starting problem

[saturn]

Cabby doesn't start.  I've replaced starter, charged the 1 yo battery 2 days ago, made sure all connections are clean and tight.  This is an intermittent problem because the new starter has worked, meaning the car has started since the starter was replaced.

Last night:  after getting the battery charged, when i turn the key to 'on' position, volt meter cluster guage reads btwn 10 and 12 right @ line btwn 'red' and 'red/green' sections of guage.  When key is turned to 'start' position, nothing happens, then I hear an audible 'click', then sometimes another 'click', seems to be coming from the solenoid.  Then when the key is returned to 'on' position, the bar (oil press) guage needle jumps btwn 2.5 to 4 and just keeps moving back and forth btwn the two numbers.

I'm thinking of getting a new battery and/or another starter.  The cabbyinfo site mentions a bad voltage regulator can cause low voltage.  I recall the volt.regualtor is part of the alternator.  Could this be to blame for my starting problem?

Thanks for your help!

[gull]

What does your voltmeter read when the engine is running? It should be around 13.5 volts. If it's lower than 13, then you probably do have a bad voltage regulator. (Actually, worn-out brushes are a more common problem, but they're part of the voltage regulator assembly on this car.) This is with the headlights and such turned off -- the location of the voltmeter in the circuit means the reading will drop when you turn on electrical loads, even if the regulator is good.

If you have a portable voltmeter you can measure the voltage directly at the battery for a more accurate picture of what's going on. In that case, you should see 13.5 to 14 volts at the battery terminals with the engine running, and it should stay above 13 volts even with the headlights on.

One item you haven't mentioned is the ignition switch. They do go bad from time to time, and bad contacts in the switch can cause this sort of problem.

[kamzcab86]

Ditto on the ignition switch. And definitely use a DVOM; don't rely on the console gauges because they are not 100% accurate. They are, however, 100% accurate at telling you that VW electrical engineers suck every time you turn the headlights on.

As for the voltage readings, at start-up your VDO gauge is reading correctly. If you can split your eyesight so that one eye is on the gauge and one is on the cluster, you'll see that the gauge needle pops up to 13 at the same time the alternator/battery warning light goes out when you rev the engine up to 1300+ rpm. This is all thanks to the famous blue exciter wire and is perfectly normal.

[Briano1234]

With the cable from the ignition switch to the starter removed off the starter, place a VOM from that to ground 20v scale. Have someone turn the keyswitch to the start position, is there 12v on that? yes/no. Yes the starter circuits are good. If no then you are looking at something between the ignition switch and the starter Usually the switch.

If you have 12v there, PLACE THE CAR IN PARK OR NEUTRAL, then take a battery jumper to the positive battery terminal, and then touch the starter solenoid where you remove the wire to the ignition switch, does the starter spin yes/no, if yes, then replace all your battery cables both positive and negative. If no, then a bad starter.

Great coffee and electrics all start with good grounds..... I strongly suggest that the battery cables should be replaced every few years. It is possible that you have intergranular corrosion in one of the battery cables.

Cables should go from the negative battery to the frame on the drivers strut tower, then from the strut tower to the tranny/block bolt from the rear valve cover nut drivers side to the firewall.

The Positive runs from the battery to the alternator, from the battery to the starter, and from the batter to the Fuse box.

You might want to even change and place the hot start relay in.

[CalAltaDubber]

I agree with what Brian has to say here. Start with the checks he has mentioned.

And do use a digital multimeter if you can find one. They are often on sale for as little as $10 or $20. If not an analog multimeter will do.

When the car is running with no accessories turned on, you should see about 13 to 13.5 Vdc.

I have seen voltage regulators quit, but the symptoms are the red battery indicator illuminates and the volt meter will drop. In this case the battery is running the car and not recharging. (it happened to me once when the temp was -30 degrees).

So I think it is either the ignition switch as Gull and Kamz suggested or a bad ground as Brian suggested.

What does confuse me is your description of what the oil pressure gauge is doing. It could have something to do with a grounding issue, so I would tend to look at that route.