I looked at the wiring diagram last night and saw that there is no relay
between the key switch and the starter solenoid in the 5 spd (oddly enough
the automatics have a relay). That is poor design practice in my opinion
because the key switch is probably not rated to handle the current the
solenoid requires and will fail in due time. Your addition of the relay
obviously is the solution. I'll do the same to mine after I'm caught up.
It's on the bottom of my priority list now.
Steve
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Original Text
From: S=yaleav/C=US/A=INTERNET/DDA=ID/yaleav(a)autobahn.mb.ca, on 5/14/98
8:29 AM:
>My good ol 85 XN6 wagon failed to start for the first time this morning
>as I was going to work. I can hear a click but the motor won't crank
>when I turn the key. Next logical thing to do was to rap the starter
>solenoid with a crow bar but that did not help. Next thing I tried was
>connect an alligator clip to the starter solenoid coil (spade lug),
>touched the other end to battery + with the ignition key in the on
>position and vrooom! it started. So the problem is somewhere in the
>contacts between the key switch through a relay to the starter motor.
>Guess these problems are expected to crop up in a car that's 13 years
>old. It took 5 minutes to get the car going and here I am at work.
>
>Steve Leung
I had same thing I put a relay between the ign sw and the starter solenoid
hasn't missed a beat since I even took off the jumper I had from the
starter to
near the pos terminal
Bob