Get your hands on a volt meter, a test light should suffice for this test. Connect the ground lead to the battery & check voltage to the relay on the battery side. It should be battery voltage or the light should come on. Then check the other side of the relay when the starter button is pushed. There should be battery voltage or the light should come on. If you are getting voltage on both sides of the relay then check the wire that goes from the relay to the starter motor. Pull back the cover & expose the nut thats holding the wire in place & touch the meter or the test light to the nut. Push the starter button again. There should be battery voltage or the light should come on. If you get voltage or the light comes on then the starter motor is the problem. If the light does not come on or there is no voltage then check for a loose or poor connection between the starter & relay on the wire that connects the two. If the starter motor is the problem I have a couple if your interested.

 

i got a multimeter today! just got home with it so i havent had a chance to try it out yet.

project96 - extremely helpful! thats what i needed step by step!

curious what does a starter motor run? cause my mind is leaning towards it being that.

i will be back later with information and results of the voltage testing.

 

You don't want to have to buy a new starter. Just shy of $250 brand new. Probably find one on ebay for $50 or less.

Most starters can be taken apart and repaired. They usually get dirty contacts or brushes.

When someone mentions signal wire, they're usually referring to the wiring side of the component that controls whether or not the component turns on or off. An example would be the horn switch. One side of the horn switch always has 12v on it. The other side of the switch would have 12v on it only when the switch is pressed. Well, maybe not the best example but you get the idea.

 

just a thought, but when this happens on a car, the quick diagnosis is to tap the starter solenoid lightly with a hammer (or end of a wrench). sounds like a brush is sticking in the starter, the click is usually the starter relay activating, but if a brush is stuck in a dead spot or worn the starter won't turn... push starting may have just moved the starter enough to get out of the dead spot the n once you try again it get s right back to it. might try that first. and i believe the "signal wire" orangef3 is referring to is the wire that connects the switch to the starter solenoid, it activates the starter... here is the diagnosis sheet from my manual....



go to http://www.stephygee.com and download the PDF manual for the F3, section 17 is detailed on diagnosis and testing the starter system... good luck!

 

hmmm. picture didn't work... here...

 

to all - thank you!

i believe you are correct in saying that my starter brushes are getting stuck in a dead spot. after lots of troubleshooting i got it to start a select few times but it was hit or miss.

i believe i am purchasing a starter and will probably need some assistance in putting it in. how hard is this going to be? that thing is way in the middle and im not sure the best way to get to it.

thanks again to everyone offering their knowledge

 

Oh man, this is starting to sound like a road trip... it's only 4.5 hrs away...

I wonder if he has tools ??

 

LOL...guess we'll find out sooner or later

 

Its really easy of you have some tools & should only take about 30-45 min total time. You will have to remove the fuel tank or have someone hold it out of the way for a bit. There are 2 bolts that mount the starter to the cases & 1 nut that holds the wire from the relay to the starter itself. Remove them & just slide the starter out of the hole its in. It has a rubber o-ring that can be a pain sometimes but it will come out. When installing the new starter take a little grease & rub it on the o-ring so it will slide in easier. Install in reverse order. Good luck.

 

I'll make the trip if you do, Dirt.