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View Full Version : Unable to start car using key, must be hotwired



Mr Faust
01-14-2011, 07:44 PM
Taken from original post:

It began with my car not starting at all after going to the store, there were no problems beforehand.

1.)I tried to start my car but all it would do is crank, contacted a knowledgeable local and he told me how to jump my fuel pump using the check connector behind the battery, fine and dandy, I am able to drive the car as long as there is a wire going from the connector to the positive terminal. I later swapped pumps and bypassed the fuel relay beneath the MAF and no change.

2.) Roughly 3 weeks later the car is able to start but it will die immediately and smoke, we swapped ECU's and MAF's and still no change, the car will run fine with the MAF not plugged in.

3.) About one week later the car will not even crank, all lights come on, MFI relay clicks when attempting to start, so I swap starters and no change. In order to start the car, the fuel pump must be hotwired, the MAF unplugged, and the starter must be jumpered using a wire going to where it connects near the battery to the positive terminal.

Whats been done since then:
-Replaced Ignition Switch
-Bypassed fuel relay beneath MAF
-Install fuel pump hotwire kit
-Install Click Click Start Fix
-EDIT: I believe I also bypassed the Starter Relay in the engine bay but it it did not make a change

Things to consider:
-Car was bought with a Viper alarm but the 2 alarm fuses beneath dash were removed since it would sometimes not respond to the remote making me have to set it off and dick with it to make the alarm stop. I intend on having the entire alarm removed come spring.
-When ignition switch was replaced there were 3 wires coming from somewhere else on the old ignition switch large harness and one wire(Yellow I believe) missing from the connector that connects to the ignition switch's larger harness.

I need more ideas on what it could be, it seems odd that these things would go one after another, but then again it could be a coincidence. :Doh:

-Fuel pump runs only when hotwired through check connector.
-Car will die immediately after starting if MAF is plugged in, runs with MAF unplugged.
-Starter does not crank when key turned to on(nor does fuel pump run, unless hotwired) but if power is applied from positive on battery to click click start fix wire going to starter it will crank and the car will run and stay running if first two things have been done, power need only be applied to starter until the engine starts.

stealthee
01-14-2011, 09:45 PM
It sounds to me like the old alarm is still causing issues even though you have removed fuses. Remove the whole alarm system. Even if it doesn't fix it, it eliminates it as a possibile cause.

mb3000
01-14-2011, 09:59 PM
It sounds to me like the old alarm is still causing issues even though you have removed fuses. Remove the whole alarm system. Even if it doesn't fix it, it eliminates it as a possibile cause.

I would reccomend this as well. One thing I cannot stand about them is that usually they are wired like ass, you have no idea what the previous owner(s) did with the wiring. Hopefully this is your problem.

Mr Faust
01-15-2011, 12:35 AM
Spring is too far away, and its definitely too cold to do it now, I guess I'll be waiting dammit!

GTOJOE
01-16-2011, 06:05 AM
Sounds like the alarm is the issue. Also the hotwireing of the fuel pump uses the origional fuel pump power wires to power the relay which turns the pump on. So the origional pump wires must work for the hot wire to work so effectively in this situation the fuel pump hotwire is pointless. Rip out the alarm and all your issues should be resolved. Alarms usually stop at least 2 of the 3 things that are needed to start a car. Starter, fuel and spark. Sounds like your alarm has stopped 2 of these from happening.

GTwizard
01-16-2011, 11:10 PM
If I were you I would get a service manual. There are a ton of things you need to read up on. Did you know the fuel pump will not come on with the key in the on possition? Only in start mode. Than if the ECU gets the engine run sig it will hold the fuel circut closed untill turned off. I don't even know of a fuel relay under the mass. But than again I have no earthly clue what kind of car we are talking about as you never even gave a clue what it was. The manual has the best trouble shooting guide I have ever seen. It will tell you what to check, how to check, and in what order to check. To explain all this here would be rewriting the trouble shooting guide and this would be nuts. I am leaning to the EFI relay. Sounds like toast to me.

stealthee
01-17-2011, 06:11 AM
Fuel relay under the MAS is only on a TT.