Ok just did a voltage test, the starter wire is showing 0.7v....
Still hearing that "double click" which I thought was the starter solenoid, but clearly couldn't be now, maybe some other relay.

 

Looking at the schematic, the starter current goes from the ignition switch on a fat red with black stripe wire, to the central electric box. Then out of the central electric box on a fat red with black stripe wire to a connector (labeled T24 on this diagram) and continues on a fat red with black stripe wire to the solenoid. 'Fat' is relative to other wiring harness wires, not like the battery and alternator cables. There is no relay in the path between the switch and the solenoid. The connector is a potential suspect, but I don't know where it is exactly. It looks like a smaller black wire from the alternator passes through the same (2-pin) connector, it might be easier to find the connector by tracing from the alternator end.



Start circuit late 944

 

Actually one thing I wonder if could be a contributing factor, is that just prior to this, I pulled off the alternator and swapped the Voltage regulator.

 

Its got to be something else, The starter works, I'm sure its not the ignition switch, the wires look good. WTF??? Could it have anything to do with the alarm?
I mean it worked fine until it didn't, never had issues before.

 

Problem with the wiring diagram is that it doesn't show me where it is on the car, and with them being bundled, makes it very hard to examine.
Where is the central electrics box? or do you mean the fuse box?
Could it be DME related at all?

 

I just check and I am getting 12v at the ignition switch.

 

Are you getting 12V at the starter from the ignition switch wire?

 

Yes, the central electric box is the fuse box.

 

Im getting 0.7v at the starter

 

Disconnect the fat red wire with black stripe at the ignition switch and at the starter. Test continuity.

 

Well, I got it started! not %100 sure how. I tested continuity and got none. Traced the wires in the engine bay and saw nothing. So I wedged my self under the dash as took off the cover for the bundle of wires (which was a pain) I Couldnt see anything obvious, as A. its a rats nest and B. All the wires are bundled with tape from the factory.... :-{ Doesnt look like anyone has ever touched them.
So, last try I just pushed up on the wires and kind a rocked them back and forth. They are fairly stiff I don't see how there could be anything broken or come loose.
the only other thing I did was pull off the door chime? under the dash (which sounded like a faint clock ticking, I didnt know what it was until I pulled it out) but I doubt that had anything to do with it.

I gave up, but said what the heck, one last crank attempt and it worked!
But now the question is, what and why? and what fuse/relay does that wire go through? (I can't tell on the diagram)

 

the 968 diagrams show a two pin connector (T24) for the starter lead (4.0 re/bk) and alt lead (1.0 bl) that conflicts with the diagram above.

 

Oxidized contacts at T24 (wherever it is) would explain the symptoms. I'd find it and clean it (even if it's working now, if there's lots of oxidation it might not stay working).

 

Detoxit F5 is a good contact cleaner.

A volt - ohm meter doesn't really give an insight to the current capacity of the circuit.. A single strand of copper might still show B+ but not allow enough current to engage solenoid or relay.

 

It might be easier to run a new 14 or 16 ga wire (size dia. determined by equivalent metric to GA conversion) from ignition switch to starter solenoid than try and find the suspect connector.