Starter has went out or what?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Starter has went out or what? Guys I have a 97 lt1, and when I go to crank it the dash lights come on, here the fuel pump, etc and that is it. The engine does not turn over. I turned the headlights on and tried to start it and all I heard was a lot of clicking, clicking, clicking. What on earth is going on now? I have a broke down car sitting on side of the road.
Now earlier today, I went to start it and it was a loud clicking going on, almost sounded like the fan or something was hitting something, but it did start after a few minutes and the car drover perfect.
Now earlier today, I went to start it and it was a loud clicking going on, almost sounded like the fan or something was hitting something, but it did start after a few minutes and the car drover perfect.
Either your battery is too weak to crank the engine (clicking starter solenoid) or you have a bad cable connection at the battery. You could try loosening the the battery cable terminals (5/16 wrench) and wiggling the cables to improve the connection then re-tighten the terminal. This may get you going. If the starter is failing sometimes if you give it some raps with a hammer it will then work on the next try.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Either your battery is too weak to crank the engine (clicking starter solenoid) or you have a bad cable connection at the battery. You could try loosening the the battery cable terminals (5/16 wrench) and wiggling the cables to improve the connection then re-tighten the terminal. This may get you going. If the starter is failing sometimes if you give it some raps with a hammer it will then work on the next try.
Yeah, but a bad cable connection would not cause that loud clicking I had heard earlier like a fan hitting or something would it?
The clicking is the starter solenoid. During a normal start the solenoid pulls the drive bendix out to engage the flywheel at the same time the starter contacts are connected to the battery and the starter spins. With a weak battery or bad connections there is enough power to activate the solenoid (click) but when the starter tries to spin the engine the amp draw is too much for the weak battery so the solenoid releases. This process repeats as long as you hold the key with repeated clicking of the solenoid.
this stuff is basic auto shop 101.
this stuff is basic auto shop 101.
Last edited by guppymech; May 8, 2015 at 08:21 AM.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
The clicking is the starter solenoid. During a normal start the solenoid pulls the drive bedix out to engage the flywheel at the same time the starter contacts are connected to the battery and the starter spins. With a weak battery or bad connections there is enough power to activate the solenoid (click) but when the starter tries to spin the engine the amp draw is too much for the weak battery so the solenoid releases. This process repeats as long as you hold the key with repeated clicking of the solenoid.
this stuff is basic auto shop 101.
this stuff is basic auto shop 101.
If you have a Firebird the headlight motors make clicking noises when the gears wear out (strip). The headlight module runs the headlight motors until it see a increased amp draw when they hit the up or down stops then the motors turn off. Kind of just like the power window motors. No offense intended with the auto shop comment.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,740
Likes: 2
From: Nebraska
Hold on a minute, did your car just die and now you're on the side of the road or were you parked already with the car off and it wouldn't restart? Sounds like a weak battery or your alternator died and drained the battery? The weird clicking from the headlights and the starter solenoid sound to me like a dead battery, or a bad connection.
