Starter Gremlins

[Spike]

Problem with starter, works fine when car is cold, but after driving awhile starter will not turn over, not even a click from solenoid. Battery and alternator are good and so are the grounds.
Starter was rebuilt not long ago but did not fix problem.

[carsdlt]

Do a search, Spike....your fix is there ("starter")

[Roadtrip]

Spike - When asking a question, it helps if you specify exactly what model and year your car is.

[Spike]

Sorry for the lack of info. i'm a new member and I have tried posting this thread? six times with no success. Each time with less info. Anyways it a'83 Spider. Like I mentioned earlier everything seems fine when cold. After driving a while the fuel pump starts to buzz and if I try to restart the car the starter will not turn over.

[ghnl]

Here's a link to someone with the opposite problem: His car will sometmes not start when cold but it's been fine when warm... Anyway, the advice about things to check still applies.

Re: fuel pumps 'buzzing' - this happens as you are driving along? Might it be one of the relays behind the passenger seat (next to the FI computer)?

[Spike]

Thanks for response ghnl

I know the relay you're refering to and I suppose that could be it. I was told relays either work or they don't(no in between),however I don't know how reliable this info.is. any Idea how to check, my bosch manual says to check for voltage, but does not say which terninals, and don't recall coming accross any checks in the Alfa manual.

[SamW]

Spike,

Longer story than it needs to be be, but my GTV6 started having starter issues, so I put a new starter on it, the problem was still there, sometimes the when I turned the key, I got nothing, so I put a new switch in it, problem solved. When I got my spider, it started having starter issues, so I put a new switch in it, but the problem was still there, same as yours, it would start cold, but once warm, nothing when you turned the key, so next was a new starter, but the probelm was still there, so I installed a starter relay, took about 20 mins, looks factory, and no more issues, let me know if you want the details.

Sam

[phil c]

86 Quad, 101m miles. Have read all the threads and tightened,cleaned all the connections. Before I pull the starter and get it rebuilt, I'd like to see if adding a relay solves the problem. It would be a heck of a lot easier! I've installed relays for driving lights (on other vehicles) but never an ignition switch. What goes where?
thanks
Phil C

[SamW]

Phil,

It is pretty easy, here are some pics and some instructions;

On a normal Bosch style Relay, pin 30 (the yellow wire in the first picture) needs to go to a 12v source, best place on ours in the junction box by the brake MC in the second picture. I ran a black wire from the box, with the harness under the cowl and to the relay which I mounted by the other two factory relays next to the washer pump bottle. The black wire connects to the yellow wire of pig tail, but you can't see that in the picture. Then pin 87 goes to the starter solenoid, this is the red wire in the first picture, you want to unplug the black wire from the solenoid (which comes from the ignition switch) and plug in this new wire. This connection provides 12v right from the junction box to the solenoid when ever the relay is triggered. To trigger the relay, take the wire you unplugged from the solenoid and connect it to pin 85, in the first picture, I have a white connector used to connect the black wire to the brown wire, this way it is reversible if it ever needs to be. The final wire is the ground for the ignition switch trigger on the relay, this is the black wire and it goes to pin 86 on the relay. I used one of the screws for the oil vapor can as the ground, you can see this in the third picture, also you see this new relay mounted right next to the two factory ones, so no one will be able to pick it out with out knowing what they are look at. Now, when you turn the ign key, all that has to do is switch the relay, which takes much less juice than the solenoid, and the solenoid gets 12v right from the battery (source) so a weak switch or weak wires will still get the starter to spin.

I hope this helps!

Sam

[phil c]

That's EXACTLY what I was looking for. I've got a box of Bosch relays and a drawer full of connectors so it should be a breeze. Hopefully, it will fix the problem- it's no fun being out with the wife when the "click" happens

Phil

[Alleggerita]

I have had this very symptom before and after removing the starter probably at least 10 times and bench testing it, replacing the solenoid etc, what eventually fixed it was running an extra ground wire from the solenoid.

[phil c]

Hey Sam-
I finally got around to installing the starter relay. Your help from Oct 2007 was invaluable. So far- so good!
Thanks a ton for your help!!!
Phil C

[SamW]

Hey, Glad it worked out, hopefully it will be trouble free from now on!!!