Bad Starter (or Solenoid)?

[elemgee]

I was driving my 94 SVX today and after about 5 miles the engine felt like it was running intermittently, as if it was going to turn off. At the same time I also smelled something burning and the radio stopped working. This only lasted a few seconds; the car started to run OK again and so I continued on to my destination without incident. I popped the hood when I go there and didn't see anything out of line.

About an hour and a half later I got back into the car turned the key, and nada. No sound, no clicking, nothing. I had a portable jump starter with me, but that did not solve the problem, car still wouldn't make a sound when I turned the key.

I removed both battery cables thinking maybe there was some corrosion and then reattached them, but that didn't solve the problem. I also checked the connections to the starter relay I installed many years ago, but everything looked OK. The radio and lights work. This is the 1st time this has happened.

The radio and lights work.

Any idea what the problem could be (I'm assuming bad starter or solenoid)? And I've read that I may be able to get the car to start by jumping something (I read I can bypass the relay by connecting the positive battery connection on the solenoid directly to the battery or something along these lines), so I can at least get it home to work on it?

Thanks.

Larry

[oab_au]

Originally Posted by elemgee

I was driving my 94 SVX today and after about 5 miles the engine felt like it was running intermittently, as if it was going to turn off. At the same time I also smelled something burning and the radio stopped working. This only lasted a few seconds; the car started to run OK again and so I continued on to my destination without incident. I popped the hood when I go there and didn't see anything out of line.

About an hour and a half later I got back into the car turned the key, and nada. No sound, no clicking, nothing. I had a portable jump starter with me, but that did not solve the problem, car still wouldn't make a sound when I turned the key.

I removed both battery cables thinking maybe there was some corrosion and then reattached them, but that didn't solve the problem. I also checked the connections to the starter relay I installed many years ago, but everything looked OK. The radio and lights work. This is the 1st time this has happened.

The radio and lights work.

Any idea what the problem could be (I'm assuming bad starter or solenoid)? And I've read that I may be able to get the car to start by jumping something (I read I can bypass the relay by connecting the positive battery connection on the solenoid directly to the battery or something along these lines), so I can at least get it home to work on it?

Thanks.

Larry

Hi Larry, try. connecting the battery positive to the starter solenoid, see if the starter will run.

[elemgee]

Tried that this morning. There was spark at the solenoid, but it didn't start. So I'm assuming the problem is the solenoid or starter. Am taking it into the shop later today, Thanks for your help.