samurai wont start

airmanwilliams

airmanwilliams

Well-Known Member
Location
Provo, Utah
ok so I just went out and tried to start my samurai and got nothing. It has power as the dash comes on when I turn the key but no clicking or anything. I proceeded to check that I was in neutral and that the transfer case was in 2h but the transfer case is staying in a neutral position and I cant get it to stay in any gear. I then looked under tha sami and noticed that the transfer case has 2 wires going into it and 1 is cut, WILL THIS PREVENT IT FROM STARTING? Ive never driven 4wd before and have no clue about anything, does it need to be in 2h to start? The wife is now taking my cresent wrench to the store so she can get some open end wrenches in the size I need to take this part out and hook the wire back up.
Please any help would be appreciated.
 

Attachments

  • DSCF2249.jpg
    DSCF2249.jpg
    176.6 KB · Views: 3
The 2 wires that go to the transfer case are for the 4wd light to turn on in the dash. It is a reminder light to let you know you are in 4wd. It WILL NOT stop the vehicle from starting.

It almost sounds like your starter died and will not turn over at all.

Disconnect the battery and hit the starter hard with a hammer or long pole. SERIOUSLY hit the starter 4-5 times really good and then hook the battery up and try to fire it up. If this solves the problem you most likely have a bad starter or possibly a loose wire. I think I have a sammy starter laying around if you end up needing one.
 
zukking01 said:
Disconnect the battery and hit the starter hard with a hammer or long pole. SERIOUSLY hit the starter 4-5 times really good and then hook the battery up and try to fire it up. If this solves the problem you most likely have a bad starter or possibly a loose wire.
Click to expand...

Amazingly, this can work.

Check all the wires going to the starter. The one that comes loose most frequently is a little spade number on the bottom of the solenoid.
 
He ended up arching the starter to get it running. It seems like the wire between the starter and the key has a short or break. He also has a clickety start on it so it could have a bad connection in there.
 
just like zukking said I did the arch thing so the starter works and I checked all the connections and they all seem clean and are tight. I then checked the fuse in the clicky start fix setup and that fuse is good and I just got back from autozone with a new relay for it and that still wont work so I am going to just arch it the next couple days to drive it too work until I can get a push button and wire that up.
 
Samurai's are bad for having that wire fail. It gets to the point it can't carry the current. I ended up putting a push button on mine as well, and it has worked great for a few years. Glad the problem was simple.
 
not so much. apparently it has a bad solenoid is what ive just found out.

Does anyone have a spare working starter that would work for an 87 samurai and that you would be willing to sell for cheap or trade for a cb radio,mic, and magnetic base attenna with 16.5' of cable?
 
great thanks scott. I will talk to my wifes aunt who is watching out son tomarrow and see if I can have her stay after 12 alittle bit longer so I can come over, unless there is a better time to come over?
 
My old samurai would do this (dry cranking), if i didnt start it in a long period of time, my carb would "dry up" and it wouldnt get fuel. To fix it for me, i would take the air cleaner off the carb, and just put a little gas down the carb, then it cranked everytime. Maybe try that? Another tip, I think the choke on mine was bad, because if i let it run for about 5 mins (or anytime before the motor was warm enough) then it died or i turned it off, (it did this mostly in the winter when the temps were really low) my choke would stay shut on my carb. Then i would do the same thing I already listed, just hold the choke open somehow and crank it over. The second it was running again, i threw it back together.

Sounds like you got it now that i read through the discussion hahaha but if your sami ever dry cranks, try what i posted, or dies after running for a little (due to cold) then wont fire again.
 
Last edited:
airmanwilliams said:
just like zukking said I did the arch thing so the starter works and I checked all the connections and they all seem clean and are tight. I then checked the fuse in the clicky start fix setup and that fuse is good and I just got back from autozone with a new relay for it and that still wont work so I am going to just arch it the next couple days to drive it too work until I can get a push button and wire that up.
Click to expand...

Ha, glad I was right about arching the starter. Same thing happened to me on a trip back from Maryland. Had to arc it all the way home to Florida.

Gay, but at least you got it figured out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top