"no crank" GAME PLAN

[Xfingers]

Tomorrow morning I'll be heading down to my local walmart parking lot to pay a visit to my XC, where it's currently residing. This afternoon, I got a "no crank" condition when I turned the key to start. I tried the key several times, locked/unlocked the doors, jiggled the starter wire, and energized the starter with a jumper wire and heard the starter spin. Still no crank, no engine turnover. Had lunch and came back 1.5 hours later, still no crank.
This happened once before about a year ago. Finally, trying to test the starter motor, I ran a wire from the positive jump terminal under the hood and touched it to the small starter motor wire. I heard a click, then went and turned the ignition key and the car started up! Coincidence?
So this is my plan of attack:
1. Try to start car with key
2. Lock/unlock 5x with remote then start car
3. Try to start car with aftermarket remote, key removed
4. Jiggle small starter wire, try to start
5. Energize small starter wire then start
6. Energize starter motor and while it's spinning, have someone turn key to start
7. Remove antenna ring and clean contacts, replace, then start

Thoughts, ideas or suggestions? Maybe something obvious I'm overlooking? I was wondering if a faulty Shift Lock Cable could be a factor but my understanding is that's only an issue if you're having problems moving the gear selector out of Park (I'm not). Also, my key turns freely between all the positions so I'm thinking a bad ignition cylinder is not the cause. The battery is less than 3 months old.
Wish me luck!

[volvospeed70]

Tomorrow morning I'll be heading down to my local walmart parking lot to pay a visit to my XC, where it's currently residing. This afternoon, I got a "no crank" condition when I turned the key to start. I tried the key several times, locked/unlocked the doors, jiggled the starter wire, and energized the starter with a jumper wire and heard the starter spin. Still no crank, no engine turnover. Had lunch and came back 1.5 hours later, still no crank.
This happened once before about a year ago. Finally, trying to test the starter motor, I ran a wire from the positive jump terminal under the hood and touched it to the small starter motor wire. I heard a click, then went and turned the ignition key and the car started up! Coincidence?
So this is my plan of attack:
1. Try to start car with key
2. Lock/unlock 5x with remote then start car
3. Try to start car with aftermarket remote, key removed
4. Jiggle small starter wire, try to start
5. Energize small starter wire then start
6. Energize starter motor and while it's spinning, have someone turn key to start
7. Remove antenna ring and clean contacts, replace, then start

Thoughts, ideas or suggestions? Maybe something obvious I'm overlooking? I was wondering if a faulty Shift Lock Cable could be a factor but my understanding is that's only an issue if you're having problems moving the gear selector out of Park (I'm not). Also, my key turns freely between all the positions so I'm thinking a bad ignition cylinder is not the cause. The battery is less than 3 months old.
Wish me luck!

Have you tried starting to car with the gear selector in Neutral? The shift lock cable issue can also happen with the gear selector moving just fine. I've seen it happen when you put it in park the cable doesn't fully move all the way and prevents the car from starting.

Starting the car in neutral will take that out of the equation.

Next does it have a aftermarket alarm with a kill switch?

[Xfingers]

Thanks, Volvospeed70, actually I did try to start in Neutral (and R, D) to see if that was an issue: no dice. I also wiggled the gear selector in Park and tried to start with no luck. When I get out there this a.m. I'll try to start car in Neutral just to be sure. If the shift lock cable isn't fully moving, is there a way to manually give it a tug or push? from the steering column or the shift console area?
Although I've got an aftermarket remote start, I think the alarm is the standard Volvo with the blinking red light on the dash. It can be turned on/off with the standard key fob.

[kutcht1]

Thought I had read that in the key ignition ring there is an antennae that has to talk to your key. Sort of like a cut off security thing. Can not remember for sure where I had read that or if it was for a certain model or not. Maybe worth a check on the forums to see if there is something there.
TomK

[Xfingers]

kutcht1, I think that's the start immobilizer antenna ring. Many have replaced it and had successful starts. Others have found the problem returned. Some think that the ring's contacts get dirty/corroded over time and suggest cleaning and using dialectic grease. That's step 7 in my game plan.
I'm guessing "no crank" situation is resulting from malfunctioning of immobilizer antenna ring, starter motor, or shift lock cable. I'm trying to think of other factors. Battery is 3 months old and all other electrical devices on car seem to be operating correctly. I can look in the battery compartment to make sure the cables haven't loosened from the terminals.

[billr99]

Do you know how they bypassed the immobilizer with your remote start setup? That would be the first thing I'd check to see if something has become disconnected, corroded, etc.. As an example, if they "hid" a chipped key close to the immobilizer antenna, perhaps that key has moved a bit out of range of the antenna. I know when on mine, it does not take much for the chip to get too far from where the immobilizer wants too see it to produce a "fail to crank" condition.

Good Luck,

Bill

[Xfingers]

Thanks, billr99. Car came with remote start when I purchased in 2013. I tried to investigate how the immobilizer was bypassed. Removed the steering column panels but couldn't find any hidden key. I read the installation guide online but it was pretty complex and couldn't find any mention about bypassing the immobilizer. If I get to the point in my plan where I'm checking the antenna ring for good contact/corrosion, I'll look for a hidden key. I mean, it has to be right next to the antenna ring, right? Just like your chipped key has to be close by (in the ignition) in order to read the key code. Maybe last time I wasn't looking near enough to the cylinder. My gut is telling me the no crank problem has to do with the small wire connected to the starter motor. Theoretically, if I energize that wire and get the starter motor spinning with the ignition key in the Run position, would this get me around any immobilizer issues and start the car? Maybe turn the key to crank position a few times to get some fuel in the right places?...

[8pack]

The spare key should be in a small plastic box the width and length of the valet key plus, usually black, under the dash with wires running out of it up to the column and back to the electronics for the remote start....

[billr99]

Yeah, my chip had to be within a half inch at most from the location it would be in with the key actually in the ignition. I basically taped the chip to the antenna and that works.

Cheers,

Bill

[Xfingers]

Update: Success! Well, it turned out that the small wire to the starter motor solenoid had worked loose. Pushed it on firmly and car started right up. Funny thing is, previously I had been wiggling and "energizing" what I thought was the small solenoid wire but was really that little 2" strap of wire in plastic casing that connects the solenoid switch to the motor housing. You can see it in the third of the thumbnail pictures here: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vol...70-v40-sr0483x
So please disregard my previous posts about "energizing the small starter wire". Turns out I never did that and not sure what might happen if you do!
On the PCV threads I'll probly start suggesting that if you're removing the throttle body, might as well check your starter motor connections while you have good access, especially the small solenoid wire. Maybe remove and clean that connection, use dialectic grease...
8pack and billr99, I didn't have to remove the steering column panels so still not sure how the immobilizer has been bypassed. There's gotta be a key somewhere. If it's next to the antenna ring, sounds like it should be there in plain sight when you remove the bottom panel. Otherwise I should see two suspect wires running from the antenna down the steering column and underneath the dash someplace. Huh.
Thanks to everyone for your help!