1993 Saturn SL2 PLEASE HELP! Single Mom. Need to figure m

Tiny
SATURNGIRL79
  • MEMBER
  • 1993 SATURN SL2
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 289,000 MILES
Hello! I am extremely greatful for any advice that I receive! I am a single mom & extremely strapped for cash. My neighbor at the extended stay motel that me & my kids stay at is helping me. But we can't figure out what's wrong with my car :(

My car is a 2 door 93 Saturn with 289,000 (most are freeway) miles! MANUAL!

Most of the times when I go to start it. It will not start on it's own. I have to do a rolling clutch start :) It's not the battery nor the alternator! I don't know if it's the clutch safety switch or the starter.

When I do turn the ignition key. The gauge lights come on like normal. And it makes the normal fuel system sound for a few seconds. Then silence! Instead of the normal car running sound!

I've even tried turning the key over and checking to see if their is a power shortage at all. When I did this. The gauge lights, headlights, heater, radio, etc don't dim at all.

How do we figure out what is wrong with it?

We tried doing the suggestion of the clutch safety switch test that is on this website. But we couldn't get the clutch safety switch out to test the other parts that were supposed to test? How do you get the switch out to test the last thing on the test to find out if the clutch safety switch is bad? (My neighbor doesn't know how to get the volt meter connected to the outgoing wires)

Is there anything else besides the starter or clutch safety switch that it could be?

Thank you very much! :) GREATLY APPRECIATE it!

(PS: It's the only car that my kids & I have and we have been carless because of it being broken down. We also live out in the country in our extended stay motel room so therefore we are pretty much broke & are trying to do this inexpensively!)

It might not be a SL2. It might be one of the other ones.

If it is the starter. How do you change the starter out? We can't get to it from the top. Thank you! :)
Saturday, March 20th, 2010 AT 6:16 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
First of all thank u so much for ur donation it really helps to keep this site going and answering everyones question. So u have a multimeter?If u think it's the clutch switch bypass it um plug it and jump the connector see if it starts make sure the clutch is pushed in. Also mak sure the battery cables are clean and tight. Have u had ur battery tested?Also if it is ur starter u have to Replace it from the bottom. Let me know what u find. We will find the problem just work with me and I'll help u thru all the tests.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, March 20th, 2010 AT 7:36 PM
Tiny
SATURNGIRL79
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Okay, the car makes no CLUNK! NO noise what-so-ever when I turn the car over! And how do you do that switch test thing? We couldn't figure out how to get the tester connected to the thing (please see the above email for more details on this).

Thank you!
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, March 20th, 2010 AT 9:21 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Make sure u have power on both sides of ur ign3 fuse it's a green 30 amp maxi one in ur under hood junction fuse box. Now to test ur ignition switch starter relay clutch switch and all the wires between put ur ebrake on put the car in neautral then press ur clutch switch in u should have power to both wires with the switch in and it plugged in.U will have probe the wire with the sharp tip. If u don't have power to both wires then let me know. Terminal a to the switch power comes from the starter relay if u don't have power at that terminal to the clutch switch with key to the start postion then we have to trace back towards the ignition switch. If we have power to terminal a and with the switch pushed don't have power to terminial b then u have a bad clutch switch. If u have power thru the switch and to terminal b then u have to rasie up the front of the car and make sure u have power to the little purple wire to the starter with the key in the start postion. Also make sure u have power to the big post to the starter where the battery cable attaches to it. Also grab the cable and try to wiggle it to make sure it's tight. If u have power to those two wires and ur battery is good and charged u have a bad starter. Let me know what u find.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, March 21st, 2010 AT 11:43 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links