kgformula

Hello all, I am new to the chevy world and new to the LT1 engine. I recently bought a 1996 Firebird Formula. I replaced the starter yesterday and when I started it the lights were acting up. I started it about 5 more times and now it will not start at all, it just rapidly makes a fairly quiet clicking noise...I assumed a wire was grounding out somewhere but for the life of me I cannot find it anywhere! all my connections are solid, I can't find any bare wires, but I have no power at all when I hook the battery back up. Any suggestions on where to start or what to do would be very much appreciated...Thanks, Kenny

shbox

Sounds like a dead battery. Has it been checked?

pancho toco loco

iTrader: (8)

Have your battery checked first. If all is well and can hold a charge check your alternator next. Could be a faulty starter, where did you get the new starter from?

kgformula

The battery is brand new, the alternator is not however it has been charging the battery fine thusfar. I bought a rem starter from Oreileys which I didnt want to do but I have about 8 grand into this car in the last few months and money is super tight on the project (Wife is not happy!) The starter worked fine right away, cranked it over great but I can now here light clicking noises in several different places, one of them stops when I disconnect the driverside headlight motor, not sure where all of the other ones are coming from. I have dropped the starter back down and made sure everything is tight and there are no exposed wires but I have no doubt something is grounding out. Whats the best way to track down something like that? I have absolutely no interior lights or any action at all when I turn the key, just the light clicking noices when I hook the neg battery cable back up, terminals and cable seem to be in great shape also...

shbox

Battery might be new, but what is the voltage? New does not guarantee anything.

pancho toco loco

iTrader: (8)

With the battery hooked up you have no power? With the key in the on position can you turn the radio on or roll the windows up and down? Sounds like a dead battery. 1. the battery could be good but not getting a charge from a failing Alternator. 2. you could just have a bad battery. Have you tried a different battery say from a second car or tried jumping it w/ another vehicle?

kgformula

I will check the voltage for sure after work today but I hooked my booster pack up and tried jumping it and got absolutely nothing. I dont have any power to anything including my windows, radio, and lights. Nothing at all, turning the key does nothing whatsoever. Like I said, everything worked great until I switched the starter. Now I am grounding out somewhere I just don't know how to track down where its happening.

djjab57

iTrader: (17)

If the lights go out or your getting nothing and the clicking noise is coming from the dash maybe, I would check the Ignition switch witch sits on top of the steering column

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

No reason to guess until you put a volt meter to the battery.

kgformula

If im doing it correctly my batter is reading 12 sometimes jumping to 13 if that helps

jaycenk

iTrader: (1)

Have a friend try starting it and test the Batt with the volt meter under load. Static test are ok but if it has a weak cell it will show up under load. More then likely its yet another great reman job on an alt or starter. Usually takes 3 to 5 "rebuilt units" to find one they actually weren’t smoking crack while rebuilding.

Mississippi

Reman electric **** typically suck. Thus why I never buy reman electronics. I'd start there. When something goes wrong, I always look for the most recent variable.

shbox

Are the headlights good and bright? If not, battery cable connections or battery are the most likely culprits.

LT1FirebirdSLP

iTrader: (2)

-Clean the terminals on the battery.
-Chceck all chasis grounds.

You can take the starter to most autoparts stores and hook it up to their testing machine. I used to work at advance auto we were able to make sure the solenoid and starter worked to spec.

kgformula

Well, after checking/wrapping all my wires and cleaning up my entire electrical system, I pulled the starter out and took it back, got a new one, and it started right up no problems at all! I was pretty upset at the fact that I spent about five hours messing with wires but in the end I know they are all solid and well insulated now, they also look a lot better tucked away better and cleaned up. Thanks for the help guys!- Kenny

pancho toco loco

iTrader: (8)

Ahh I had an idea it was te starter. I hope you went new and not remanny again for your own sanity

FAD2BLK93

Sounds like a negative cable, move both cablrs around to get a good connection. There are also fuses to check for cranking and ignition. But still sounds like a bad cable, could also be some corosion inside cables.