HELP - No-start after minor accident

[FiatLancia]

Was in a minor fender-bender (rear-ended a Taurus) with my '92 Navajo 5-speed on my way to the office in heavy rain. Nothing major damage-wise: cracked the grill, one headlight assembly, and one turn signal assembly. After the police took information/statements and everyone left the scene, I tried to start the truck and it wouldn't crank. Remembering my "good old days" in college with an Escort for a daily driver, I found and pressed the fuel cut-off switch to reset and the Navajo started right up and ran/drove normally the remaining 7 or so miles to the office.

After work (same day, 8 hours later) I went out to the parking lot to head home and the truck wouldn't start. I tried the fuel cut-off switch again (had not been tripped...it was in the 'active' position) and again and eventually bypassed it by splicing the wires together. Still wouldn't start. Had to get flatbedded home. At home, I tested the battery (good) and the starter solenoid (also good). I checked and bypassed the clutch pedal switch, thinking maybe it was kicked or otherwise damaged in the accident. Thinking that the switch might be a "one-time use" item (it isn't, is it???) I even swapped fuel cut-off switches with another one that I picked up at a junkyard.

I simply cannot get this truck to crank over and/or start/run. I don't believe I'm getting the "starter relay click" that I read about in the Forum archives, but I could be wrong on that and am just not hearing it...could a starter relay have gone bad as the result of a minor collision? Is there anything ELSE that I'm not considering that would disable the ignition system on this truck like the fuel-cutoff or clutch pedal switch would?

Please help...I have to get back on the road ASAP!

Thanks much in advance for your suggestions...
Shaun Folkerts
Reading, PA
1992 Mazda Navajo, 5-speed, Silver/grey, 78k, fully stock.

 

[unclemeat]

Check the battery cables.

 

[Lt.Jim]

Check the wiring around your broken headlight/turn signal assembly. You may have a bare wire grounding out and draining the battery.

 

[Bwana Bob]

You will need a voltmeter to troubleshoot this. The large red wire goes from the (+) battery terminal, under the engine directly to the starter. The small red wire goes to the starting relay on the passenger side fender, just forward of the fuse box. The output of the starting relay is a small red wire that goes to the starting solenoid. At the starting solenoid its just a push-on terminal, so make sure it isn't broken.

I had my positive batttery cable fail several months ago. Physically, it looked fine. Lights and accessories worked, but she would not crank. The problem was a poor connection between the big red wire and the battery clamp. Somewhere, under all that lead, the connection was bad.

Use a voltmeter to check for voltage at the starting relay. Turn the ignition switch to "start" position while measuring the voltage at the output of the starting relay or at the other end at the starter solenoid. Do the same for the big red wire. Measure the voltage on the big wire at the starter, with the ignition off. Measure the voltage on the big wire at the starter with the ignition in "start" position. If you see 12 V but it drops to zero when cranking, the battery cable is faulty.

If you don't have a voltmeter, a 12 V test light will do.
Another way to test this: Carefully connect a battery jumper cable from the (+) battery terminal to the starter motor where the big red wire connects. Make sure the jumper cable can't short to ground or get fouled in the fan blades when you try to crank the engine. Likewise, if you suspect the negative battery cable, connect a jumper cable between the (-) battery terminal and vehicle chassis.

Lastly, you could bypass the starter relay with a jumper wire.

Bob

 

[Burns]

try under the passenger side front floor board carpet. there is a fail safe switch pull the caped back a bit and you will find it. i think it shuts the fuel off and it will not start. dont know if it will keep it from starting but it is a easy check

 

[shamaal]

try under the passenger side front floor board carpet. there is a fail safe switch pull the caped back a bit and you will find it. i think it shuts the fuel off and it will not start. dont know if it will keep it from starting but it is a easy check

I believe, that's the fuel cut-off switch that he referred to in the first post.

 

[FiatLancia]

Progress!

Thanks to all who have offered advice. Turns out Bwana Bob was on the right track, as were those who suggested wires/battery leads of some sort.

I managed to get the truck to crank, start, and run by jumping a wire from the positive on the battery to the rear post of the starter relay. Started right up like it always had before this issue popped up (albeit without the ignition switch this time!). Was going to replace the starter relay but none of the local auto parts stores here (Advance, AutoZone) had it. Will try a few others tomorrow. It should be a cheap fix if that's the problem.

I really wish I had a wiring diagram of some sort for the starter system that shows me what wire is supposed to lead where and which is energized under what conditions (off, on, starting, running, etc.). Obviously, the wire from the starter relay to the starter is not getting energized at the relay itself. At this point, unless I've deduced wrong, it could be either the relay, whatever triggers the relay to connect voltage from the one main terminal to the other to energize the starter, or a bad wire inbetween any of these components. Obviously, an electrical whiz I'm not. But I am learning.

Tomorrow will be another night out in the garage figuring it out. Any suggesions you may think of are greatly appreciated!

Shaun

 

[shamaal]

See figure 13
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/0b/a9/c7/0900823d800ba9c7.jsp