no crank but has push button start???

Here is the question…i just got a 91 DA…its my second one in several years…its a 1.8 5spd

Now when i put the key and push in the clutch and try to start it all i hear is a “click” and the car wont start…now i turn the key on and push the button and the car will fire right up no problems.

Also with the car off if i push the button it activates the starter but the car wont start since the key is off…

Now my question is i would like to eliminate the push button and just take it back to stock…the wires seem to run straight to the starter itself so thats no big deal but i am wondering why the car wont start with the key???

Any suggestions?

starter just turns the crank, without ignition it will not turn over. which is why you need the key

i know that…what im asking is why the car will not start when using just the key…in order to start the car now i have to use the button.

most likely the switch is used to provide ground energizing the coil on a high current relay.

without completing the circuit (switch not depressed) the coil will not be energized thus… no start.

The Short and simple answer is:

“Because someone rewired the car to use the button instead of the key.”

From what you described, it may not be too hard to put it back to normal.

Look at the starter, there should be two wires attached to it. A Thick Battery Cable, and a thinner cable to energize the solenoid.
It sounds like they disconnected the original thin wire at the starter and replaced it with the new wire from the button.

If you look around, you will probably find the original wire hanging around near the starter. Switch back to the original wire and you should be back to Normal.

[QUOTE=1ntegra;2059140]The Short and simple answer is:

“Because someone rewired the car to use the button instead of the key.”

From what you described, it may not be too hard to put it back to normal.

Look at the starter, there should be two wires attached to it. A Thick Battery Cable, and a thinner cable to energize the solenoid.
It sounds like they disconnected the original thin wire at the starter and replaced it with the new wire from the button.

If you look around, you will probably find the original wire hanging around near the starter. Switch back to the original wire and you should be back to Normal.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm thats a good idea…i glanced at the starter earlier but didnt really see any wires hangin off at that moment. I did notice that he had just run two more wires to the starter for the “kill” switch but im going to look and see if the key wire is missing…

He probably ran two wires from the pushbutton to the starter. One to the thick battery cable (the live positive) and one to the terminal where the original “start” wire used to be (the output of the start button).

Once you find the original start signal cable and connect it to the starter, you can remove the two wires he added completely.

yea he just ran a wire to both sides but all the original wiring is still intact and attached…any other ideas?

So If I understant this correctly, you are saying there are currently FOUR wires connected to the starter.

On the big bolt on the starter, you have 1 thick battery cable and 1 wire that goes to the push button.

On the smaller terminal on the starter, you have 1 thin wire from the engine wire harness and 1 wire from the push button. Correct?

IF that is the case, then it sounds like the push button was installed as a remedy to a “no start” problem he had with the car (as opposed to a ricer mod) LOL

The click you hear under the dash is the starter relay. If the relay is clicking, that tells me the keyswitch and clutch switch are ok. The problem would most likely be the starter relay itself (no output) or the wiring from the relay to the starter.

Here is the cuircuit diagram for the starter so you can troubleshoot.

that makes sense…yea i turn the key with the clutch in and i do hear click…and yes you are correct it has 2 wires per terminal…ill have to check the starter relay later---->the relay is the brown box under the driverside part of the dash or am i thinkin of the MFR

if you have the clutch in and hear a click(from between the heater controls and glovebox, which is where the starter relay is located) then the relay is working correct, Sounds like the the problem is between the relay and the starter

You would think… but I’ve run into many relays where the switch contacts inside have burned out. The electromagnet clicks, but the switching contacts have either melted, or carbonized to the point that they no longer complete the circuit.

Just figured it would be worth checking.

:hmm: interesting, good information to know