P5 Starter issue - HELP!!!!

[Renshai]

This is my first issue with my daily driver P5 ('02 - MTX - No mods) First it has frickin pistons...LOL...I was pulling it into the garage and since my E-brake is shot I turn it off, open my garage, get in start it and pull her in. This time it just did exactly nothing. wouldn't start. I had just started it a half hour before with no problem. Now turn the key to start position, all the gauges/idiot lights go off and it is clicking the solenoid, but nothing from the starter. Zippo bupkiss...

Was doing some checking...Fuses are all good, and it has to be electrical something or another as the starter itself has been perfect, no problems of anykind. Is it the Starter Switch Interlock thing? If so, where in gods green earth is it? If not is there something else I should be looking for?

I am totally capable of doing the repair, if I can figure out whats wrong...Built my Gen II RX to a solid 11 second car and it still is "street legal". May not sound like much but I'm in Colorado and Bandimere is over 6500 ft above sea level...heheheheh....But Maggie (the P5) is my daily transpo and I need her back desperately....Thanks for any advice you can give that doesn't entail "take it to the dealer" there aren't any I like anywhere near me and they are going to charge $400 for a $30 job....

Thanks,

Dave Renshai

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Check the battery terminals & make sure they're tight & clean. Sounds like bad connection or battery at end of life IMO. Starter lives on back side of motor on driver's side facing about where your foot would be on gas pedal. You could kick it if the floorboard wasn't there. Mine's auto so no switch to keep car from starting. Not sure if manual has to have clutch depressed to start car or just turn key. Mine will start without depressing any pedals. I would check connections first & verify battery health before chasing starter.

 

[Renshai]

Checked battery and stuff and all is good there...Can't find any connections loose....GRRRRRRR...Even took the Red Top out of the REX and hooked it up to make sure, and its just fine on the power end...*sigh*....Will pull the starter and stuff and see whats what....Disassembly sucks on this thing....

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Maybe starter relay in the underhood fuse box?

 

[wildo]

Did you actually take the battery out, take it to an autoparts store, and have them check it? Not trying to be an ass or make you look stupid- but some people think that an average voltmeter across the terminals is "checking the battery" which, of course, is not true. It has to be checked with a heavy load on it.

Your problem sounds very much battery related (of course that is not to say that is absolutely IS battery related). The very first thing I'd do is take it to the store and have it checked.

You also mentioned that when you turn the key- the idiot lights go off. Are you sure they're off, or are they just very very dim? It could be that your starter motor has developed a short and when you try to start the car it is just shorting to ground. This could cause your idiot lights (and all electronics for that matter) to "go off". If the battery checks fine- then you might think about using an ohm meter on the starter to look for shorts.

 

[Renshai]

As it turns out, it was the switch interlock module thingy...waiting on the part to come in and she's back up and running...hopefully...LOL...Thanks for your help guys! I appreciate it!!

 

[Navy_P503]

Interlock for the clutch? Just curious. What part of Colorado? I'm in FoCo.