83 Turbo Rabbit, Ignition wont engage starter.

[Twigjit]

Hi everyone. I have a 83 Turbo Diesel Rabbit Gl. I have been getting it up and running so I can have it for a summer driver. So I recently got it timed properly and running good. But while that was happening the key stopped engaging the starter. I turn it all the way over and all I get is a click. So I am on here looking for help

First I would like help knowing what relays are involved in the starter. As far as I can tell it is the interlock relay (which is factory jumpered), the glow plug relay, and the starter solenoid (which is tested as good). Is this correct or are there others I need to be checking.

Could my problem be a ground issue? I am going to start looking at the grounds today, hopefully I can find them.

Also I want to make sure I have the right relays in the right spots. I have my bentley and it does decently but some of the relays, namely the ones up top don't have a list of what type they should be. And I can't find them online. They would be the low coolant, high speed fan, rear wiper, and up shift relays.

Any advice would be helpful on where to look to find proper relays for the car.

Thanks in advance.

[TylerDurden]

Ja, grounds are a common issue.

So are water leaks at the corner of the windshield right over the fusebox.

Not so common but known, are failed ignition switches.

I'd first try using a mechanic's remote starter/jumper button to connect directly to the starter, with the tranny in NEUTRAL.

[Fatmobile]

Turn the key and hold it there for about 30 seconds.
Then go feel all the major connections.
The bad spot will get warm.
Special attention to the ground cable connection to the trany.

[wmasscaddy]

I had my ignition fail in a tricky way. It would turn over fine, and once it caught it would run fine. But sometimes it wouldnt fire up, and this got worse over time. Turns out that WHILE the key was turned to START, the solenoid wasn't getting power. So run battery positive to the fuel solenoid and see if it starts. Remember the key won't shut it off with jumper on- stall it or remove jumper. A new ignition switch fixed it.

[greg lousy]

I had my ignition fail in a tricky way. It would turn over fine, and once it caught it would run fine. But sometimes it wouldnt fire up, and this got worse over time. Turns out that WHILE the key was turned to START, the solenoid wasn't getting power.

Don't worry about this. This is a "crank but won't start " problem and you've got a "won't crank" problem... which is a lot simpler. Don't worry about relays... no relay is involved in the starting circuit directly, unless you count the starter solenoid or ignition switch as relays of sorts.... The load reduction relay (interlock relay?) works if all your other electric stuff turns off when you crank, and isn't directly in the circuit anyhow. Glow plug relay is .. again.. something to suspect in a "crank but won't start" situation.
The starting circuit is just battery to fuse box - fuse box to ignition (both direct connections) - ignition to starter solenoid - then the starter solenoid throws the starter gear into the flywheel and connects your battery directly to starter.
I would check battery voltage if you haven't (a "kind of bad" battery can have enough juice to click the solenoid but not enough to crank).
Then I would get a 10 or 12 gauge wire stripped at both ends and jumper from positive battery terminal to the smaller terminal on starter solenoid. This is when you make sure the car is in neutral. If it cranks then the problem is before the solenoid. Check wire to ignition and its connections (this is the smaller, 12 gauge wire). If it doesn't crank, but the solenoid clicks, check the motor itself... jumper battery to the bigger terminal on solenoid.... starter motor should spin freely. If it doesn't, motor may be bad. Main ground could be bad too. or the big braided wire connecting solenoid to starter... that can burn out. You can make a temporary ground from starter to negative terminal with a jumper cable to test.
Check the terminals on solenoid... the little one from the ignition is pretty damn chinsy and has become unseated on me 2 or three times.
If you have a helper, you could also test for voltage at the smaller solenoid terminal while helper turns key to starting position. should be 10.5 volts if I recall. you can also listen for the click from the solenoid real good with a helper (at least one relay also clicks so get down there!)

If everything looks good and solenoid clicks but motor wont spin its worth tapping starter with a hammer... sometimes its just seized.

Check and clean main grounds from your battery... good thing to do anyway. A lot of us put and extra ground or 2 in as the surface metal on these cars isn't the conductor it was in the eighties and that is part of the circuit. A starter bolt is a good place for an extra ground.... especially for starting purposes

[htomasi]

Had the same issue before because of bad grounds.