1994 Geo Prizm Wont Start

Our car is a 5 speed and has the interlock that prevents starting unless the clutch pedal is plugged in. This morning, I went to start the car and just got a clicking sounds that appeared to be coming from the driver's side of the engine.
(New battery installed less than a month ago).

Thinking I didn't have the clutch pedal pushed the whole way in, I let it out, turned the key to start and heard nothing. With the key in the start position, I pushed the clutch in and the clicking sound returned, but the starter did not operate.

A few more cycles of this process and the car started, ran rough for 15 - 30 seconds then was fine. The same thing happened when I went to start the car later in the morning.

Any ideas? Bad starter? Bad interlock switch?

Perhaps check the battery leasd for clean tight connections. After that start thinking about the starter. This is assuming the battery is fully charged.

Egon

<font color="purple"> Any ideas? </font color>

Clutch adjustment worn??....so that even with the pedal all the way in, the clutch is not fully released. I'm not sure where the interlock switch detects.

Mike - as a Toyota derivative your Geo is most likely equipped with a Nippondenso starter. These starters are subject to a common, but fortunnately simple problem. On the starter solenoid should be a large cable (this is B+) and a smaller wire, which is the signal, or activation wire.
Take a simple 12V test light and check for power at the large cable - this tests your test light connection. Now, while someone tries to start the car check for power on the smaller terminal - if the car doesn't crank but you have power the problem is internal to the starter. Another way to test this is to GENTLY tap the starter while trying to start - in most cases the starter will engage.
If these symptoms are present the easiest solution is to replace the starter. However there is another way in most cases...
After removing the starter carefully remove the end cap from the solenoid (the part with all the terminals). Inside the end cap, and attatched to the B+ terminal, should be a large copper contact. This contact wears over time. In most cases you can loosen the nut and simply rotate this contact so that a new, unworn section is used. Other times the contact must be replaced. Obviously for mush less than an entire starter.

Good luck - hopefully this works for you

Gregg

P.S. - this repair also applies to any other car using Nippondenso starters - Geo, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc