1993 geo tracker wont start

[saavedrab]

Hello,
I have a problem with my 1993 geo tracker. when I turn the key to start the engine, nothing happens. No relays, no licks nothing. I can't even turn on the headlights or radio. If I have someone hold in the clutch while I connect directly to the starter with a handheld starter button, the car starts with no problem and runs just fine. If I turn it off and try to restart it it won't work. when the key is in the acc position, I still have power to everything (stereo, lights, etc.) as soon as I turn the key to the start position, everything goes dead. Sounds like a short circuit to me, but I can't find where the starter relays would be. Any idea on helping me find a solution would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you all,
Bill

[SIDETRACKED]

check your ground wires

[lord_galathon]

autozone.com have available online manuals including schematics that might help you locate the starter relays. Sounds like those are the problem, from memory, the ones on my '91 Sidekick are under the dash.

[jtgh]

the head light path is independent to all other paths. It is wired to the path called HOT AT ALL TIMES>

so that is the issue, fix the head lights and magic happens.

power comes to from the battery then the huge fuse box on right inner fender, one of those is blown.
always look there first if you see loss of both headlights.

if it can make it to the HL , is for sure cant the rest, EFI , etc.

http://carfix.stufftoread.com/nostar.../gen-start.jpg

see white/green wire, unless that is hot, you will be going or glowing HL.

notice 2 fuse , not one.

[meece4x4]

I had a simular thing happen to my Toyota Surf and it turned out to be a bad battery terminal, it looked fine until i tried to undo it and discovered that it was so badly corroded that it fell apart as soon as I lifted it off, replaced it and bang up she fired! ... just a thought anyway.

cheers Meece

[jtgh]

the car starts and runs when hot wired .
this means the start path from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid is defective (open).

if it starts and runs , the battery is good as is its connections.

if it were mine, id put a volt meter on the coil (solenoid) side of the
clutch switch , turn the start key and see if i get 12vdc.
a 12v light bulb could replace a meter, here.


if I did, I would trace this bronken wire to the soleniod, if not id move my
meter to the ignition side of clutch switch, if it failed id move back to t
the ingniton switch.
it is common for Ignition switches to fail , especially with huge key rings full of heavy key sets ( really bad).

1 Ignition sw. (try wiggling the heck out of it)
2 clutch switch
3, bad wires or connectors.

again the car starts and runs when hot wired !

Flash, meter for sale at HF for $2.99 , now anyone can afford it.

[LRWheelman]

Check the wires @ the solinoid. You will have to get down under it I think to see them closely. The Female flat-blade connector that connects to the solenoid was bad on mine, but since it has a manual trans We just push started it for a couple days. Bend the wires around & they will probably break off, as they get very brittle. I re-made a small harness with new wires & connectors for mine, I also installed a separate push button to start the car when the ignition switch fails & included it in the harness. It all works well now. Good Luck, LRWheelman

[lord_galathon]

Make sure you don't have a kill switch installed from a previous owner or factory, usually if you have a red LED on the left side of the dash, the switch will be behind there somewhere but, I've seen them in pretty nifty places.

LED cable is never THAT long though and it's a small truck...

[dangerzuki]

LRWheelman - our tests show a bad ignition switch, and want to convert to a push button start. Do you have any tips or advice - your harness approach sounds better than the twisted wires we're finding from the previous owner. Thanks.

[jtgh]

savedrab what happened.? did you fix the fuse on the right front finder , in side engine bay?


PO kill switch , yes ! that is very good.