Wife's car problem

[Bob Barker]

Can someone chime in and help diagnose the issues my wife is having with her car?

It's a 2001 Saturn SC2 5 speed. The car wouldn't start because the little switch at the bottom of the clutch and that fixed it (or at least seemed to), within a week of changing that the car would start once, but if stopped and I tried to restart within about 2 hours it wouldn't. Acted like it did when the clutch pedal thingy went out. So how can I "jump" that little switch to test if it's gone bad already or if it's working properly. It's a 2 wire plug. I tried putting a short piece of speaker wire into each end to make a connection but that didn't work. Any suggestions? I don't want to go buying new parts and not fix it.

[Bob Barker]

No help?

[deermagnet]

Okay, I'll help ya.

http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/ (http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/)

Mark Griffin

[etlsport]

if running a wire around the switch didnt help, it could be a NC switch, so you would need to disconnect one of the wires to "trick" it

This doesn't make much sense to me because its a safety feature and it shouldn't be as easy as a broken wire to disable it. Most likely it is a NO switch and is just not getting power all the time. Sounds like a grounding issue or fuse/relay problem

My ex had a 99 sc2 and I could never get it to start on the first try. It was always clutch in, turn the key, nothing, clutch out, slam clutch into the floor, turn key.. vroom!

[Bob Barker]

Thanks for that etl. I'll try the "trick" on that switch again, and with disconnecting the wire.

[RamAirZ]

http://dpw.lacounty.gov/epd/hhw/resources/illustrations/_pc/gasoline.bmp
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http://www.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/uploads/8558/,,,THUMBS-UP-borat.jpg

[Bob Barker]

Truth.

[RamAirZ]

thought you'd like that lol. I'm with etl, a buddy of mine had an SC2 and it was weird with the clutch too. He replaced that switch 3 times.

[Ebenezr]

Shov'n it in the river would be a less explosive way to fix it RamAirz. I've thought about doing that with my VX a time or two.

[RamAirZ]

where's the fun in that though?

[Ebenezr]

Well there wouldn't be any fun in watching a VX go under but watching a Saturn drown might be.

[etlsport]

At work now, was able to pull up tech diagrams for the vehicle. the switch is NC. so putting the clutch in completes the circuit. bypassing it should allow the car to start, disconnecting the wire wont do anything.

testing/inspection procedure for the vehicle is two lines.

1. Disconnect clutch start switch electrical connector.
2. Use a fused jumper wire to bypass switch by connecting terminal A to terminal B. Switch is faulty if engine cranks normally.

If that is your problem, you could actually just do away with the switch all together by making a loop of the wires. if you do that just make sure that the vehicle is never in gear while starting, or you could have some issues.

[Bob Barker]

Well I did discover the first switch I put in was broken, got a new unit and still no start. So I went else where. Took a hammer to the starter a few times and that did the trick. I suppose I'll be replacing that soon. Really sucks, the starter on her car is nearly impossible to get to. Honestly I think the easiest way to replace would be to remove the whole friggin engine.

[etlsport]

if you pm me your address i can print out the tech manual section on the starter for the car (is it sohc or dohc?) and drop it in the mail for you on monday