Like the title, it will not start with the key. Turn the key, goes click. Happened yesterday but was on a hill and after popping the clutch it started for the rest of the day.

I have popped the clutch and got it running turned it off after 20 minutes(thinking battery) and tried to start no good.

Battery is over 12V and under 15V, blower fans turn off with the key turned over.

Car does not crank just clicks - hence the battery check.

So I got under the dash and took the harness out of one of the switches, the silver one closer to the driver. Its the one that is fully depressed when the clutch is engaged.

Took the harness and spliced them together hoping to bypass a saftey switch and still won't start. Clutch in or out.

Any ideas? I can't get to the other switch that is closer to the firewall, can't even see the harness for it.

 

Sounds like your starter solenoid has gone bad. I'd recommend to replace it

 

A picture in case it helps. The stuff in green is what I was talking about.

I will get another solenoid and pass the word, thanks!

 

The switch you messed with is the clutch switch and has no affect on starting. The interlock switch does prevent the car from being started in gear and this is the switch which is hard to access. And what year is the car?

 

1990

 

The wires to the interlock on an S5 are Black/Green and Black/Red. B/G receives voltage w/key to start. B/R receives voltage w/key to start and clutch depressed (this wire runs to the starter solenoid).

 

Clean all of the oil off of the connections at your starter.

 

Any chance of wiring in a button to start it and bypass all of it?

 

Of course you could elect to do that. The ignition wire is Black/Blue and this wire has voltage w/key to start. The wire runs to the starter cut relay. The voltage passes through this relay and comes out of the relay via the thicker of the two Black/Green wires. The thick B/G wire runs to the interlock as previously mentioned, and the voltage from there runs to the starter via the B/R wire.

 

Ha, battery terminals were welded onto the posts, when it was replaced last they just pryed them apart and they are loose as sin. Looks like that is my issue. Thanks everyone!!