My 95 Cavalier 2.2 w/a 5 speed manual wont start, everything is runnin good, the fuel pump, battery, practically everything...i dont know if these 5 speed manual trans have neutral safety switches but if they do could that be the problem cause it starts everytime i push in the clutch or is it possible the starter went south...gee i bought that starter two yrs ago and this past couple days we had a huge snow storm, i dont know if i got water or something but could that be a possiblity? HELP this car is my only reliable transportation aside from my gas guzzlin Tahoe

Maybe try to ba a little more specific... What is it doing? Is it turning over? Or is there no response when you turn the key?

Well,...I get in the car, push down on the clutch, turn the key and nothing...there's power to the radio, the fuel pump is priming...the works. I dont know if the starter is shot or if this 5 speed has one of those neutral safety switch deals but thats what its doing.

all 5-speeds have the switch. Get a multimeter and see if you have voltage at the starter. If yes then new starter.

Alternatively you could use the wrench and cross the terminals method to see if it spins.

If it doesn't spin, hit it with a hammer and try again. If the hammer works you still need to replace the starter, but you'll have a little longer, the hammer can "unseize" the starter motor if thats the problem..


-Chris

i donno if this is the problem... just a suggestion... but make sure there is no floor mat under the pedal... then make sure your pushing it down all the way... mine is very touchy and has to be totally pushed down before it will start...

Yeah but with the clutch pedal all the way to the floor it still wont start...everything works but wont start, im guessin the starter cause the same thing happen with my brothers grand am, everything worked then after we replaced the starter it started rite up.

have you tried starting it in neutral?

Yeah...everything, there's power to everything cause i thought it MIGHT the alternator but if that was the case everything wouldnt have power. The fuel pump is priming like it should, the lights inside the car is all dandy just when you push in the clutch ot start it NOTHING. thats why im guessing its the starter i dont know if it locked up and wont turn over but im working on findin another starter but my budget is low and this wasnt the best time for my car to be acting up.

have you checked the little switch behind the clutch pedal arm?? If the switch is bad it thinks the clutch isnt pushed in. A friend had the same issue and it was the switch

Have you tried to start the car by popping the clutch?? You put the key in, put the key in the start position, and put the car in first gear, press the clutch... and here comes the hard part, get the car rolling, some, maybe 3-4 mph, and then release the clutch, this should spin the motor just like a starter would, and the car should start right up. If it doesn't then the problem may not be the starter, but rather, a battery, or other item.

I didnt know there was a switch behind the clutch pedal, what does it look like?

Lonnie T. E wrote:Well,...I get in the car, push down on the clutch, turn the key and nothing...there's power to the radio, the fuel pump is priming...the works. I dont know if the starter is shot or if this 5 speed has one of those neutral safety switch deals but thats what its doing.

It is the netural safety switch look up behind the clutch pedal arm and you should see a sensor on the back of the bracket

BabyJ2000 wrote:

Lonnie T. E wrote:Well,...I get in the car, push down on the clutch, turn the key and nothing...there's power to the radio, the fuel pump is priming...the works. I dont know if the starter is shot or if this 5 speed has one of those neutral safety switch deals but thats what its doing.

It is the netural safety switch look up behind the clutch pedal arm and you should see a sensor on the back of the bracket

Man i hope soo i need my car, my tahoe takes to much gas especially with gas prices these days!!! thanks ill try that out.

How does that sensor come off, the one behind the clutch pedal?

I think it slides off?? i cant remember you will have to look and it.

Cool...yeah last nite i got it off now im hopin thats its it...

I replaced the clutch switch...still nothing, that only leaves me the sensor "neutral safety" and starter or possiblely a low battery, could that be the case? a low battery?

IamRascal wrote:all 5-speeds have the switch. Get a multimeter and see if you have voltage at the starter. If yes then new starter.

Alternatively you could use the wrench and cross the terminals method to see if it spins.

If it doesn't spin, hit it with a hammer and try again. If the hammer works you still need to replace the starter, but you'll have a little longer, the hammer can "unseize" the starter motor if thats the problem..

Do what the man said.

If you wanna keep replacing parts, go for it.

Do you hear the solenoid click when you try and start the car?

(Tom) S/C Fire wrote:

IamRascal wrote:all 5-speeds have the switch. Get a multimeter and see if you have voltage at the starter. If yes then new starter.

Alternatively you could use the wrench and cross the terminals method to see if it spins.

If it doesn't spin, hit it with a hammer and try again. If the hammer works you still need to replace the starter, but you'll have a little longer, the hammer can "unseize" the starter motor if thats the problem..

Do what the man said.

If you wanna keep replacing parts, go for it.

Do you hear the solenoid click when you try and start the car?

haha....well i dont put up wit rude comments so please dont start, as for my car well i got it fixed i cleaned the battery terminal and fully charged the battery for the hell of it and badda bing it started so thanks for all the helpfull info.

you thought that was rude? he was just trying to help you save some money instead of just throwing money away.

also if your battery just lost voltage like that you may want to try and find out why before you get stranded.