No battery power after start

[Wallybally]

Hi,

I've got a bit of a stumper here.

I've got a '91 LS400, and I seem to have trouble with the starter. It started (lol) a few months ago, when I noticed that my radio was losing its memory - i.e. the programmed radio stations were erased - which points to having a disconnected battery at some point. Lately it has been getting worse. There is a chance that, when starting, it will not and lose power completely. I mean, turn the key to the run position and start, and I just hear a click, and then nothing. Everything is out. No more door ajar light on the dash, no nothing. Fortunately there is a ground-switch onder the hood, so I turn that off and on, and power is back.

Once I got it started, and then it died again. Started again, put on some throttle, and it started revving, but as soon as I let go of it, it died again. Same solution: power off and power on, problem solved.

This all directed me in thingking there might be something wrong with the ignition switch, so I ordered that, 2 weeks later installed it, and the problem seems to almost gone away. But today it died on me again. I tried to start, one click, and everything dead. Power off, power on, and it will start again as if nothing happened. Radio memory gone, clock timer 1 am, and odometer trips A and B both back to zero.

I have a feeling that it is a kind of protection by means of an automatic fuse somewhere in the system, because the starter may be going bad.  Once I had it three times in a row, and the starter moved a tiny little bit, and the fourth Tim it started. But now it didn't even do the click like when it moves a little bit just went dead.  

Question: Can anybody PLEASE tell me what is going on ?

 

 

Walter

[sha4000]

Do you have a check engine light on? If so this is how you chack for codes.

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/intro/codereading.html

[Wallybally]

No, no CEL. Everything is normal, no problem at all.  When it's running it is all ok.

 

Just when starting it will die on me completely. And for that matter, it happens maybe every two weeks.

 

Thanks

[vissine]

I guess it has something to do with electric. What voltage do you read for battery when engine is running and when off?

[Wallybally]

I javen’t checked voltages. The alternator is practically new. Everybody that has heard it click and have seen this before, say that it is the starter. The alternator was replaced 3 years when I did the timing belt/waterpump.

I can understand why they would think starter, but is there an electronic system that turns the power off by way of an automatic fuse or something ? It is very strange. It tries to turn over, battery is fine. It just says click and then nothing, dash light for the door is off, everything dead. Go under the hood, turn off the ground switch, turn it back on. Start- does it again. Repeat 3 or 4 times. And then it will start. Problem goes away. It does that maybe once every 2 weeks now.

 

Thanks.

[vissine]

I meant: maybe electrical problem, not mechanical. You can start on checking electrical connectivity: ground cable (for example), connectors ... Intermittent problem. You can also use WD-40 to clean the electrical connections. I would focus on starter and starter relay first. When it happens, can you try to start the car when it is in Neutral position? Sometimes it may have something to do with the park/neutral position switch. 

Sometimes, the theft deterrent system ECU can cause no cranking too.

Good luck, by the way, I know it is not fun for you. 

[Wallybally]

Hi all. Just to let you know:

It was the security module / immobiliser that was killing the power to EVERYTHING. There is NOTHING wrong with the starter.

It seems it was thinking the car was stolen or something. I found a few post around the web that indicated the switches in the doorlocks might be getting old, and when it failed to deactivate the security module, but still open the doors, the immobiliser kicked in. Also, disconnecting the battery sometimes corrected the problem, but the last few weeks even that did not solve the problem and starting it was not possible. After an extensive search I found a fix for disabling the security module. Taking a ground wire and connecting it so a green wire in a blue connector in the left side of the drivers side footwell did the trick. No more alarm. The only thing that does not work beside the alarm is the central locking system. It will not open all the doors with the key. It will however close them. And the switch inside the door for the locking system does work, so problem solved, and also maybe a better system now than it was.

I am driving again, very happy now. 28 years old, still going strong. I love this beast...

Thanks for all your responses. We keep learning !

 

Walter

[sha4000]

Glad you got it sorted out. I've been busy with a heater core change the last couple of weeks.

[Wallybally]

Yeah it's always something. Now I am driving again, and the front suspension on the right side has a rattle, and I just changed parts and renewed the inspection 3 months ago.

Does anyone can explain where creaking while turning the wheels could maybe come from ? Its really nasty and seems to get worse.

And the rattle is as well. 

Could this be the strut rod bushing ?

 

Thanks.

 

 

W.

[sha4000]

Maybe control arms.

[Wallybally]

Hi,

We have a yearly inspection. Just to be safe, I have replaced the upper control arms, to they are brand spanking new. The lower control arms I did 4 years ago, and this year I did the lower ball joints as well. Just to tell you, my LS was originally an air suspension one, and that started leaking. I replaced those struts myself with coilovers. I keep stuff in good condition. Stabilser links have been replaced 16 months ago. Since after this year's inspection in which it was cleared, there is a noise coming from the front right when I turn the steering wheel. But when it is on the stands I cannot replicate the noise.

 

Thanks for having a think about this. It is really annoying me...

W.

[sha4000]

As old as these cars are you are going to have some creaks and rattles.