Starter Solenoid Click No Crank.

[Modus]

Okay so here’s my story on how my problem started and how it didn’t make sense to me to look at the stupidest thing in the list of things to check.

All high current wires upgraded. After market battery terminals operating on an Optima Red Top. No issues.

So yesterday I had trouble with my air horn solenoid. Long story short, I had to add a relay to operate it. The stock horn harness didn’t want to accept the current for the solenoid to activate anymore. Which I don’t know why it worked for 4 years. I had to take off the Negative battery terminal to access the extra ports for grounding the solenoid. I put the terminal back onto the battery and tightened it up. Battery terminals all tight. Air horn works now.

I started the car and drove for 23 miles then started again and drove back the return 23 miles. After sitting for an hour I continued doing more driving. Started drove 65 miles and the return trip with no problems. So that’s 4 starts with no problems.

I get home, shut the car off then 10 minutes later I decide to put it in the garage. The starter goes Click. Nothing. Just click.

Okay lets see now. Curse and collect thoughts . Put key in fiddle with ignition, gear selector and listen for fuel system purge. Fuel good but still just click. Check Battery voltage 12.654 Volts, Good!

So I decide to reset the immobilizer. Nope. Click,…Click. Doh!

It can’t be the battery terminal could it? It started 4 times after taking it off.

So I go to check my mileage meter so I can keep track of GPM and it says 00.0

Well I guess it’s the battery terminal. Took off the terminal and reseated it. Torqued it back up.

Car cranks and starts no problems.

Go figure. Just because it’s tight doesn’t mean it’s a good connection I guess. Possibly 4 starts killed what ever was making the terminal be in contact with the battery terminal. Maybe it was dirt.

Key in II position, in tank fuel pump purge, ( turns on pressurizes system and shuts off) IAC idle air control motor turns on and stays on.

Switch III is all accessories cut off, head lights, interior goes dim, radio shuts off. ect This relates to a good ignition switch.

Battery terminal removal. Should hear accessory fuse box relay shut off. (small click, needs to be quiet to hear it 1 am in the morning helps)

All systems for me were good. Just strange that I had a bad terminal connection. Just wouldn’t of thought so. The trip meter was a clue that I didn’t see till the last minute. My terminals were tight.

Always try to check for the most stupidest thing first.

I got the golden rock award for this one.

[RAzOR]

Did you check the other end of the battery negative? To the chassis?

I have had those problems and I don't sleep at night when the problem goes away that easily.

[prasamin]

i could have told you to check the battery terminal since you had just finished messing with it.

[Modus]

Well intermintly starts from the battery terminal. no more chrome plated for me. Just the general lead one now. What a difference. Yes my chassis ground has been upgraded.

It worked better loose than tight. Go figure. Just strange how it would start and then not.

[RAzOR]

12V is very low voltage. Clean connections are very important.

[--Aaron--]

how are your CCA's...cold cranking amps from the battery? i recently had a similar problem where the car would start fine 10's of times and every now and again just click, fuel purge, iac then nothing....tested my batt. and alt. and they were fine....turns out i had 68 cca's out of 600....thank the volvo god for AAA :lol: