My 1990 740 4 cyl automatic wagon has developed a nasty intermittent no-start problem. Maybe one out of 8 times I turn the key to start, dash lights come on but absolutely no crank. Once, and once only, ALL electrical went out after turning key, but it returned mysteriously after abt 15 minutes. I do hear a faint clicking sound near or above the fuse area when turning key all the way. Batt fully charged, just no crank. After anywhere from 2 to 25 minutes (so far), then it cranks normally and starts right up like there was never a problem. Alternator charging properly. Ideas?

 

New symptom. It stalled on me at a stoplight, tried to start, no cranking, interior and dash light on fine. Was there for 15 minutes, when it decided to all of a sudden crank strongly (batt fine), started right up. Drove to my destination, engine cut out totally for a duration of about 1/10 second 6 or 7 times along the way. At next stoplight, idled perfectly. Made it home, wondering what is going on. ?

 

It was a bad starter, put a new remfg in there, problem solved. Thanks for the help.

 

It does not sound like you have solved the problem. If the issue was the entire car cutting out and returning to function, that is not the starter motor. I know because I have been through this same issue with this engine. It could be the computer, but more likely it is the coil.

The starter motor would never make the car cut out and stop functioning. That is an internal electrical engine problem...

 

I took out the old starter and brought it in for testing, they tried several timnes, could not get it to to rotate, nor move, nor make the least bit of sound. It was crapped out, dead.

If it were something other than the starter/solenoid, then by some coincidence the starter decided to crap out exactly when the engine computer or coil or something else intermittently started crapping out? I understand what you are saying, but the seemingly unlikely coincidence & fact the car has run flawlessly since I put in the reman. starter gives me hope the problem is solved. I will post if anything new comes up, thanks for your comment.

 

Could be a starter..a bad starter will drain the battery and put strain on the electrical system while binding...that is why your lights will dim if you have a bad strater and try to start your car......and a bad starter or a starter going bad can and will sometimes start and sometimes not...sounds like a bad starter solenoid...but if you are unsure, to test charging system simply pull the negative battery cable off while car is running...(only for a couple of seconds) if car stays running your alternator is working properly...car dies...alternator is bad.

 

Alternator passes, and car runs & starts perfectly after I put in the new starter. Thanks for the comment!

 

No problem...