Help! She won't start...

I am trying to get to work, the Speedy has juice but when I push the button--well something happens but it won't turn. There is a loose red wire in the engine compartment, red, and labeled with a #3, but I can't figure out where it is supposed to go.

here's a blurry picture, it's supposed to attach somewhere near the distributor cap, the cylider underneath (oil presdsure switch?) was missing it's nut but the wire was still on the post.

I meant this thing to the left of the distributor. What is it?

Oil pressure sender.

Stephan, not sure what you mean by "it has juice, but won't turn"? What won't turn, the starter or the entire engine? I don't see how an oil sensor could prevent an engine from starting, but electricity is but one of my many deficencies. When the adtrenline slows down, more details of your electric setup might be helpful.

I am running the popular Bosch blue coil and Pertonix ignition. I have a red wire going from the distributor to my coil + terminal (black to the coil -). Disconnecting the red wire may interrupt the ignitiion, but the starter should still rotate the engine. I am sure someone will pinpoint your exact problem shortly. Preservere!

Electric schematics for your own personal car, even hand drawn, can be a good investment in future trouble shooting. All these cars were hand wired by separate people, wire colors and routing can be very individual.

Now I'm not even sure the problem is related to the loose wire. It started to rain while I had the car out in the street and the power antenna went up on its own. The starter was making a really muffled click; my first thought was a drained battery but the headlights seemed to come on bright and I didn't leave anything on. As we were messing with the wires (not really doing anything different) the starter seemed like it was trying to turn, I jump started the car and let it idle for a while. Now it starts right away so I clipped the wires to the power antenna (I am pulling the stereo anyway, all my cars just use an ipod to amp system) in case it is contributing to battery drain.

Still, now I can't drive with any confidence, and I have a wire not connected to anything. The oil pressure switch should only need one wire, right? I just thought it couldn't be coincidence, a missing nut and a loose wire at the same time.

Eventually I know I will have to redo most of the wiring, but I need to figure out what is going on first.

Stephan -

Only because I recently drove in a pretty good rain to Paso Robles (along with my other knucklehead SOC friends) can I offer this troubleshooting tip (if one could consider any info I give as a 'tip').

Anyway, your issue (besides the loose wire you mentioned) could possibly be that somewhere under your dash, the rain probably caused some wire connection or switch to get wet resulting in a short. This might explain why your antennae is trying to power up, or starter making noise without you touching anything (particularly since your car is 12 years old, like mine).

On my Paso drive, my headlights would not shut off even when I pushed the headlight switch to full off position. I had to pull the fuse for the lights to shut them off (until whatever water problem dried up).

Try using one of those cans of compressed air/CO2 (like the kind you use to clean your computer keyboard) and give the suspected area a good blast to try and blow out excess moisture.

Anyway, it's worth a try and a cheap fix if it works!

Good luck!

Check the wires going to the starter solenoid, a spade and a ring connector. Push the spade on tight and put a dab of Goop or silicone on it to hold it on and keep the water out. Tighten the nut on the ring connector where it attaches to the back of the solenoid, there shouldn't be any movement at all. Now make sure that the wire coming from the starter is tight to the battery and the voltage regulator. Last, check the connections from the key switch, be positive that they're tight to the switch and firmly pinched in the connectors.

If everything checks out and you still have trouble, jump the solenoid and see if the starter turns the engine. If it does, pull the starter and install a new solenoid. They're cheap and come with terrific directions.

Sounds like a simple easy fix problem, nothing to cause you to lose confidence in your car.

Luck !

Hey Stephan, if "we drove these cars with confidence" we wouldn't even need a website would we? Try the Kia owners club for that. It all has to do with your level of enthusiasim!

stephan a,
This may be a bit off topic.
From the photos you posted, it appears as though your fan shroud doesn't have hoses that go to the heater boxes installed.
If you are running heater boxes, you need to add the hoses. If you aren't running heater boxes or don't have the hoses, you should cap those outlets on the shroud.
With them open, some of cooling air intended for the cylinders and heads won't get there to do it's job.

Greg

David- Thanks for the reminder; I just need to get in there and learn how to wrench on this thing.


Greg- Thanks, it does have the hoses, I just pulled the left side one to get at the wires easier. Maybe I need some clamps on them though, they just kinda sit loosely on the shroud.


I ended up taking the battery to Auto Zone for a full charge, just crossing my fingers that it will start in the morning.

Stephan...
did you get your car started?
I saw a red speedster going eastbound on Winchester this afternoon...
was that you?
Frank

I'm sure it was me; I hope I wasn't driving like a jerk...

I am back up and running (for now), and I figured out what the wire is, it's for the oil temperature!

So, who knows where it plugs in?

I don't think that it is oil temp, I think that is oil pressure connected to the red idiot light on the dash.

Stephan a

I live in Ontario, (about 60) miles north of you. I work on a lot of Spyders and Speedsters. If you can't find a mechanic then get hold of me and I can work on your car.

Check out www.spyderclub.com for references

Stephen,
Larry Jowdy has worked on my car many times in the past. He's a straight-up, honest and knowledgable guy. If you can get your car to him I'm sure he'll get you fixed up.

Adrian,

Where have you been??? When's the BIG day, or has it passed????

OD--I have the crappy vintage repro gauges including an oil pressure and oil temp; the little cylinder under the distributor is for the oil pressure.

I may have been unclear earlier; the oil pressure sender wire was loose but still attached, and the other wire (which turns out to be for oil temp) was and still is hanging freely.

I just need to know where the oil temperature wire would attach. My car not starting was apparently not related to either, I'm still hunting down the root cause but somehow my battery was drained almost completely. I just didn't recognize it as a dead battery at first since the headlights seemed bright.

typically, if you have an oil temp gauge, the sender is located within a brass "T" fitting which is screwed into the engine case near the distributor. If it's a full flow case, it could be mounted within one of the pressure or return lines

the temp sender is also somtimes found in the center of the oil sump replacing the plug, or it may also be on the pressure relief spring gallery at the bottom of the case....I have had engines with either or both, have one in the bottom of the oil gallery now....

Thanks guys, I'll find it this weekend. It has to be in the vicinity of the distributor since that is the only place the wire could reach.

The Speedster starts up like a champ every time; I have no idea what drained my battery but so far, so good. MAYBE the loose wires caused a short?

Odds are 9 to 1 that the issue you have is as TC described. The two wire going to the starter. One is the big postive cable from the battery. The other is the selinoid starter engage wire, which are notorious for not making adequate connection to push enough juice to engage the seliod enough to trip the starter motor switch. Check them both.

Yes, take a screw driver, and with the car jacked up and in neutral, with you totally clear, put the screwdirve between the two posts on the starter selinoid (sp) to create an electrical flow. I bet it engages the starter and turns the motor over. This is the quickest way to check if you connections are bad. (A notorious problem.)

Frank, I saw another red Speedster at Costco yesterday. Tan interior, gray haired driver and much nicer paint; probably the guy you saw since I don't think I took Winchester last Tuesday.

Anyway I got the kill switch in, cuts all power at the battery. Ripped out the radio and cleaned up the wiring. I haven't even looked at the starter yet but ever since I had the battery charged it starts like a champ.

Stephan
I think you are right...
the one I saw going on Winchester near the airport was red & 'shiny' with a grey haired gentleman driving...I met another local owner a while back in a Murrieta parking lot who had a silver Vintage...it's nice to know there are a now few of us in town!
Frank

Stephan / Frank;

Hey guys. Try to hook up with us on the North San Diego cruise that Bill is trying to organize. Stephan, we're meeting just down the hwy from you (215/76) and running through areas like Warner Springs/Borrego Springs/Palomar. Frank, this is also close to your neck of the woods.

Check under 'Events'! Hope to meet up with more SOC friends and cruise!

Peace - Out!

The shiniest thing in my car is my head; I'll be 30 this summer.

I'm looking forward to that cruise, you guys can tell me what you think of my McMaster-Carr headlight covers.