1992 Dodge Stealth Starter trouble

CARLERAKESTRAW

MEMBER
1992 DODGE STEALTH

Electrical problem
1992 Dodge Stealth 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

Ok to set the stage I have a '92 stealth with a '93 mitsubishi diamante engine in it. My ignition switch was problematic when I bought the car about three years ago in that it would start the car about every three turns of the key. About a year later it stopped starting the car at all so I installed a push start using the wires under the dash. That worked fine for a while and then it seamed that it took multiple pushes of the push start button to start the car just as the ignition switch had done before. Now on to the big issue ^_^

I recently had to buy a new starter. I installed it. It started my car once. The second time sounded a little sketchy but success. The third time trying to start the car it would spin the flywheel and then it'd grind. Try again, it's spin the flywheel and then grind.
I took it back to the auto parts store and found that somehow I got the starter for a '92 stealth rather than the '93 diamante engine which for some reason calls for a different starter. I got the new starter and installed it, bam, started the car once, second time sounded sketchy, but this time when I tried a third time it spun the flywheel and then all you hear is the starter spin and doesn't sound like it's engaging at all. I took the starter of and tested it to be in perfect working order. I have a million questions and no answer as to what's going on. The starter itself is bolted firmly so it's not like it moving could cause the gear in the starter to not make contact with the flywheel so I'm wondering if it's something electrical. My main concerns are the ignition switch itself and something mounted on or around the side of the intake plenum, where all the other sensors are, that makes a kind of buzzing noise when I push the push start even if the starter doesn't actually engage or spin at all. When I push the button the voltage guage will move slightly and that item will make that noise so I'm guessing whatever that mounted thing is may be broken and voltage may be restricted or something. Who knows? I hope you guys do because I sure don't lol.

2 Replies

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
11,533 POSTS

To begin with I would rewire it back to stock since it did thesame thing with thebutton it did with the stock switch. You will need atest light to be sure it is keeping its signal to the starter (small wire), it should remain lit up while key is in crank position. If not try swapping thestarter relay (in box right side of engine comp) it may be weak and releasing. Have you inspected the flywheel yet? Try removing the starter and having someone turn the engine over by hand(clockwise) to see if there is any damage to it.