'98 V70 FWD Stick, Non-Turbo -- Starting Woes II

Post by **E Showell** » 02 Sep 2010, 13:25

So, the '98 V70 wouldn't start the other day. Since it is a stick, I got the brilliant idea to try to push start it. My buddy put his car behind the V70. I got her up to about 20 mph, had the car in second with the clutch in, turned the key, let out the clutch and nothing happened. All the idiot lights came on per their normal test when I turned the key but not a sound from the engine/starter. Many folks have suggested that my starter is bad and I actually have a replacement starter. If it's a bad starter shouldn't a push start still work? Does the failure to start when push starting attempted suggest a flaw other than a bad starter? Thanks, gang.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 02 Sep 2010, 18:33

Was the car cranking and not firing or did it not crank at all?

...Lee

Post by **E Showell** » 03 Sep 2010, 04:29

No cranking whatsoever. Not even a click from the starter. Usually will start fine and I can run around a bit. Come home, park it and when I try to use it later, nothing at the key other than blazing idiot lights.

bigwong · Post by **bigwong** » 03 Sep 2010, 06:46

you should have it in third or fourth. Second is too much gear. The motor should be turning, you wouldn't even need the starter to start if the start was bad or the battery weak. How bright are the headlights? If weak, the battery is not strong enough and needs either charging or replacement.

Post by **E Showell** » 03 Sep 2010, 06:49

Headlights bright, radio plays. I don't think the issue is the battery. It is a 75 mo. Interstate about 3 yrs. old. Could there be a problem with the charging system? Sure, I guess so, but I don't get a battery warning light which I am assuming would be an indicator of problems with the charging system.

Also, the problem is of an all or nothing nature. Either the car starts perfectly or not at all and it is impossible from day to day or even during the day to say which it will be on a given day. In fact, generally it will start in the morning, but not later on in the day when I go to start it again after having run it for a while.

Post by **jblackburn** » 03 Sep 2010, 07:09

If it's a bad starter shouldn't a push start still work? Does the failure to start when push starting attempted suggest a flaw other than a bad starter? Thanks, gang.

It should, and I have push started my old stick-shift car with a dead starter before. 2nd should have done it...I don't know if these have some kind of override preventing that, but I wouldn't think so.

There are a couple "overload relays" for the fuel system/electrical system. My thinking might be one of those is bad/flaky when it heats up.

Post by **E Showell** » 03 Sep 2010, 07:22

I have noticed my odds for a successful start appear to go down when the outside temp. is extremely high -- e.g., mid-90s+, although that just might correlate to an increased frequency of the problem and the fact that it just happens to be Summer. Not sure I can draw a definitive cause/effect there.

Post by **E Showell** » 03 Sep 2010, 10:11

Can anybody tell me if the symptoms I describe are consistent with a failing ignition switch (electrical portion), and, if so, how one goes about replacing same? Thanks.

Post by **jblackburn** » 03 Sep 2010, 10:36

I don't think so - usually that shows itself in other, smaller things not working. Headlights, automatic shifter (not in your case), turn signals, etc.

What it might, be, though, and I didn't think of this before...I wonder if it's an issue with the immobilizer circuit/relay. Hmmm...

Here, on the 2nd row (O), is the anti-theft relay. This block is located under the dash kickplate on the inside of the car. IIRC, you've got another V70 that you could try swapping the relays with. They're a great pain to get to if you're more than 3 feet tall, but that does actually sound like what's happening to me, and hadn't occurred to me before. That would, however, explain the car not wanting to be push-started or turn the starter when it works perfectly fine other times.

fuses and circuit breakers.pdf: (121.97 KiB) Downloaded 112 times

Anyone else feel free to chime in with ideas/whether or not I'm wrong.

Post by **E Showell** » 03 Sep 2010, 10:46

Thanks -- I'll trying swapping that relay out with the one from the '99 V70 next time the "98 won't start. I'm also concerned that the fuel filter hasn't been changed in a while. Any chance a dirty fuel filter (which I plan on changing anyway) could be the source of all this grief? I tend to doubt it -- I'm figuring the problem has an electrical dimension.