91 corolla no start - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

eishiba · 02-15-2011, 02:19 PM

I have a 91 corolla. It will not start. The lights come on fine and everything. When you go to start it, all the lights and everything shuts off and the car makes no attempt to turn over. By wiggling on the cable on the battery, the lights come back on. The car never starts though. At first I thought battery corrosion so I clean the terminals and cables off. Still no start. I was starting to wonder about the positive terminal cable end. Its top post and the end of the cable I replaced years ago. Its one of those 3 dollar replacements they sell. Could this be the problem? I wasn't for certain but if I were to run a meter from the battery to the alternator or starter or maybe even the cable end itself and get 12V while the lights are on, if I do that when the lights shut off and everything dies while trying to start the car, would I still get 12V? Or should I not get the same reading because of the voltage short? IF, again, I say IF the cable end is the problem. Is there anything else I can try? Oh, and the battery was tested good at autozone. I was starting to think maybe the postive cable is corroded. How do you check the cables? Use the meter from the battery to alternator and starter?

90 GP · 02-15-2011, 02:44 PM

Starter draws alot more current than your lights. Either poor connection or battery doesn't have a full charge to allow it to start. That could happen if left hooked up all winter without ruuning car. Try a jump start and see if it starts that way.

retiredat44 · 02-15-2011, 05:23 PM

i would jump it, and check the cables first... if it is a stick shift , you can bump/push start it,,, shouldn't take more than 2 people to push and pop the clutch..

eishiba · 02-16-2011, 12:04 AM

Ill try it but I guess I don't see that being the problem. Yes, it has set for about two months now. Reason being because this very problem arose. I couldn't get it to start and well...when it turns winter and there is 3 feet of snow on the ground for the whole winter and no garage, you won't find me anywhere outside lol. Anyways, this problem just started all the sudden. I had just come home from church and found out the heater/air quit working. So I started trying to test things. Then just out of the blue, this problem began. Actually 90GP helped me try to test some things. I'm really bad with electrical areas on cars.
blower motor
Thats the link for the thread. Ill try jumping it and see what happens. Electrically this car has been having major issues.

eishiba · 02-20-2011, 01:28 PM

Ok, I'm hoping 90GP sees this. I finally got out today to mess with it. It seems to be the positive cable. The little fuse box right there on the positive cable. It has a 100 which is blue. The other two were maybe 50 and 60 but I think the 100 is the problem but I know its got to be close by. I pulled all th.e plastic beneath it down and wiggled on the wires when the car died. Everything came back on and the car started. I went through that process a few times so I guess I either have a break in the wires somewhere or maybe corrosion is down in the wires but they are like heat wrapped or something, extremely tight so there is no way I can get down there to clean them or look at them. I did get the box open from the bottom and where the wires are screwed in didn't look bad at all. I never did see a drop in voltage when the car would try and start and everything died. What else can i do?

90 GP · 02-20-2011, 06:57 PM

I think the 100 amp fusible link is for the alternator. Did you try loosening the nuts/screws that hold the link in place, remove it, clean the lugs with sandpaper and replace it?You might even try putting in a new link. Think they stock em at advance. Remove positive battery cable before working in the area where the links are to avoid shorting anything out. I also remember reading that there is a factory wire splice that is subject to corrosion and failure. I started from the fusible link box and it was about the middle of the wiring loom on drivers side side, Mine was good but just a thought. I carefully unwrapped electrical tape on wire loom and looked inside to check wiring.

eishiba · 02-21-2011, 01:04 AM

By lug do you mean bolts that are holding it in? No, everything inside the plastic box looked clean like a whistle. I can try that next though. Can you test the link before taking it out?

90 GP · 02-21-2011, 06:14 AM

You can test link with an ohmmeter for continuity. Check to see if screws holding it in place are tight as they complete the connection. Was the positive batt cable end the one you replaced? If so remove it and clean it up where it attaches. Both battery terminals and connectors have to be totally free of any corrosion or you won't start. Toys seem touchy on this.

eishiba · 02-22-2011, 11:53 PM

Yes it was the positive cable end. They are only about 2 or 3 bucks so I might just replace it again. They don't seem to last long. I've gone through three in the last 5 years.