Author Topic: Starter won't turn (Read 4321 times)

EVIL72 · « **on:** May 15, 2005 - 01:22:11 AM »

Car has been starting fine, not one problem. I drove car home from work and shut it off, when I tried to start it up 15 minutes later the starter just clicked once but wouldn't turn over.
I tired to jump it with wifes truck and still just one click.
I bridged the starter relay on the fender with a screw driver and all I got was more clicks.
I had a new mini starter laying around so I threw that in, I still just got one click.
I swapped batteries from wifes truck and nothing changed.
I installed a new starter relay and still just one click.
When I turned on the headlights and then tried to start it, the headlights dimmed very slightly, but not that bad.
I'll be trying to test the cables and wires with a volt meter next. I sure hope the new mini starter isn't bad too, that thing was a major pain to install with the cheap headers I got.
Does anyone have any ideas?

OUTLAW · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2005 - 02:28:05 AM »

try turning the engine backwards incase the drive is jammed into the flywheel

MEK-Dangerfield · « **Reply #2 on:** May 15, 2005 - 03:21:50 AM »

It could be a bad ground somewhere. Starting the car takes the most current, so if there is a loose or dirty connection, that's when it will show. Maybe the ground cable going from the battery to the block is loose? Are the battery cables in good shape?

Mike

4Cruizn · « **Reply #3 on:** May 15, 2005 - 09:50:20 AM »

Try testing the starter while its out of the car!! That will narrow it down alittle. Did you try turning the engine over by hand?? :dontknow:

EVIL72 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 15, 2005 - 10:30:43 AM »

I don't think the drive is jammed to the flywheel, because I changed starters and it did the same thing. But Ill try turning the engine over by hand just to be sure.
The cables look fine at the battery, the block ground is a little dirty so I'll clean that today. Even though I tried to use a jumper cable already from the battery to the block.
How do you test a starter out of the car? Sure wish I would have thought of that BEFORE I installed the new starter just to make sure the new starter wasn't bad too.

OUTLAW · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2005 - 11:49:03 AM »

to test it on the ground take your jumper cables and put the ground cable on the starter case and the positve on the battery terminal of the starter then get a litytle jumper wire and jump from the bat terminal to the little solenoid terminal on the starte rAND HANG ON TO THE STARTER it has lots of torque and will want to turn over
you should see the drive kick out and spin if it just kicks out you have bad starter if it just spins same thing

EVIL72 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2005 - 12:05:33 PM »

Ok I turned the motor over by hand both ways, and I also cleaned up the motor to battery ground, and battery terminals really good and still just the one click. I'll test out my old starter that I just removed to see if it is still fine.

EVIL72 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 15, 2005 - 12:50:51 PM »

Ok I connected the positive side of battery (with jumper cables) to the case of the starter, then I connected the negative side of battery� to smaller pole on starter, at this point it the gear poped out but didn't spin and just clicked once just like when it was in the car and just like the new starter is doing. I tried it on two different batteries.
Does this mean it was the starter and my new starter is faulty too?

EVIL72 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 15, 2005 - 04:30:34 PM »

Oops my old starter did work after all outside the car I just had to chean up my jumper cables, so it must be something else.
I'm replacing the battery wires to the starter, I already replaced the engine ground and nothing changed.
After that I'm totally lost.

OUTLAW · « **Reply #9 on:** May 15, 2005 - 05:02:00 PM »

do it just like i said with the jumper wire and make sure you get the polarity right ...above you had it backwards

you need power to both the battery terminal and the little activator with the ground on the housing before you can condemn the starter

MEK-Dangerfield · « **Reply #10 on:** May 15, 2005 - 06:36:55 PM »

Quote

do it just like i said with the jumper wire and make sure you get the polarity right ...above you had it backwards

you need power to both the battery terminal and the little activator with the ground on the housing before you can condemn the starter

�

� Yes, let's at least find out if you are working with a good starter. OUTLAW is right, you were backwards in your previous testing. I hope this didn't fry anything.

� Mike

miketyler · « **Reply #11 on:** May 15, 2005 - 07:15:23 PM »

interested to hear what you come up with on this Evil. What are the chances of BOTH starters being bad? Since they both produced the same results, I would be inclined to think it was bad connections or weak supply or ground to the starter

EVIL72 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 15, 2005 - 09:06:19 PM »

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!! Not only that, it now starts better than any car I've ever owned!! And that mini starter is freakin maniac! I just barely turn the key and the engine comes to life.
It turned out to be the positive cable going to the starter. I replaced both positive and negative cables with some beefier 2 gauge ones, and cleaned up every connection just to make sure.
I did figure out the starter trick, I just needed more coffee

Thanks for all the info, it was very useful.

miketyler · « **Reply #13 on:** May 15, 2005 - 09:39:59 PM »

I was going to buy one of those mini-starters. It was tough pulling my stock unit from around the headers.

What brand did you purchase?

EVIL72 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 16, 2005 - 12:10:10 AM »

I've had the mini laying around here for years, it was for my ProStreet Duster that I'm building. I'm pretty sure I got it from Mancini or maybe Summit, it came with heat shields which was nice because alot of them don't. It was hard as hell to get my old starter out without removing a bunch of stuff. I had to turn the front wheels all the way to the right, remove that plastic dust cover thing from the frame, then I stood the starter on end and slipped it past the suspension and headers. If that starter had one more coat of paint on it, I don't think it would have made it :laughing:
The mini wasn't much better, I had to remove the heat shield from one side just to get it past everything, then I put the shield back on.
If you do get a mini, it might be a good idea as soon as you get the mini past the suspension to install the two wires to it(the other ends are disconnected so you can drop the wires lower), THEN bolt the mini in place. Because the minis two poles are on the top, it made it VERY hard to get around two of the header tubes, and the steering shaft to install the wires.

Author Topic: Starter won't turn (Read 4321 times)

EVIL72

Starter won't turn

OUTLAW

Re: Starter won't turn

MEK-Dangerfield

Re: Starter won't turn

4Cruizn

Re: Starter won't turn

EVIL72

Re: Starter won't turn

OUTLAW

Re: Starter won't turn

EVIL72

Re: Starter won't turn

EVIL72

Re: Starter won't turn

EVIL72

Re: Starter won't turn

OUTLAW

Re: Starter won't turn

MEK-Dangerfield

Re: Starter won't turn

miketyler

Re: Starter won't turn

EVIL72

Re: Starter won't turn

miketyler

Re: Starter won't turn

EVIL72

Re: Starter won't turn