I have a 1983 Volvo DL245 which I drive sparingly. I keep the battery charged and started it yesterday. It hesitated then started up acting like the battery was low. I started it again a little while later and it turned over, slowed in turning over and then started. The third time when I turned the key, the dash lights up normally, the key in the ignition bell rings, all of the lights work but the starter does not turn over.

I jumped and then replaced the battery. No change.
Replaced the fuel pump relay with an old one-no change.
cleaned the battery terminals.
cleaned and replaced the 25 amp fuse n the engine bay.
The #5 fuse is NOT powered when I turn the key on. All of the key initiated fuses have power. The others always powered. #5 has no power.
I jumped #5 to #7 and the fuel pump turned on. Still nothing when I turn the ignition key.
I jacked up the car and whacked the solenoid and starter with no change.

It acted like a depleted battery yesterday and now it appears that I have an interlock inhibiting my ignition. I have cycled the automative transmission handle from park to drive with no effect.
I attempted to jump the red female connector at the firewall to battery negative which is allegedly the starter test connection. No effect at all. Not sure what I am doing there but one of our colleagues suggested that maneuver. Using a test light from the female connector to negative yielded no power.

Right now it acts as if it is not in PARK. Everything works except the sequence to the starter.

I have combed our website for a day before bothering everyone with a repetitive post but I am at a loss.

So to recap, it started twice yesterday. Turn key-quick then slow rotation then start. Third start nothing from the starter when the key is turned.

Battery tests good using a load tester.

Thank you. I have attempted to emulated the troubleshooting actions by the folks on this forum but I need a shove.

George
Arizona

 

Fuel pump relay and 25a fuse has nothing to do with starter operation.

The red female connector does send power to the starter (not ground like you tried) but the neutral starting switch has to be connected and working.

The neutral switch can become disconnected from the shifter. Undo the two screws holding the shift cover down and verify the white pointer is lined up with the 2 marks areas on the top of the Neutral starting switch circled in green, 1 mark lines up in park and the other is for neutral.

 

Thank you.

Suggestions accomplished. Neutral safety with is attached to the shifter and is in the proper position. I sprayed some contact cleaner on it.

One of the small wires which attach to the solenoid via a blade connector has lost all of its insulation The other wire attached via the blade it blue and yellow and the insulation is in great shape.

I am wrestling with trying to bypass the neutral safety switch but have not found the method. I connected the red female connector to battery positive with no results.

The red cable to the solenoid and starter has power from the battery

Thank you again.

George

 

If you want to bypass the NSS you would find the connectors shown in the picture and jump the red and blue or the other two (one pair is for the reverse lights, the other is for the starter)

 

On it.

Thank you

George

 

Bypassing the neutral safety switch had no effect on the starting of the vehicle.

Onward and upward.

Thank you

George

 

Then use a jumper wire or your $12 harbor freight remote starter switch to test the starter itself by connecting to the small terminal on the starter solenoid.

 

I attached a male blade to a 14 gauge wire and inserted it into the test female receptacle and then touched the positive side of the battery and nothing happened.

The transmission is in park and I am certain the neutral safety switch is good.

I also verified that the smaller blue/yelllow wire attached to the solenoid gets power when I rotate the ignition key to the start position. (That involved 15 feet of jumper wire but was satisfying). That again verifies the neutral safety switch is working. The solenoid is getting power.

So, this means the starter is not functioning? I am at a loss for what else I need to test. Not looking forward to removing the starter and solenoid but others have been successful without jacking the car up so I am game.

Thank you

Anything else I should check? I also touched a wire from the positive side of the battery directly to the spade connector on the solenoid to the blue and yellow wire with no activity.

George
Arizona

 

If your battery is charged, the battery connections are good, the ground strap is connected to the engine (you can add one by using one side of your battery jumper cables), you unplugged the small spade terminal wire on the solenoid, temporarily ran a wire from the positive terminal, touched the spade terminal with that hot wire on the solenoid and nothing happened -

Then you have a bad starter

Easy to remove - from underneath. 2 bolts hold the starter on, the starter bolts also hold the transmission dipstick tube onto the bellhousing. If the dipstick tube is on the way - do not try to move/remove the dipstick tube or loosen it from the trans oil pan. The tube to pan connection will be seized, then stripped, then you will be sourcing another.

Once you get the starter out (15 minutes once the car is safely jacked up high enough) Use jumper cables to connect the starter (and a ground cable to it also), and jump the solenoid as before to make sure it's really bad - make sure your diagnosis is correct just in case. Be sure to test the new starter the same way to make sure it's good, before putting on the car.

 

Mr Hoonk

Thank you for your help and patience. I hope your optimism is justified toward my ability to remove the starter.

Thank you again

George
Arizona

 

My 15 minutes turned into an all day battle interspersed with a trip to harbor freight.

The bolts do not come out of the bell housing so I guess I will dearest them in place.

What a struggle but a bigger lever is always a winner.

Now to install the new one.

George

 

Make sure you have tested the old one to make sure it is bad , and test the new one to make sure is is good BEFORE installing the new one.

 

I bench tested the old starter with no response. I think I am on the right track.

Thank you

George

 

The 1983 Volvo DL245 which I bought new, lives again. The car started right up and I must admit (maybe hoping) that the starter seems more lively.

As a side note, after I dropped my old starter on the work bench yesterday, the thing turned over. I must have jostled the solenoid.

Nevertheless, I feel good about the new started and feel empowered that I was able to switch it out. The 38 year old bolts did not give up easily. Now I have a spare. The only casualty was the plastic loop on top of the old dipstick.

Thank you again for all of the help. An organized approach to troubleshooting was the key.

George
Arizona