Hello everyone. Once again i am here with a car that is not starting up.

back ground:

Recently changed my starter, because i tought it was bad. It worked fine usually, but few times it left me stranded. And next day it started just fine again!?!! Only sound i would hear was a LOUD bang (metal hitting metal) when i turned the key to crank position and just a little bit less loud bang when i released the key... I also know, that the starter earth cable is okay, since i just changed it. ( i had problems with it after i changed the starter)

Okay so now that we got that out of the way... I think the sound sounds like the starter engaging, but not spinning. I have no idea how this is possible, but its just a guess. Other thing, some times when i start my car, i can see visible sparks under the passenger (right side) dashboard. I have not located the source, nothing is burned down there, nor anything doesnt seem to have loose connection. I can only see this when its dark. Sometimes it happens and the car starts, but today it happened and the car did not start. I have no idea if this has anything to do with the no crank issue, but the sparks happen only when i try to crank the car. ( yes yes, i know this is a huge fire hazard, but i dont care if the pos burns down at this point )

What a headache!

Things i know for sure that works:

- The gear lever switch thingy.
- starter ground
- immobilizer is off
- starter ( literally brand new )
- battery, since tomorrowe the car will almost 100% start with out hesitation.

Things i am not sure that works:

- starter relay near left headlight. (i know that this works atleast sometimes, since when i had the ground cable problem, i felt the relay click. Now i do not have anyone to feel the relay and i cant hear it, because the bang noise i described is so loud)
- something under the right side dashboard. ( this is also where body processor module is located)


​​​​​​Again, thank you in advance for help. Being very desperate.

-Ozzo

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Battery test at the auto parts store is easiest first test , hot weather kills more batteries than cold weather , do not reinstall battery in backwards , mark the positive post fwd with tape and a marker arrow pointing fwd

Starter literally brand new should not be an assumption of being good , parts these days

The engagement bang is one medium size wire energizing the starter attached solenoid so you have that and all the agreements / enables for starter rotation

Solenoid does 2 things , mechanically engaging starter gears ( bang sound ) and a relay contact for the heavy battery cable muscle power for starter rotation

So in effect the starter solenoid is a relay

To know this in effect relay battery cable relay contact is making you can watch the instrument cluster voltage gauge drop

There was a starter shop I visited for M' Lady Penelope that recommends starter solenoid relay replacement as an old starter dies ( made sence at the time but not today as brain lacking )

You have relay swapping options as this same 7606 relay is used on headlights , Fog , and A/ C clutch

The current / muscle power that flows through the starter heavy battery cable for starter rotation has a couple of choke points / restrictions to starter rotation

Mega Fuse A terminal nuts tight under the rear seat pan , pic coming



The starter cable run is the bottom blue terminal end in the bottom as it goes fwd

Mega Fuse B terminal nuts tight right at the battery positive post , do not overtighten the on the battery post bolt as splits the special saddle nut underneath

Terminal post on the inside engine compartment on the right wheel well about 4 inches fwd of the rear engine firewall , this would be considered as the starter cable

You would have to remove the heavy cables and wiggle the bare terminal post least wiggle restrictions

 

Sparks only happen when I try to start the car

The body processor module located behind the glove box is the brains on the starter agreements / enables

The BPM connectors point fwd out of view and are low current fortunately

By the starter solenoid banging the starter gears together the BPM is functioning in the starter aspect / section

The BPM has a large black button ( interior trim fastener " Christmas Tree " to remove ) to slide out of carrier rack to get to fwd facing ribbon connectors

Pain in the *** to get to and keep a track of the bolt sizes and positions patterns with a map you can draw for yourself for final panel gaps adjustments , lots of patients to prepare for professionally

Your pin on the BPM that the BPM provides a ground to close the starter solenoid relay which you have ( somewhat ? ) is FC1 - 33 ( Red / Orange wire )

 

What I found on my starter was .............................

Bushing missing on the final gear ( nose of the starter ) engaging on the engine block rear starter ring gear






This bushing part # X is commonly available as a Bosch # 110 series starter used on many cars

Without this bushing the gears walk away from each other to not have a gear leverage efficient and in a lesser extent but rotational starter " tell " by the bad really bad noise

New starter parts quality again

The bushing can be glued in place by Z adhesive , this is a special porous metal brass bushing to retain lubricate

Nuts on the starter solenoid heavy cables and solenoid relay wire terminal screw must be tight but not too much as brass hardware


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