VP starting issues

[yogi_b]

Was at a mates place the other day, went to head home but the car wouldn't start. everything was fine but when i turned the key to start the starter did nothing. The radio etc turned off, but the starter didn't make any noise or move or anything. After about 5 mins and the threat of a tyre iron i tried again and it fired up no dramas. I've noticed since that sometimes it hesitates to start up in the sense i'll turn my key to start and there will be a slight delay or it won't start at all unless i turn the key a second time.

Any ideas?

Cheers

[hi_ryder]

sounds like your starter is on its way out.... but also check your batteries voltage and the charge coming off your alternator on cold startup just for shits and giggles....

[VPRob]

My VP has refused to turn over a few times and I reckon it's a fault in the safety switch that only lets the car start when auto box is in P or neutral. It starts after I run the gearshift through its range or just adjust its position a bit. Probably a faulty earth. I haven't tried to chase it down yet

[Circlotron]

Thirty-three years ago I had this Pontiac and the gear linkage was way out of adjustment and worn so it was in reverse even though the pointer said Park. The car wouldn't crank of course, just like in this thread. So clever me gets under the bonnet with a screwdriver and shorts the small starter solenoid connector to the big battery lead connector. Winds over, starts up on the fast idle choke thingy and then damned if I didn't hear the sound of the tranny getting fluid pressure up and engaging... Ended up putting the car through the side fence into the neighbour's back yard, didn't I just.

[yogi_b]

I checked out the voltages for giggles, 12.4v and 14.45v. When I does start the starter fires very strongly and it doesn't sound like it's on it's way out.

The idea of the safety switch makes much more sense, I'll check it out in the morning, my neighbors are a few k's down the road so if my car end up in their back yard I'll be in a world of strife. :-P

Thanks for the ideas guys :-)

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk

[hi_ryder]

if it keeps playing up you cant fix it, you can bridge the park neutral switch so the car can be started in any gear. some people do this when converting to manual...

[Jxw]

If it's auto.
try holding the key in the start position, if it's not cranking move the shifter back n forth slowly in P, shouldn't need to lift the gate latch, if the starter motor kicks in then replace the p/n r switch, 2 screws. not adjustable in position they're a fixed mount, same place as the above pic, if it's going/gone in p/n then R probably isn't far behind, nothing worse than seeing a car reverse out of a park suddenly in front of you when there was no lights letting you know....