I have a new to me 88 240 GL that I just got last Saturday. I drove it a significant distance from my Uncle's used car lot (where I bought it) to my home in Seattle, and it ran just fine. Checked the engine when I got home - no leaks or splatters, and oil level fine. Of course, this means I'm happy (it was an emergency buy, my last car was stolen, after having just parted with an 82 240).

I did some more driving around on Sunday, and the overdrive seemed to be stuck in Off, which I figured was probably a bad relay (it had a hard time coming on when I was testing the car). I went to pick up my daughter yesterday, and was looking behind the center console to verify where the relay was (it was nowhere near where it should have been in my 82), and since it was loose on the top driver's side, I was able to just pull it out from that side.

I went and picked up my daughter, and went out to the car, and suddenly it won't start. I double checked to make sure I didn't unhook any wires on accident, and they were all fine. I checked to make sure the starter was still connected, and that the battery cables were there - all fine. Went through and made sure all the fuses were fine, and they were.

I was able to get a ride to a friend's house and borrow his car, and haven't gone back yet to see if it was a random no-start, but I'll be doing that today (and, if it still no-starts, will smack the starter with a hammer). What all is there that it could possibly be that could be easily looked at and "repaired" on the side of the road? It came with a Haynes (ick!) manual, and that was not very helpful. I'm going to lift the thing around the base of the shifter, and make sure the park and neutral locks aren't stuck, but if that's not it....

All the electrical stuff comes on just fine, and there is no clicking when I turn the key, and no apparent attempt to turnover. Ideas?

Thanks in advance!

I'd go with the park neutral switch on the gear shift, but admittedly, I have not read any of the other posts, so I may just be adding on to what others say.

I have this issue with daughters car once in a while. Turn key and not even a click. Solution is the shift lock. Pull the center piece out of the shift consol, the plastic panel with the brushes. Look on the shifter shaft for a small horizontal stud designed to engage a nylon bushing that is in fact a switch lever. The little stud must be centered in the hole to move the lever to a "safe start" position. No tools necessary.

Wack the solenoid not the starter.
The fuel pump relay and 25 amp fuse near the battery are common no start problem areas.
Dan

Hi,


I would fiddle with the gear selector first.

You can always run a wire straight to the starter, or even use a screwdriver in an emergency.


Goatman

Use a screwdriver?

As a jumper across the solenoid to starter. Hows the battery? Did you try and jump it? Long drive might have killed the battery if you have a suspect alt/regulator.

The battery is good, fairly new. Whoever owned it before me set something up so when you turn the key off, the lights automatically turn off (even if they're on). It is new to me, so I've only started it...maybe 10 times prior to this, but every time it started right up with no chug-a-chug-a.

That is the way the headlights are supposed to operate.

What happens when you hold the ignition key in the "start" position and move the gear selector from reverse to drive? If the starter engages when you do that you need to adjust or replace the neutral safety switch.

Does the starter engage when you apply 12v directly from the battery to the solenoid (do this with the ignition "off")? There will already be a wire attached to the connector on the solenoid. That wire would normally supply 12v to the solenoid when the key is moved to the start position.

Randy

I'm going to sound like a complete idiot - how on earth does one apply 12v to the solenoid?

As for the first question: I don't recall if I attempted holding the key in the start position AND moving the gear shifter front to back, but I did try starting in every gear. All that happens when I turn the key...well, nothing happens. The warning lights all come on, and the radio shuts off waiting for it to go back into the normal "on" mode.

When I pull out the key after trying to start, it does make a louder thumping like sound (vs. if I turn the key to "on" without trying to start, and then take it out, then it comes out smooth)

In the photo below you will see the heavy red cable attached to the solenoid which sits on top of the starter. This image is a 740 but it is the same engine. The red cable is capable of providing 12v with the high amperage needed to crank the engine over.

The small green wire is the one that normally supplies 12v to the starter solenoid when the car is in neutral or park and the ignition switch is in the start position.

I believe the wire in your car is blue rather than green but it does the same thing. The view is a little more difficult in the 240, but it is there.

The male connector on the solenoid can be exposed by grasping the female connector on the end of that blue wire and pulling it back enough to expose the male connector (or removing it completely)

Make sure the ignition switch is off.

Take a piece of insulated wire about three feet long and bare both ends. Hold one end on the solenoid post that you exposed and then you or a helper touches the other end of the wire to the positive post of the battery.

The the wire connecting those two points the starter should engage and spin the engine over just like it normally does when you try to start the car from inside.

If the starter spins with the wire held in place then either you have a bad neutral safety switch or a bad ignition switch.

If you are careful you can turn on the ignition switch and when you make contact with wire the car should start. You could then drive it home and chase the problem there (or drive it to a mechanic if that is your choice).

If the starter does not spin with the jumper wire connecting the battery to the solenoid, there is more to be done....

Post back with results.

Randy

I haven't been able to do the wire test thing, and I don't think i really get the screwdriver thing, but I did try tapping on the starter solenoid, checked to make sure the neutral switch thingy wasn't jammed, verified all the wires are connected like they were, made sure the fuel pump relay wasn't burnt out, and still no start. I'll give the wire thing a shot this weekend (assuming it doesn't get towed first ;-)). Thanks to everyone for your help with this!

Once you've found the black terminal pictured below, you can use it two ways:

1) Probe with a 12V test light (better than a meter here) and turn the key to the "cranking" position III.
a) If the test light comes on, you have voltage from the Ignition switch up TO the Neutral Safety Switch.
b) No light means no voltage coming from Ignition switch.

2) Jumper 12V from Battery + terminal TO the Starter Safety switch.
(CAUTION: the starter should spin and engage with 12V applied)
a) If Starter operates, it the solenoid are good.
b) No Starter action could mean either a bad solenoid or bad starter motor.

If tests 1-a and 2-a both work OK, but you get no Starter action with the Ignition Key, suspect the Neutral Safety Switch or it's related connectors & wires.



--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

The screwdriver application is similiar to the jumper wire I suggested.

Using a screwdriver you simply lay the screwdriver on the connection of the large red cable and while the screwdriver is in contact with that connection simply bring the blade of the screwdriver in contact with the male connector I was talking about.

So instead of bring the 12v from the battery with the wire to the male connector you make the connection between the heavy cable connection on the solenoid and the male connector.

The other suggestion of removing the shifter cover and seeing if the neutral safety switch has come free of the shifter is a good one. Easy to do and I personally have had that occur on one of my Volvos.

Randy

Okay, I removed the shifter cover, and everything seemed fine, but I suppose there is a good chance that I don't actually know what I'm supposed to see with respect to the neutral safety switch. I'm looking for a picture of what it should look like, and if you happen to have an image, it would be greatly appreciated.

Aha! I found a set of images. That'll give me a better idea of what to look at and check.

You should be able to see that the neutral safety switch moves when you move the shift lever through its range.

If the pin on the shift lever has come out of the indentation in the neutral safety switch you will not see corresponding movement in the neutral safety switch when you move the shift level through its range.

Randy

and, i believe, that is exactly what happened! The White(ish) plastic part is no longer attached to the shifter pole. I moved just that accordingly on the mechanism, and the car started right up. So it either needs to be popped back on, or glued on, or tied on, or something. either way, it looks like an easy fix, after all. thank you EVERYONE for your assistance with this!

If you flex the shifter to the left you should be able to move the neutral safety switch into the correct position and the shifter pin will go back into its "indent" on the switch.

Randy