Spider starting problem

[Paul Rollins <psroll@domain.elided>]

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Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 12:57:43 -0700
From: Spiros Angelopoulos <spiros@domain.elided>
Subject: Spider starting gremlins

HELP!  My debugging efforts have done nothing to rectify my '85 Spider's

intermittent starting problems.  When I turn the key to the start
position,
every once in a while, the car will do absolutely nothing.  No sound
from
the starter engaging either.  If I wait a while (not the same every
time),
I retry and the car starts just fine. Although I bought the car used,
the
battery appears to be fairly new.  Its posts are clean and I have
retightened the cables.  When the car starts, it sounds to me that it
has a
pretty healthy crank so I doubt it would be the battery.  Power
interruption during the cranking also seems ok as the radio stops when I

turn the key to the start position, regardless of whether the car starts
or
not.
I am suspecting that either the key/ignition switch is going bad (even
though I have tried to fiddle with it when the car is not cranking), or
the
starter is on its last legs.
Can anyone give me some advice?

Thanks in advance

Spiros
'94 164LS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

Do the easy (and cheap) checks first. Check the battery ground cable
contact with the body. Also, check the ground strap from engine to body
- -- integrity and both ends. Check and clean every other relevant
connector that you have not yet checked.

Paul Rollins
USA

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