[Z06] HELP! Shorted starter motor? Weird symptoms!
04-01-2015, 04:01 AM
#1
HELP! Shorted starter motor? Weird symptoms!
I just got back from a trip, to find the C6Z in the shop.
My Pop used it while I was away (normal driving around town, no track or hard driving) and all was fine.
It wouldn't start though, pressing the ignition button wouldn't even get the starter turning, so it was left parked up for a few hours.
A buddy then went to try again and he said it finally started, but there was a nasty sound from the engine (he couldn't describe it better than that) and while it ran, it was down on power.
when i heard this, i was thinking, oh cr*p, sounds like the worst case scenario
He drove it to the shop that maintains the car (Corvettes aren't officially sold by GM in this country, so there's no dealer support).
Strangely, the car would not shut down!
There was also smoke coming from a wire in the engine bay.
They stuck it into gear and killed the engine by letting out the clutch.
And the car started on it's own again?!?!
So they killed the motor the same way and pulled the battery.
I've just gotten off the phone with the shop; they haven't had a chance to really look at the car, as it's a long holiday here. Their initial suspicion is a shorted starter motor.
This was what was causing the racket, plus the smoke, and why the car started on its own.
Again, it's a very initial diagnosis; they'll have a proper look after the Easter break.
Any thoughts?
(Car is a 2005, and is stock other than a Corsa exhaust and AR headers. nothing else done to the motor. about 30,000 miles.)
My Pop used it while I was away (normal driving around town, no track or hard driving) and all was fine.
It wouldn't start though, pressing the ignition button wouldn't even get the starter turning, so it was left parked up for a few hours.
A buddy then went to try again and he said it finally started, but there was a nasty sound from the engine (he couldn't describe it better than that) and while it ran, it was down on power.
when i heard this, i was thinking, oh cr*p, sounds like the worst case scenario
He drove it to the shop that maintains the car (Corvettes aren't officially sold by GM in this country, so there's no dealer support).
Strangely, the car would not shut down!
There was also smoke coming from a wire in the engine bay.
They stuck it into gear and killed the engine by letting out the clutch.
And the car started on it's own again?!?!
So they killed the motor the same way and pulled the battery.
I've just gotten off the phone with the shop; they haven't had a chance to really look at the car, as it's a long holiday here. Their initial suspicion is a shorted starter motor.
This was what was causing the racket, plus the smoke, and why the car started on its own.
Again, it's a very initial diagnosis; they'll have a proper look after the Easter break.
Any thoughts?
(Car is a 2005, and is stock other than a Corsa exhaust and AR headers. nothing else done to the motor. about 30,000 miles.)
04-01-2015, 12:05 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
2005 Z06?
Difficult to trouble shoot long distance, but I would guess your starter wiring has burned against the headers. Should be able to remove the starter and test it and then repair the wires. It is a good idea to wrap the starter wires with some heat insulation tape.
Difficult to trouble shoot long distance, but I would guess your starter wiring has burned against the headers. Should be able to remove the starter and test it and then repair the wires. It is a good idea to wrap the starter wires with some heat insulation tape.
