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Solenoid buzzes when trying to start

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Hegg

Hegg

Jedi Hopeful
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When I attempt to start my Elan now, I just get some buzzing from the solenoid. Does this mean that the solenoid is bad and I need a new one?

I had the starter tested at AutoZone this morning and it was fine.
 
Hello Hegg,
I don't know the Elan, is the solenoid seperate from the starter? Usually it means that there is insufficinet voltage to pull it in, low battery, poor connections at the battery, earth or the solenoid.

Alec
 
Try jumping the poles on the solenoid. I have an extra good one at home, but I'm 5000 miles away from home and won't be back for weeks.
 
Does your selenoid have the start button for remote starting? That would be selenoids mounted on the firewall.
That button will bypass the low current side of the selenoid and the car will spin over if the power is there. ( watch out, it will spin over even with the key off, so have the car in neutral..) If the car doesn't spin then it's a battery juice problem for sure.
 
Mine is the firewall kind. I didn't know there was a button it.

I'll have to look more closely.

That would have come in handy at times. (I have no Elan now).
 
I didn't either, but I found it! It's underneath the solenoid and you just push it up. Very handy!

Thanks for everyone's advice. I've got it cranking now, so now I gotta figure out why there's no spark.

Hegg
 
That's funny, my button is on top. Wouldn't surprise me if I have mounted my selenoid the wrong way! ( If there is a way to make it work the wrong way, I'll find it..)
 
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