annoyed..

[Jonny J]

Ok so I drove my car after having it on jacks for a month 40 miles to get an alignment. I parked it outside the shop for maybe ten minutes, tried to start it but it wouldn't turn over. The guy at the shop told me it was the starter.. So I had that replaced. Drove it home. Parked it, tried starting it again tonight but the same thing happened.. I know its not the starter since I had it replaced. Tested my battery and its fine. All my lights come on except for when I try starting my car it just makes this weird buzzing/whining sound. But the engine won't crank over. It will push start fine.. So I was wondering if anyone might have a solution to this problem.. Thanks guys

 

[Jonny J]

Could be... im going to go check those again. I have a volt meter in my car, and its showing 12.3v before I try cranking the engine so im assuming that it has enough power to start.

 

[NHerron]

First, is it actually grinding or just a rapid clicking sound

 

[Jonny J]

Right now its not grinding anymore... just making a "humming" sound when I try starting it. I checked my battery terminals and they were good

 

[NHerron]

What happens to the voltage when you try to crank the engine IE when this humming sound occurs basically

 

[3kgt2nv]

If its a humming / whirring noise it maybe that the starter isnt getting enough juice to the solenoid to push the pinion gear over to engage the flywheel.

I would run a length of wire direct to the starter and a ground directly off one of the bolts to make sure it isnt a dead wire. Also was this a new starter a rebuilt one or a used starter?

 

[Jonny J]

Ok so I turn the key, all the dash lights come on. go to turn it over and my cig lighter stops working, my gauges (a/f) turn off completely but my dash lights stay on.

 

[NHerron]

Dead battery. Double check by checking the voltage across the terminals while trying to crank over

 

[Jonny J]

The starter is brand new, out of the box. NOt rebuilt. And ok.. Idk exactlyyyyyy how to get to it, but im sure my trusty service manual knows how to

 

[NHerron]

Just take your volt meter (DVOM) and touch them across the battery terminals while someone tries to crank it over. Pos to pos and neg to neg

 

[Jonny J]

Well my friend tried to jump start me last night and it got my volt meter up to 12.8v but it still wouldnt crank over. Is that a good sign of a dead battery?

My friend tried jump starting me last night so if my battery was dead wouldnt it still at least crank over from the jump?

 

[NHerron]

Any voltage reading at that point doesn't mean anything. 12.8v is just a surface charge. To determine the real condition of battery you need to put a load on it. That's why it would be a good idea to check voltage while trying to start the car

 

[bryanwheat]

If is still won't crank with jumper cables hooked up than it isn't the battery. Check you connections. If all the connections on the starter positive and ground are clean and tight than try jumping the solenoid directly at the starter.

 

[3kgt2nv]

swap your friends battery into your car and try to start it. If it doesnt work its not the battery.

 

[NHerron]

What Bryan said

 

[Jonny J]

Alright guys, ill try doing what you suggested. But as I said it was on jacks for a month and it had no problem like this before. After i got it running i hooked up aftermarket headlights but i dont think those couldve done a whole hell of a lot of damage. Oh and sometimes when i have the keys turned to accessories my radiator light and some other light come on and are dimly lit and then go off after I crank it. Maybe another piece to this puzzle? I honestly dont know. I heard somewhere that my flywheel might be shot to. ???...

 

[3kgt2nv]

if you broke teeth off the flywheel while it was grinding the starter would just spin in place since there is nothing for it to engage.

its 2 bolts and 1 nut to remove the starter. i would advise pulling it and inspecting the starter pinion and use a flashlight and a small mirror to look at the flywheel to make sure its not damaged.

 

[bryanwheat]

Alright guys, ill try doing what you suggested. But as I said it was on jacks for a month and it had no problem like this before. After i got it running i hooked up aftermarket headlights but i dont think those couldve done a whole hell of a lot of damage. Oh and sometimes when i have the keys turned to accessories my radiator light and some other light come on and are dimly lit and then go off after I crank it. Maybe another piece to this puzzle? I honestly dont know. I heard somewhere that my flywheel might be shot to. ???...

IF the teeth on the flywheel were bad than the starter would engage but it would just grind.

 

[Jonny J]

Alright guys ill attempt all this tomorrow. for its getting late. But ill post up pictures of everything and let you guys know if i figure it out. Thanks for all the support today guys.

 

[slayer450]

I know you said it's brand new but I think it sounds like a bad starter. I can't tell you how many times I've had new parts crap out right out of the box, it happens.

 

[Anubis_4_99]

Anytime i have a starter that i am in doubt of, i arc it directly to start the car. If it works, the problem is elsewhere, if not time to replace a starter.

If you want to try it, be careful, use a screwdriver with an insulated handle and don't touch the metal parts. Use the tip to connect the battery cable to the signal wire tab and that will engage the starter. If the starter works, then start working backwards from that point.

What else has to work for the starter to engage? And check it all.

 

[Jonny J]

this is technically the second "new" starter he put in to. He said the first one he put in did the same thing. Car started fine one time but after that it wont do it again. Maybe im just getting some really bad parts

 

[3kgt2nv]

if it has failed with 2 different "new starters" i would start looking at other things that could cause the issue.

temp sensor
timing
cas
massive vac leak
unplugged mas
loose spark plug wire and coil packs working properly.

im sorry a series of out of the box "new" parts failing is pretty rare unless its the wrong part to start with or they were installed wrong.

 

[NHerron]

If he can't even crank over, it has something to do with the control circuit or main power cables not ECU values. Maybe security system

 

[3kgt2nv]

he said it would crank which led to grinding then whirring from the starter.

 

[Jonny J]

Ok sooo anyone wanna go in more depth with what I should check? Tested battery. good. tested alternator. its good. checked for vaccum leaks, theres none. starter sounds like its binding when i try starting my car. and i honestly dont even know if my car has a security system .