Starts if key is turned AND starter is jumped

**BigNelson76** · 07-28-2018

So,

As the title says, the car will start if I gave my girlfriend turning the key while I jump the starter. (Brand new starter, waste of money now

)

Otherwise not.

I hear a click when the key is turned-thought it was a relay but... apparently not?

Anyway, as it's quite annoying to have to have two people and one of them under the car in order to drive the car... I'd like to know what I'm missing... obviously something in the middle.

Need a new ignition? If so point me to a good brand?

Help the noob

**Scottydoggs** · 07-28-2018

just a click in the dash key to crank is generally a bad starter.

and as far as jumping the starter, she does not need to hold it to crank, key to run, jump it and it should fire up.

i would grab a simple test light, hold it on the little stud with the purple trigger wire on it, then have the gf turn to crank, test light should light up. if it does the starter is at fault.

if no power when the key is turned it could a ignition harness. any other things acting up? parking lights? heater fan speeds all work?

**BigNelson76** · 07-28-2018

It wouldn't start if she was just in the run position.... it would crank, but wouldn't start unless she turned to the cranking position for a second.

I thought it would. But. Didnt seem so.

As for the other things acting up, I'll have to check, really not sure. Both the old starter and new starter would not start the car unless jumped.

**Scottydoggs** · 07-28-2018

test for power at the starter on the little stud, seems odd it wont fire up with the key just to run.

then again, this could be the time for the push button starter mod lol

**BigNelson76** · 07-28-2018

Haha, alright

Grabbing lunch then I'll check back in with results

**BillBoost37** · 07-28-2018

Or it could be a good time to find out what year we are talking about? This could be a relay if 04+, it could be a PNP switch misaligned or bad on one older.

**BigNelson76** · 07-29-2018

My apologies

It's a 1998 gtp

And now, it seems the starter DOES kinda sorta get power now and then but not consistent

While under it testing, the gf had it in the cranking position and I was playing with the light

At first, nothing (yes grounding point was good and clip was secure)
Then, blink (but no turnover). Then darkness. Then blink (longer) still no turnover.

Then, unexpectedly BLAM it started!

Scared the living sh!t out of me

So she shut it off and I jump out of my skin.

Then she said "want me to try starting it again?!" Excitedly

Me: NO!!!

But then we did, after my face was further from the flywheel. And nadda

Nothin

It seems like it has a very weak or intermittent connection when the key is cranked....

**Scottydoggs** · 07-29-2018

try moving/wiggling the shift lever back and fourth when the key is to crank, it should also start if put it in N. try pushing it up and then back see if it fires.

if a wiggle here makes it start it could be the pnp switch is loose broken, or out of alignment some how. its the black box on the tranny where the shift cable hooks on the tranny.

a bad shift cable can also cause this id think if its not moving smoothly.

**BillBoost37** · 07-29-2018

In your year.. the start signal goes from the key through the park/neutral/P something switch on top of the trans. If you want to check if it's aligned properly look up "external pnp" by my user id and in that thread there's a nub on the inner ring of the switch that when in neutral should be aligned with a line on the casing of the switch. If that's good, maybe it's going bad or something. Wiggling the shifter and or putting in Neutral is good. Because it's supposed to start in either P or N.