99 V70 Can't get it started-Ideas on what to do next?

Threesthecharm · Post by **Threesthecharm** » 13 Dec 2010, 22:59

Last Friday morning I went out to start my 99 V70 Manual, 2.4, No Turbo, Black, Grey Vinyl Plain Jane - turned the key, starter turned, engine fired a couple of times and went quickly dead. After that turning the key resulted in a quiet click and buzz - no starter turning, dashboard lights up when the key was turned but won't crank or start. I tried it many more times that morning with no starter or engine turning over. I pulled the battery and recharged it. Tried jumping it. Switched batteries with another car with basically the same result except one time the starter turned and the engine fired about 3-4 times then went dead again. I got out a hammer and hit the starter many times. No change. I hit the starter some more tried it a bunch of times with no change. I hit it a couple of more times and all of a sudden the starter cranks and I get a several engine cylinder fires and it goes dead. I took the battery to the local parts house and they gave it several tests and said it was pretty good at least good enough to start a car. I go and get a new starter and drop it in (Thanks forum for the DIY tutorials!!) I turn the key and again a quiet click and buzzing so I think I've crossed the possibility of a bad starter off the list. A friend of mine who owns a 98 V70 came over in 7 degree weather with 30 mile an hour winds and we swapped out the starter and system relays first putting mine in his car - his car ran fine with mine - and then his relays in my car. No change-same symptoms. My friend listened to the relays and solenoid in my car when I turned the key and he said he could hear a click in both when the key was turned. Is this classic bad ignition switch or theft disable? Why would I get these rare occasional starter cranking and engine firings and then dead for the next 15-20 key turns? Anyone have any ideas before I call the flatbed? Thanks for any help anyone can offer!!

(Also, in checking the relays I noticed that there wasn't an air pump relay(third from the left). That slot is empty. I bought the car used with 66K and I've never looked at the relays before this. Does there have to be a relay there or is it optional? We thought it was weird - like a used car dealer cover-up to go along with the bad brain box that happened 30 minutes down the road after I bought the car in "rural Chicago". HA! HA! Still, I love this no-frills car. )

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 14 Dec 2010, 00:14

Welcome to MVS,

Try holding your foot on the brake and then quickly rowing your shifter from park to low a couple of dozen times. The starter solenoid circuit runs through the PNP (Park-Neutral Position) switch and if it goes bad - which they all do - the car won't crank.

You can also try starting it in neutral instead of park and see if it makes any difference. PNP problems get worse at the temperature drops since the grease in the switch gets stiffer.

...Lee

Threesthecharm · Post by **Threesthecharm** » 14 Dec 2010, 00:16

Thanks for your help. My car is a manual.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 14 Dec 2010, 01:05

My car is a manual.

That blows the crap out of the PNP switch theory but it also simplifies things.

You need to get onto the service starter connector with a voltmeter and see what you read for voltage between it and chassis ground when you try to start the car. If the '99 is like the older versions the connector pops out of the main wiring harness with a female spade connector and it has a Green/Red wire running to it and it is not plugged into anything. The service starter wire is located very near the driver's side strut tower.

If you get significantly lower than full battery voltage reading at that wire try applying + battery voltage to the service starter connector (CAR IN NEUTRAL) with a jumper wire from the + battery terminal and see if it will crank then. If it does then chances are it is the ignition switch at fault but it does run through the immobilizer relay first.

I am working on first hand knowledge from the '98 and earlier versions so this may or may not apply to the '99s.

...Lee

Post by **boosted5cyl** » 14 Dec 2010, 05:34

Im leaning towards ignition swtich too. Pop a multimeter across the starter terminals when its being cranked and see if it's getting juice.

Threesthecharm · Post by **Threesthecharm** » 14 Dec 2010, 14:00

Ozark Lee wrote:You need to get onto the service starter connector with a voltmeter and see what you read for voltage between it and chassis ground when you try to start the car. If the '99 is like the older versions the connector pops out of the main wiring harness with a female spade connector and it has a Green/Red wire running to it and it is not plugged into anything. The service starter wire is located very near the driver's side strut tower.

I can't seem to find the service starter connector you reference?? I looked by the strut tower by the relay box. Is there a pic somewhere? Thanks for your help.

Retired MVS Contributor · Post by **Retired MVS Contributor** » 14 Dec 2010, 14:39

I hope you find your problem, but please, do NOT strike the starter with a hammer...There are no field windings in these starters, they have pre-molded permanent magnets...Sharp blows can deguass the magnets, or worse, shatter them...There is no easy way to restore magnetism to permanent field pole magnets once it is lost...

Post by **holler1** » 14 Dec 2010, 16:15

My car is a 98 V70 AWD automatic, so a lot of differences, but it has a "service connector" sticking up inside the main fuse box. When I had similar starting problems, I connected a jumper wire from that service connector to the starter solenoid spade terminal, and it has been starting like that for a year or more.

Threesthecharm · Post by **Threesthecharm** » 15 Dec 2010, 11:32

Well I did a test with a multimeter - put the positive probe in the female spade connector on the green/red wire that connects to the male spade terminal on the solenoid and hooked the black probe to the engine block, set the MM to DCV 20 - turned the key and the meter reads "o.oo". It appears the starter isn't getting power. I hooked up the service connector male spade terminal in the fuse/relay box ( it sits inside a large white housing) to the male spade terminal on the starter solenoid with a piece of wire and a couple of female spade connectors. Turned the key and nothing. The car still sits dead. What next? Does this mean its the ignition switch?

Post by **JRL** » 15 Dec 2010, 12:05

Switch
CABLE all sorts of things are possible
I would check all your battery and starter cables first
If you have a fubared starter cable that could cause what's happening