So i tested my starter off of the car and it works fine, On the motor it wont turn. I was using my dd as my battery source. I figured my dd battery couldn't produce enough current since its only a 1.8l. You guys think this is my problem? Or is something seized? My motor turned over by hand last month, but i thin when i tried to turn my water pump by hand it wouldn't budge, figured it was just stiff.

I don't know where to start, i don't mind dealing with problems, but im fighting the weather, so i want to get it going asap.

 

the wp with the belt off or on wont turn? should turn if the belt is off.

battery could be too weak too you need a 700cca battery to get it to turn for the most part

 

do you have the battery hooked up to the battery cables, or are you trying to use jumper cables?

 

Yea with the belt off.... should have been a huge red flag, didn't think anything of it at the time. Oh well, it has a leak anyways so i needs to be fix/replaced anyways.

 

I was using the jumper cables. I understand the loses, im an electrical engineer by trade. The gauge of my cables should easily handle the load.

 

Do you hear the solenoid click at all? Sure you have current going to the solenoid? Have all grounds connected?

VVVVV

 

Go buy a battery for it and it will probably crank.

 

Pull the plugs, put a socket on the crank pulley bolt and try to turn it by hand.

If that doesn't turn easily then forget about the starter being the issue.

 

Pull the belt and try to crank it. Cranks change pump (which sounds like it needs). While your at the parts store might as well get a battery too. Before you head to the parts store try to turn the engine by hand to see if you might just look for another engine.

I know I repeated most what everyone else said and that's because their all good answers, but I don't think that just one of them may answer your question.

 

Thanks for all the sugestions. Here is where i stand after thinking about it for a while.

-Pump would not turn by hand.
-Motor didn't exactly turn by hand, but with some leverage of of 1' poll in the balancer it would turn. [and im not a weak guy by any means, before i started this project i lifted weights 5-6 days a week in prep for a bodybuilding contest]
-Starter tested on ground, the solenoid would click over, and i could get it to spin with a very week battery.

All fingers are pointing at the water pump at the moment. Its got a leak and needs to be replaced regardless, so that my next step. Either looking for a deal on the classifieds, or i ran into someone selling a new one for 60 a few weeks back, so i'll see if i can get in touch with him. Luckly im using a truck wp, so theres plenty floating around from people that changed over to f-body/vett acc.

Heading outside in a bit to try and get the motor to turn over with the belt removed.

 

It should be hard to turn over with plugs in by hand that's good compression, but if you take the plugs out it should spin freely. If it doesn't spin without the plugs in then you have real issues

 

Checked my battery on the DD and see that its max current out-put is 480A, and like 2XXccA. Is ccA when the motor is cold, or battery? Running the battery with the DD on would give me the 480 rated current?

Anyways with that battery and my other car on, i can get the starter to click the motor over a few degrees, but it can't keep it moving. So im assuming i can get it spinning fairly easily by hand without the plug in it. Atleast i know i have decent compression :-). I think i might pick up an Optima red top since i heard the deal better with seasonal use.

 

To rule out the water pump, just take the belt off and then see if it cranks. If it does, you need a water pump. If not, then check your starting system. The water pump should spin effortlessly without the belt on it.

 

Pump won't budge, im an idiot for not putting 2 and 2 together sooner. Plus battery was to weak, maybe picking one up tonight.

 

I gotta used truck wp sitting round you can have it for $30 shipped. Let me know. And the cca of the battery is the out put when the battery is at 32 degrees.

 

I pulled the radiator out and removed the bad pump. Hopefully get a battery tomorrow, and then at-least crank it over to see if i make oil pressure.

PM'ed about that pump!

 

Pm returned.

 

Did you get it started.