Mambo#5

Awhile back I picked up a 02 Z06 everything was going great but now it seems this car has a mind of its own. The other day went out to start the car and all I got was ONE click each time I tried to start the car. After repeatedly trying to start the car about 20times it finally fired up. I thought maybe it was a bad battery since this one was old and dead so went out a got a new battery, well it didn't solve the issue. So I checked my battery connections and cleaned the battery terminals and still the same thing, I get one single click and after repeatedly (30x) trying to start it, it will turn over. Even with the new battery on the car, the new battery is getting drained from somewhere because I had to charge it up again the other day. I managed to look under the car at the starter I did notice when under the car that it looks like the power steering fluid has started to leak a lot from the reservoir which I am in the process of replacing.
I don't know how to tell if my starter is bad or just loose connections, but the car does have long tube headers on it so it seems its going to be a pain to remove the starter. I did take a long metal rod and slid it down through my headers and whacked the started along with putting baking soda on the terminals to clean them. When I put the baking soda on the starter the car started right up. Also when I finally get the car started and drive it around and shut it off for a bit it will sometimes start back up right away or even after it sits for a couple hours, but if it sits for a day, it will be completely dead.
The only thing I can think of is that I either have a bad connection at the starter, which is why when I cleaned the terminals it started up. Or that the power steering fluid leaked down on to the starter and is causing it to short out.


Does anyone have any ideas or been through this situation on why it wont start or what the one click could be. If I do need to tighten the connections on the starter does anyone know what size sockets fit on there? and how can I get in there without having to pull off the headers?
thanks,


MB

Bill Curlee

This is a VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, COMMON ISSUE!

Check the batrtery connections for tightness, then the starter solenoid for clean and tight connections and if ALL checks out, you most likely have a defective starter solenoid.

While someone HOLDS the key to CRANK, THUMP the starter with a long pole. IF,, it cranks after being mechanically agitated, the solenoid is most likely the issue.

That being said,,, the STARTING CIRCUIT has a Theft Deterrent Relay (TDR) located in the passengers foot well above the BCM on the fire wall. It has FOUR WIRES RED, PURPLE, yellow and yellow/black stripe.

The TDR has TWO sides. The CONTROL (low current) SIDE & OUTPUT SIDE (high current)

You can determine if that relay is CLICKING when you complete ALL the hand shakes to start the engine.

I pump my clutch on and off the clutch safety switch on the fire wall and can hear that relay click each time.

Mambo#5

Ok thank you sir, I will be trying that tonight. Just need to put together a contraption to get to the starter nuts to make sure they are tight. Do you happen to know what size the nuts are on the starter, I've searched around and can't seem to find the sizes of them?


thank you

Bill Curlee

I think its 13mm

DO NOT,,,,, forget to disconnect the batttery NEG terminal before you work on the solenoid!!!!!

Mambo#5

So ended up taking the car to the dealership to get checked out. They say the starter is bad and I need a new one. So on Thursday I had them replace the starter and got the car back mid day Friday. Drove the car home after work and started fine ran great. So today I decided to take it out for a bit knowing I can actually stop and shut it off somewhere and when I come back to start it up again it will start first try. Well I was driving it around for about an hour and went to the store for a bit and as I'm coming home on the highway the cars suddenly dies, check engine light starts flashing, so I take the exit right there and stop at the light. While stopped I tried to start it back up and it sounded like it wanted to start but wouldn't turn over. Then I started to smell something burning so I popped the hood and saw the black insulation on the battery ground was completely melted off. I felt the battery and it was extremely hot to the touch and the metal bolt and plate inside the battery terminal was exposed. I called a buddy to help me move it to a safe spot and he said when I got in and tried to start it again real quick to see if he saw anything when I did, and he said the negative terminal sparked. I ended up getting the car towed back to the same dealership to get looked at.
Anybody have any idea what this might be? Could it be related to the new starter? Bad short somewhere? I can't drive and screwed it up? I'm beginning to think this car has a mind of its own. Runs great one day next day it decides it doesn't want to go anymore.

Thanks
MB

Bill Curlee

The STUPID IDOTS owe you a new battery (if the battery terminal is damaged) and battery cable. They FAILED to properly tighten up the NEGATIVE battery terminal as it is SUPPOSE to be after they removed it to install the starter.

The GM SPEC is ==== 11 FT/LBS

If you don't go there and respectfully discuss the issue with the service manager, its your LOSS!!!

Mambo#5

That makes sense because now that I think about it, when my buddy and I were looking at the negative terminal the bolt was in crooked. He had a wrench on him and we backed it out and put it in straight and it tightened up closer to the battery. Never thought the negative terminal not being tightened or in straight would cause all that.
Thank you Bill for your help. I hope nothing else got messed up when this happened. I'm going to talk with them on Monday and hopefully getting it back running, I just want to drive it with the peace of mind knowing I'll make it home, or start.

FalconPilot

This list is invaluable! I just bought my first Vette, a 2001 convertible and I'm still working out the inherited issues. I stumbled across this forum and so far it has saved me almost $1000 in my first week of ownership. A replacement wiper motor ($59 lifetime warranty from Autozone versus $565 from the dealer) took about 2 hours with the walk through found here. A replacement hazard light switch to also fix intermittent blinkers ($25 from the Zone) took 1 hour 20 minutes with the help of this forum. Now I'm troubleshooting poor starting and I stumbled across this thread, I could have written the original post, I have almost identical problems. I now suspect the starter solenoid, which was the likely culprit anyway. The battery is 700 CCA, 875 CA @ 32 degrees and reserve capacity of 95. The battery is dated 08/14, so I don't think it's worn out that fast. I put the battery on a pulse charger and let it run the whole desulfurization cycle and it came up good. I also installed new battery terminal bolts as well. However, immediately on reinstallation, the engine struggled to turn over right off the bat. Any other suggestions, or should I look at the starter solenoid? Thanks to everyone for the help and community found here.

Bill Curlee

Battery terminals clean and TIGHT Torque to 11 ft/lbs

Starter Terminals Clean and tight? Common issue is loose and burnt!

What is the designed reserve capacity of that battery??

Remove the battery and have it fully tested

WHat are your bad starting symptoms??

FalconPilot

Terminals are clean, with brand new bolts. I didn't use a torque wrench, but snugged down with a short box wrench should be reasonably close to 11 ft/lbs.

Reserve capacity is 95

I removed the battery and ran it on a pulse charger, which desulfinates and tests. Battery checked good.

First start when cold may or may not turn the engine over past one compression stroke. As I work the starter more, the engine turns faster and faster until it'll finally start. After the first start, it needs to recharge the battery with a heavy charge, but it'll turn over easily and start properly every subsequent time.

I'll have the car on a lift for tires on Thursday. Besides fixing the fuel door actuator, I'll also look at the starter connections. Anywhere else to check?

Mambo#5

Falcon-
I would look into getting your starter replaced. Before mine started to completely not start and just do one click it would sound like it was starting but struggle to fire up, and as I held the key over while it was trying to start it would slowly rev up and start. It then eventually went to the one click deal and then it got interesting with trying to turn it over 20x's before it would fire up. After I got the starter replaced and before the battery terminal went up in smoke, when I went to start it with the new starter in, the car fired up instantly. I tried two different batteries but with the starter being bad it was causing something with the batteries to drain and draw volts when the car was just sitting. I even had one of the batteries tested at an auto parts store and it was so dead they couldn't even get a reading on it, and it was a new battery. After the new starter I even noticed my battery volts holding up higher as I was driving. No issues with starting when I had the new starter put in, just the problem of them not tightening the negative terminal and causing it to melt and short out.


MB