First start of the season, well not really
+3
REVINKEVIN / Mr. 600+HP
77camino
thatfnthing
7 posters
G3GM :: G3 Tech :: Engine & Driveline
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First start of the season, well not really
Finally got around to starting the old girl yesterday, and what should happen after I disconnect the battery from the charger and get it in the car, I pump the gas twice, everything sounds good, and no starter, not a click, nothing dead silence as all the accessories are bypassed so the starter will engage. I let go of the key and all the accessories are there once again.
Anybody got ideas other than it's a bad starter?
Battery is good,
Starter was new all of three or four years ago when the engine was built, and she gets started about 2-3x a week in the summer
wiring to battery looks good too
Was thinking of shorting it or giving it a good wack with the hammer in case something is just sticking but then again I get absolutely no sound from it at all.
thanks for the thoughts
Anybody got ideas other than it's a bad starter?
Battery is good,
Starter was new all of three or four years ago when the engine was built, and she gets started about 2-3x a week in the summer
wiring to battery looks good too
Was thinking of shorting it or giving it a good wack with the hammer in case something is just sticking but then again I get absolutely no sound from it at all.
thanks for the thoughts
Dinomyte- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 11
Re: First start of the season, well not really
Easy thing first. I'd load test the battery. Any auto zone or advance Auto will do it for free. If it load tests good, I'd use a voltmeter and check for at least 12 volts at the battery lug on the starter and the purple wire both with the key in the crank position.
Joe73- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 83
Re: First start of the season, well not really
It is possible for a battery to have enough juice for accessories but not crank the starter. Check the battery first. Do you have a spare you can test with? Or maybe an old-style (non-trickle) charger that you can hook up? You should be able to bump the starter with that.
thatfnthing- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 65
Re: First start of the season, well not really
Thanks guys, I'll try those out Wednesday when I'm off, I was also going to take the starter in too, just so I don't make many trips the the PartSource store that does the testing.
Dinomyte- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 11
Re: First start of the season, well not really
It’s not scientific, but my grandfather’s theory was to turn on the headlights before you try to start the car. While attempting to start the car, If the headlights go out the battery is bad and if they stay on it’s something else. It could be worth a try.
77camino- G3GM Enthusiast
- Street Cred : 8
Re: First start of the season, well not really
Now that’s old school. I like that. After you try that, load test the battery.
REVINKEVIN / Mr. 600+HP- G3GM Senior Member
- Street Cred : 20
Re: First start of the season, well not really
Give the starter a few taps. No noise could be stuck solenoid. Other possibility is bad ground.
bracketchev1221- G3GM Enthusiast
- Street Cred : 16
Re: First start of the season, well not really
Check the connections at both the battery and starter. I had a 1972 Trans Am that would do the same thing to me, I found that a little corrosion at the connections would cause that problem - cleaned the connections and made sure everything was tight and it worked fine.
Iggy- G3GM Member
- Street Cred : 15
Re: First start of the season, well not really
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I especially like the turn the lights on and crank to see if it's the battery or the starter. That one took my back to high school shop class.
You're the winner ! Stuck solenoid a couple of taps and another try at the key and she cranked happily.
Now the question is what to do about the fact that when I let go of the key after she's fired it seems that the starter takes a bit too long to disengage. You here the same sound a starter makes when somebody tries to engage it on an engine that is already running.
My guess is the solenoid is sticking and not releasing as quick as it should but not sure what I can do about it if anything other than a few more taps or a new starter.
bracketchev1221 wrote:Give the starter a few taps. No noise could be stuck solenoid. Other possibility is bad ground.
You're the winner ! Stuck solenoid a couple of taps and another try at the key and she cranked happily.
Now the question is what to do about the fact that when I let go of the key after she's fired it seems that the starter takes a bit too long to disengage. You here the same sound a starter makes when somebody tries to engage it on an engine that is already running.
My guess is the solenoid is sticking and not releasing as quick as it should but not sure what I can do about it if anything other than a few more taps or a new starter.
Dinomyte- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 11
Re: First start of the season, well not really
Grab a new solenoid at the store and swap it. After you unbolt it you give it a quarter turn and it comes off.
Joe73- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 83
Re: First start of the season, well not really
Thanks, I learned something new today! I'll get the starter off and take it with me.
Dinomyte- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 11
Re: First start of the season, well not really
If you feel like it. When you get the solenoid off. Take the end cover with the bolts on it off. If you look underneath it, on the big stud, there's a disc there. Kind of like a ceramic or something. It is a contact for the solenoid. Take the disc out and if the other side is in better condition, flip it over and put it back together. That's usually the problem. Bad contact. You can even buy the disc at an alternator starter rebuilder if you have one nearby. Usually a buck or two.
Joe73- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 83
Re: First start of the season, well not really
Well got her out for a drive to the local cruise night yesterday, started the same with the starter not disengaging as quickly as it should, but when I went to leave the show it was a lot less "sticky". When I got home I tried her again and all seemed to work like it should.
I'm not thinking this means things are fixed but wondering if this is typical and only a matter of time before it happens again?
I'm not thinking this means things are fixed but wondering if this is typical and only a matter of time before it happens again?
Dinomyte- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 11
G3GM :: G3 Tech :: Engine & Driveline
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