'92 doesn't crank

Hi,
I garaged my '92 in May in Florida, and then left until yesterday. Last
night I tried to start it but the battery was dead. I charged the battery
over night. It is fully charged now. Turning the key all's ok, fans spin,
dash lights go on, etc, but when I turn the key to the last position to
start it, it doesn't crank.
Is there a relay that clicks to engage the starter motor? I don't hear any
clicks. When I parked it, it was working fine.
Any suggestions on trouble shooting will be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike

ps: There is a black box with fuses in it in the engine compartment on the
passenger side. It also has square plug in modules that look like relays.
I pulled them and they look ok to me. Are any of those in the
starter circuit?

In article >,
"~Mike Hollywood" > wrote:

> Turning the key all's ok, fans spin,
> dash lights go on, etc, but when I turn the key to the last position to
> start it, it doesn't crank.

Does the horn sound normal? Are the headlights bright? The battery is
still the prime suspect. Next thing to try: clean the battery terminals.

Good ideas, thanks. I just checked, and yes they both are normal.
The horn is loud and the head lights pop up as usual with the normal
amount of brightness.
I had cleaned the battery contacts before I put this battery in the car. It
was new about 3 months before I went away, and they still look
ok to me.
Thanks,
Mike

"Lanny Chambers" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "~Mike Hollywood" > wrote:
>
>> Turning the key all's ok, fans spin,
>> dash lights go on, etc, but when I turn the key to the last position to
>> start it, it doesn't crank.
>
> Does the horn sound normal? Are the headlights bright? The battery is
> still the prime suspect. Next thing to try: clean the battery terminals.

Are you pushing the clutch in? Sometimes I forget when I don't drive it
for awhile. Otherwise, maybe it's the clutch pedal switch that prevents
you from starting it unless you do push the clutch in. If it's an
automatic (ugh), maybe it's the switch that prevents you from starting
it except when it's in neutral or park.

Geary

In article >,
"~Mike Hollywood" > wrote:

> Hi,
> I garaged my '92 in May in Florida, and then left until yesterday. Last
> night I tried to start it but the battery was dead. I charged the battery
> over night. It is fully charged now. Turning the key all's ok, fans spin,
> dash lights go on, etc, but when I turn the key to the last position to
> start it, it doesn't crank.
> Is there a relay that clicks to engage the starter motor? I don't hear any
> clicks. When I parked it, it was working fine.
> Any suggestions on trouble shooting will be much appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Mike
>
> ps: There is a black box with fuses in it in the engine compartment on the
> passenger side. It also has square plug in modules that look like relays.
> I pulled them and they look ok to me. Are any of those in the
> starter circuit?

Geary,
thanks for the tip. My other cars are automatics, and
the Miata is a stick. To tell the truth, I don't remember
if I had the clutch in or not!. I'll check in the morning.
Mike

"Geary Morton" > wrote in message
...
> Are you pushing the clutch in? Sometimes I forget when I don't drive it
> for awhile. Otherwise, maybe it's the clutch pedal switch that prevents
> you from starting it unless you do push the clutch in. If it's an
> automatic (ugh), maybe it's the switch that prevents you from starting
> it except when it's in neutral or park.
>
> Geary
>
> In article >,
> "~Mike Hollywood" > wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>> I garaged my '92 in May in Florida, and then left until yesterday. Last
>> night I tried to start it but the battery was dead. I charged the
>> battery
>> over night. It is fully charged now. Turning the key all's ok, fans
>> spin,
>> dash lights go on, etc, but when I turn the key to the last position to
>> start it, it doesn't crank.
>> Is there a relay that clicks to engage the starter motor? I don't hear
>> any
>> clicks. When I parked it, it was working fine.
>> Any suggestions on trouble shooting will be much appreciated.
>> Thanks,
>> Mike
>>
>> ps: There is a black box with fuses in it in the engine compartment on
>> the
>> passenger side. It also has square plug in modules that look like
>> relays.
>> I pulled them and they look ok to me. Are any of those in the
>> starter circuit?

And it's even possible that the clutch safety switch is stuck, just from
sitting for several months.

"~Mike Hollywood" > wrote in message
.. .
> Geary,
> thanks for the tip. My other cars are automatics, and
> the Miata is a stick. To tell the truth, I don't remember
> if I had the clutch in or not!. I'll check in the morning.
> Mike
>
> "Geary Morton" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Are you pushing the clutch in? Sometimes I forget when I don't drive it
> > for awhile. Otherwise, maybe it's the clutch pedal switch that prevents
> > you from starting it unless you do push the clutch in. If it's an
> > automatic (ugh), maybe it's the switch that prevents you from starting
> > it except when it's in neutral or park.
> >
> > Geary
> >
> > In article >,
> > "~Mike Hollywood" > wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >> I garaged my '92 in May in Florida, and then left until yesterday.
Last
> >> night I tried to start it but the battery was dead. I charged the
> >> battery
> >> over night. It is fully charged now. Turning the key all's ok, fans
> >> spin,
> >> dash lights go on, etc, but when I turn the key to the last position to
> >> start it, it doesn't crank.
> >> Is there a relay that clicks to engage the starter motor? I don't hear
> >> any
> >> clicks. When I parked it, it was working fine.
> >> Any suggestions on trouble shooting will be much appreciated.
> >> Thanks,
> >> Mike
> >>
> >> ps: There is a black box with fuses in it in the engine compartment on
> >> the
> >> passenger side. It also has square plug in modules that look like
> >> relays.
> >> I pulled them and they look ok to me. Are any of those in the
> >> starter circuit?
>
>

duh... I put the clutch in, and Varoom, it started on the first turn of the
key.
I'm embarrased to even report it.
Thanks a million.
Mike




"Chuck" > wrote in message
...
> And it's even possible that the clutch safety switch is stuck, just from
> sitting for several months.
>
> "~Mike Hollywood" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> Geary,
>> thanks for the tip. My other cars are automatics, and
>> the Miata is a stick. To tell the truth, I don't remember
>> if I had the clutch in or not!. I'll check in the morning.
>> Mike
>>
>> "Geary Morton" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > Are you pushing the clutch in? Sometimes I forget when I don't drive
>> > it
>> > for awhile. Otherwise, maybe it's the clutch pedal switch that
>> > prevents
>> > you from starting it unless you do push the clutch in. If it's an
>> > automatic (ugh), maybe it's the switch that prevents you from starting
>> > it except when it's in neutral or park.
>> >
>> > Geary
>> >
>> > In article >,
>> > "~Mike Hollywood" > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hi,
>> >> I garaged my '92 in May in Florida, and then left until yesterday.
> Last
>> >> night I tried to start it but the battery was dead. I charged the
>> >> battery
>> >> over night. It is fully charged now. Turning the key all's ok, fans
>> >> spin,
>> >> dash lights go on, etc, but when I turn the key to the last position
>> >> to
>> >> start it, it doesn't crank.
>> >> Is there a relay that clicks to engage the starter motor? I don't
>> >> hear
>> >> any
>> >> clicks. When I parked it, it was working fine.
>> >> Any suggestions on trouble shooting will be much appreciated.
>> >> Thanks,
>> >> Mike
>> >>
>> >> ps: There is a black box with fuses in it in the engine compartment
>> >> on
>> >> the
>> >> passenger side. It also has square plug in modules that look like
>> >> relays.
>> >> I pulled them and they look ok to me. Are any of those in the
>> >> starter circuit?
>>
>>
>
>

Mike--
Thanks for being honest in reporting what the solution was. While
both my cars are sticks (and need the clutch depressed to crank), it
would be easy to forget that if I only drove automatics. I suspect I
won't forget now...nor will you!

Folks have told me that, regardless of the clutch interlock, it is a
good idea to always crank with the clutch disengaged since (1) it
takes a bit of a load off the starter because it doesn't have to spin
the transmission and (2) it is safer.

Having said that, I remember riding with my dad (in a new truck--he
sold trucks)a very long time ago (like the '60's) and having the
engine die on a railroad track. While a train was not coming, and we
could have easily pushed/gotten out, he just cranked the engine in
first with the clutch engaged and, voila, we were off the tracks.

Good luck with the rest of your Florida stay...

Another Mike

On Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:28:40 -0400, "~Mike Hollywood"
> wrote:

>duh... I put the clutch in, and Varoom, it started on the first turn of the
>key.
>I'm embarrased to even report it.
>Thanks a million.
>Mike
>
>
>
>
>"Chuck" > wrote in message
...
>> And it's even possible that the clutch safety switch is stuck, just from
>> sitting for several months.
>>
>> "~Mike Hollywood" > wrote in message
>> .. .
>>> Geary,
>>> thanks for the tip. My other cars are automatics, and
>>> the Miata is a stick. To tell the truth, I don't remember
>>> if I had the clutch in or not!. I'll check in the morning.
>>> Mike
>>>
>>> "Geary Morton" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>> > Are you pushing the clutch in? Sometimes I forget when I don't drive
>>> > it
>>> > for awhile. Otherwise, maybe it's the clutch pedal switch that
>>> > prevents
>>> > you from starting it unless you do push the clutch in. If it's an
>>> > automatic (ugh), maybe it's the switch that prevents you from starting
>>> > it except when it's in neutral or park.
>>> >
>>> > Geary
>>> >
>>> > In article >,
>>> > "~Mike Hollywood" > wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Hi,
>>> >> I garaged my '92 in May in Florida, and then left until yesterday.
>> Last
>>> >> night I tried to start it but the battery was dead. I charged the
>>> >> battery
>>> >> over night. It is fully charged now. Turning the key all's ok, fans
>>> >> spin,
>>> >> dash lights go on, etc, but when I turn the key to the last position
>>> >> to
>>> >> start it, it doesn't crank.
>>> >> Is there a relay that clicks to engage the starter motor? I don't
>>> >> hear
>>> >> any
>>> >> clicks. When I parked it, it was working fine.
>>> >> Any suggestions on trouble shooting will be much appreciated.
>>> >> Thanks,
>>> >> Mike
>>> >>
>>> >> ps: There is a black box with fuses in it in the engine compartment
>>> >> on
>>> >> the
>>> >> passenger side. It also has square plug in modules that look like
>>> >> relays.
>>> >> I pulled them and they look ok to me. Are any of those in the
>>> >> starter circuit?
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>

In article >,
Mike > wrote:

> Folks have told me that, regardless of the clutch interlock, it is a
> good idea to always crank with the clutch disengaged since (1) it
> takes a bit of a load off the starter because it doesn't have to spin
> the transmission and (2) it is safer.

An exception: on Miatas with beefed-up clutches, it's often recommended
to disable the starter interlock because the extra force is hard on the
thrust bearing before the oil pressure comes up.

"~Mike Hollywood" > wrote:

> duh... I put the clutch in, and Varoom, it started on the first
> turn of the key.
> I'm embarrased to even report it.

You're not the only one to forget to do that, I wouldn't be surprised
if almost everyone here has done that at least once* so don't be
embarrassed.


*Not me, of course. <- he said with his fingers crossed!

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