OK so just to be clear, what you are saying is you turn the key and absolutely nothing happens, but if you hold it for 5 seconds the car will crank and then start promptly?

That is almost always due to bad connections at the battery.

Test a few things:
Turn lights on and try to start. If the lights go out, the whole car has lost power from the battery. If that's the case, test voltage at the lead posts on the battery while trying to start. If it drops to near zero, defective battery (bad internal connection). If you find the battery voltage stays up but the car has no electricity, bad connections, ground wire, etc.
If the lights stay on but starter doesn't turn, it's a bad starter or could also be bad ground to the engine, or problem with the key switch, interlock switch, other small wiring between the key and the solenoid.

The solenoid is generally treated as an integral part of the starter on that model of starter. A common failure mode is for the copper contact points to wear down. The starting will get intermittent before finally going completely bad (this means the unit can pass a test at the store, but still not work on the car). Usually with that problem you will hear a loud click from the starter but it won't turn. If you click the key several times it will eventually start.

 

Thanks RONJ for the picture. I will be sure to check that on Thursday.

MK378, yes, when I turn the key nothing happens. USUALLY, if I hold it there for 5 secs, or a little more, it will then crank and fire up quickly. I'm going to go through what you posted too and check as much as I can.

Anybody else ever have this problem with cold weather and their car starting? If the engines warm it starts right away. If it dips into the 20s overnight, then the problem begins.

Thanks guys for the help. Pretty poor kid in college here and any advice is helpful.

 

Don't they sell Mylar blanket for batteries up north?

I remember having conversation with a guy name Honda who was driving Prelude, used live in Chicago area, transfered down here in FL, many years ago. He said something about using blanket on batteries,,,

Make sure your charging system is up to par. Charging voltage should be between 13.75V to 14.25V with full load. Fully charged/healthy battery would have better chance of surviving cold nights, I think. I wouldn't know, I'm in So FL.

What grade oil do you have in the engine??? Have you changed it for winter temp???

 

RONJ, the G3 transmission ground is on the transmission I take it??

Sorry, dumb question, but want to check.

 

I've always put 5w-30 in the engine. Cars ran like a champ up to this point with it.

 

See diagram. It's on top of the transmission, below the distributor and not too far from the starter.

 

i use to have this problem and my fuel pump was goin out.