Intermittent starting hesitation

[C5Steve]

I've done a fair bit of searching but can't quite find any other examples of the issue I'm having.

So, this issue happens every so often with no consistency in terms of the conditions. It goes as follows:

1. Get in the car, insert the key and turn to the position where the gauges do their sweep.
2. Wait for the gauges to sweep
3. Turn the key to the "Start" position
4. Nothing. Hold the key in that position for an indeterminate period of time (ranges from 1 second to maybe 4 or 5)
5. Car fires straight up

What I've checked so far:

• The security light does exactly what it's supposed to do ie flashes when you get in and goes out with the key inserted.
• There are no codes on the DIC that are related.
• I've tried swapping keys to a brand new one I had made ages ago, no change for the better or worse.

I'm thinking maybe the contacts in the ignition barrel may need cleaning but aside from that, is there anything else I should be looking for?

 

[teamzr1]

You did not mention if you mean the engine does not crank at all, or it does but no start ?
As answers to this changes to this question

If auto tranny could be park/neutral switch is out of alignment
If it requires being on the brakes to start then maybe the brake pedal switch out of alignment
If manual tranny the clutch safety switch out of alignment

 

[C5Steve]

You did not mention if you mean the engine does not crank at all, or it does but no start ?
As answers to this changes to this question

If auto tranny could be park/neutral switch is out of alignment
If it requires being on the brakes to start then maybe the brake pedal switch out of alignment
If manual tranny the clutch safety switch out of alignment

Apologies, no cranking at all. Turn the key, silence.

It's a manual, hadn't thought about the clutch switch.

 

[teamzr1]

You could for a test is use a jumper wire across the 2 wires for the safety switch to bypass it and test that
If that works, then align the switch and test

If not that than look at the starter solenoid, could have loose dirty wiring connections or a burnt spot in it
Else could be a dirty or degraded ign switch
Or do a battery load test to be sure it does not have a bad cell

 

[C5Steve]

You could for a test is use a jumper wire across the 2 wires for the safety switch to bypass it and test that
If that works, then align the switch and test

If not that than look at the starter solenoid, could have loose dirty wiring connections or a burnt spot in it
Else could be a dirty or degraded ign switch
Or do a battery load test to be sure it does not have a bad cell

I'll have a look at the safety switch and see if I can jump it and leave it like that for a while, as it's so infrequent it'd need to be left for a few weeks to check.

Starter I can look at as well, easy check.

It's not the battery as I replaced the battery a few weeks ago, issue hasn't changed.

Appreciate the pointers as always!

 

[teamzr1]

You could set up a D/C volt meter to ground and the wire from starter relay to solenoid and turn ign key to start
and see if the 12 volts turns on

Most relays are the same type so could swap the starter relay with one of the others and test that over time to
see if the relay has degraded and clean relay pins

 

[C5Steve]

Just to update this thread (because I hate finding unresolved threads!), I don't really have an update yet So after the very helpful suggestions I didn't get a chance to work on the car however the issue has never re-appeared. Been using the car a few times a week for the past 6 weeks or so, never happened again.

So for now I'll monitor and see how it goes. The only thing I did slightly differently was after the suggestion of the clutch switch being the culprit, I ensured the clutch was very firmly pressed the next time I started it. I've no idea if perhaps that did something with the switch but it's been fine ever since (it was only a rare issue before that anyway).

If the issue comes back I'll work through the above and update again.