mmikeman

Got a 1995 Camaro z28 been working on the last year or so has developed a strange intermittent no start issue that now has become permanent, essentially first time it left me stranded had turn key gauges would die no click no start, came back to life a day later? After that getting intermittent turn key click no start and now it just clicks, redid the positive terminal at the battery getting good voltage there check grounds on block near starter and up top all made the test light illuminate, also tried using theft relay ran wire from yellow to purple solenoid wire tried to start still just clicks, banged on starter and solenoid no success as well, one thing interesting, when I go to start it no light dim inside but the headlights out front die, is it normal for these headlights to go off when you try and crank it? Is there any place I can tap into the purple wire to bypass the ignition switch? I am just trying to figure out if this is the ignition switch, a hidden ground or the starter itself , any help greatly appreciated before I swap the starter

Blade22225

I would just replace the starter.

State69champ

iTrader: (5)

I have a 95 and had similar issue. Turn key and it just clicked. I replaced the starter and it it fixed the issue.

LonglivetheLS

Sell the car and get one with an LS1.

Phoenix'97

Really?! Spend that money when he has a bad starter? Dude!

mmikeman, I probably went through three re-manufactured starters from NAPA until I finally found a good one, getting fed up and trying Advance Auto. When they went bad they were clicking and furthermore the gear had to have been overextending because two out of the three had broken housings!

Phoenix'97

You are using power to try to start a dead starter. This would cause your headlights to dim and it may be an indication your battery is weak and needs to be trickle charged back up. Oh before I forget! When you install your new starter, check your ground cable and power cable to the starter and make sure the wire sleeves did not shrink over time exposing the wires. I had to wrap mine up in cloth tape since I didn't want any arcing problems or bad grounds given how close to the body those wires are.

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

I guess if you have it out go ahead and get it tested but I'd make sure you have good connections before buying a new starter.

Blade22225

True.

bammax

Sure it's not just a dead battery? If you have a bad cell it'll be intermittently bad with temp and power spikes causing it to act up until eventually starting will be more than the remaining cells can handle.

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

All good points but he posted this up on the 10th and I'm betting he's already figured it out but has failed in not letting us know! Or is it because he feels shamed for asking the question in the first place. Google it!

SteveC

An old timers trick, get under the vehicle with a hammer, and have someone else try to start the vehicle, while the starter is clicking start striking the starter with the hammer, if it then turns over, you have a bad Bendix and need to replace the starter.