Turn the key and...nothing?

[chris in va]

This is disturbing. I'm out on the Potomac today doing some nonexistent striper fishing. Turn the motor off, fish for a few...turn the key over and not a sound. No click, nothing.<br /><br />All the gauges worked, along with the various switches. I checked the connections at the battery to be solid, also any inline fuses. After 5 minutes it magically started right up.<br /><br />The last time this happened, there was a *click* of the solenoid, but no start and I found this small wire on the starter had slipped off. <br /><br />It wasn't the small wire this time...

 

[hondon]

Re: Turn the key and...nothing?

Time to check and clean all the battery cable connections.Both ends ,and pay special attention to the grounds.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Turn the key and...nothing?

Chris<br />It would help if you told us what you have, Brand, Year and HP.<br />Also make sure you have motor out of gear as will not turn over if in gear. Check the neutral Start switch and the starter switch itself. Make sure you are getting 12 volts to the started solenoid pick coil. One of the small wire on the starter solenoid.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Turn the key and...nothing?

If your shifter is in gear when you turn the key you get exactly that symptom. Check the safety switch on your shifter(s) and be sure you shifter is completely out of gear.

 

[loadnet]

Re: Turn the key and...nothing?

If your shifter position is looking good and you want to pull a real quick test on your ignition switch, keep a test light on board.<br /><br />Next time it happens (and the shifter is in neutral) get behind that ignition switch and you'll see a terminal marked SOL<br /><br />Ground your test light and touch the BATT terminal first to make sure you have a good ground, then turn and HOLD the ignition in the start position and stick the test light probe on the SOL terminal.<br /><br />If it doesn't light up the switch is acting up.<br />If it lights up, stab the wire that comes off the SOL terminal about 2 inches away..<br /><br />If it does NOT light up, you have a bad connection at that SOL terminal.<br /><br />Just my 2 1/4 cents worth.

 

[chris in va]

Re: Turn the key and...nothing?

I have a 94 Caravelle, 302/Volvo SX 2bbl. <br /><br />I figured it might have been some sort of neutral switch, so I wiggled the shifter some then tried to start. Where is that switch?

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Turn the key and...nothing?

Get under/ behind the shifter and look for 2 electrical wires that run from there to the ignitiion switch. That the safety switch which keeps you from starting in gear. It is integrated into the shifter.

 

[chris in va]

Re: Turn the key and...nothing?

Ok Ralph, thanks. Maybe if it happens again I can just pinch the wires together for it to start until I figure out how to pull the shifter. I tried to yank it the other day for unrelated problems, and couldn't figure it out.