Starter problem?

Side note: Thanks to your research. When it is my turn to service my starter. I'll definitely consider adding permanent pair of wires to the red and silver bolts along with a quick disconnect end; hidden, protected, and easily accessible.

Store the remote starter in the car so that I can attempt to turn the engine over worst case, bypassing all the intermediate electronics from the battery to the red 12v.

 

Yeah I think you may be right, gunk build  up or just corrosion on the internal contact points. Car is super clean and in non treacherous Southern CA environment, but I guess contact points get crap on them somehow maybe just from internal moving parts. But at about 1:50 in the video below it gave me an idea of what internal contact points look like. Will be about three weeks before I can take it in for a real diagnosis, and if it’s the starter then a week or two for it to arrive. But I don’t feel comfortable driving it as is and parking somewhere. Tried it some more today and about half the time the key alone starts it. Good idea to run some cables on yours when you replace the starter, although with a new one I would hope for at least 10 more years of no starter issues. I guess someone would still need the key in the on position to steal it.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Nij6sRRjEwk

 

Another issue that can cause these intermittent no-start issues are the stop lamp switches. I would recommend, if the condition recurs, to check and make sure your brake lights are coming on when the brake pedal is depressed. If the vehicle doesn't see a signal from the stop lamp switch, it won't allow the car to start. This is more common in first gen Murcielago but can happen in LP640 as well. Hopefully you get this sorted. Jeff, Troy and the guys over at LNB are great and know their stuff. I'd recommend reaching out to them if need be as well. 

Excellent. I will put the wife to work and have her take a look when I attempt to start with the key. But if that was the issue with my situation I would assume I wouldn’t even hear the solenoid click, but I’m no expert. I’ll try and remember to have her stand to the side, as I recall a shower of condensation tends to spit out on start up.

Regarding brake lights working, yes the wife said they come on when I press the pedal so it seems that switch works. Will be driving it in for a better diagnosis early January but kinda seems like the starter/solinoid. Even when using my remote starter it now only starts about 1/2 of the time and never with just the key alone. Can’t wait to get on the road again & cruise the coast.

Anyone know of good shops in the OC CA area? I am somewhat new to the Murci and have been just automatically going to Newport, but I like to keep my options open too. Thanks.

Still looking for an alternative shop in OC for the future if anyone has good referrals. My car had been at Newport for about a week for diagnosis with no feedback, so I just want to keep my options open. When I had my Maserati Biturbo years ago I relied too much on one shop which was a mistake. 

43 minutes ago, JanDaMan said:

Still looking for an alternative shop in OC for the future if anyone has good referrals. My car had been at Newport for about a week for diagnosis with no feedback, so I just want to keep my options open. When I had my Maserati Biturbo years ago I relied too much on one shop which was a mistake. 

I don't know exactly where Gonzalo is located in Southern California, but you should look him up. He's a mastermind with the Murci. Look for him on the forum under: gmendoza

3 hours ago, JanDaMan said:

Still looking for an alternative shop in OC for the future if anyone has good referrals. My car had been at Newport for about a week for diagnosis with no feedback, so I just want to keep my options open. When I had my Maserati Biturbo years ago I relied too much on one shop which was a mistake. 

Have you tried Frank over at Raging Bull in Costa Mesa?

Thanks for the referrals. Talked to Frank and he seems like a good source and close by too. But just got through to Newport and they said the car has been starting with the key so they feel it isn’t the starter. WTF. To stop by tomorrow and chat with the tech of my experiences of it not starting. I hate intermittent electrical stuff. 

On 1/8/2019 at 6:07 PM, JanDaMan said:

Still looking for an alternative shop in OC for the future if anyone has good referrals. My car had been at Newport for about a week for diagnosis with no feedback, so I just want to keep my options open. When I had my Maserati Biturbo years ago I relied too much on one shop which was a mistake. 

Gonzo/gmendoza in the LA area and Steve Maxwell in San Diego. 

On ‎1‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 8:50 PM, JanDaMan said:

Thanks for the referrals. Talked to Frank and he seems like a good source and close by too. But just got through to Newport and they said the car has been starting with the key so they feel it isn’t the starter. WTF. To stop by tomorrow and chat with the tech of my experiences of it not starting. I hate intermittent electrical stuff. 

I bet you managed to knock some crud from the contactors so it is now working, I think it is a pain but I have seen threads about removing the starter with the engine in place.

Yeah I agree with the poor starter contacts issue, plus they load tested the battery too which was fine. So within the next couple weeks the new starter goes in (had to get it shipped) and getting annual B service too while it’s in the shop. I hope I get at least another 10 years out of this starter. All this was interesting as I learned a lot here and by applying it to the car. Just for instance I never even knew there were any tools such as wheel bolt guides or remote starter.

Newport fixed me up great. Replaced the starter & did all fluid services while in the shop waiting for the starter to arrive. So nice to be able to drive again without worrying about getting stranded somewhere. Was a good learning experience. Thanks for all the input.

15 hours ago, JanDaMan said:

Newport fixed me up great. Replaced the starter & did all fluid services while in the shop waiting for the starter to arrive. So nice to be able to drive again without worrying about getting stranded somewhere. Was a good learning experience. Thanks for all the input.

It was a fun journey even though the destination proved to be the predictable need to replace the starter. Thanks for the education on the Murci's starter system!

Yeah I think the clincher to conclude a better probability that it was the starter was when I saw that the remote starter was not starting it all the time either. I understand that if it started 100% of the time with the remote then it could have been some issue pre starter motor. Thanks to Newport & you guys, otherwise I would be completely lost. Plus in for service I found I had 2.6 clutch snap, so I have lotsa enjoyment before I have to mess with that.

Just to conclude, my issue was definitely a bad starter because ever since the new starter went in about a year ago it starts 100% of the time. I suppose once the car started having intermittent starting issues I should have taken it in because after a few months of intermittent non starting it finally lead to no starting at all. The remote starter was a blessing because it allowed me to at least start the car and get the front raised to clear my driveway dip and to the shop for a new starter.