please help vette not starting
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 184
Likes: 1
From: Oak Grove MO.
please help vette not starting
ok I hope someone can help. I must obviously be overlooking something. I recently pulled the engine and tranny out of my vette. I cleaned up everything and put it back in. Before I installed plugs and ran all the plug wires the engine turned over freely with the starter. after i ran all plug wires I could not get it to turn over. just an occasional clicking sound. I tested things and I am getting power to the distributer and the starter. but i am not getting power to the starter sylinoid (spelled wrong). could this be the ignition module on the stering column? Or something else. I would think maybe a fuse but then I think that if it was a fuse i would not hear a click . any feedback is appreciated thank you in advance. also if it is the module how hard are they to replace? 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
OK, first thing, is the battery charged? Where are yu=ou getting power? What is clicking? Did you check the grounds?
There should be 12v to the big term on the starter from the battery
With the key on, there should be power on the R termional on the starter
With the key to "Start" you should get power to the S terminal on the starter. Do this with a test light instead of a meter. That way if the light lights up bright, the power and the ground are likely good.
Make a cheap light with a brake light bulb and 2 pieces of wire.
There should be 12v to the big term on the starter from the battery
With the key on, there should be power on the R termional on the starter
With the key to "Start" you should get power to the S terminal on the starter. Do this with a test light instead of a meter. That way if the light lights up bright, the power and the ground are likely good.
Make a cheap light with a brake light bulb and 2 pieces of wire.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 184
Likes: 1
From: Oak Grove MO.
ok I think that I have tried everything possible and still not turning over not even trying to.
what i have done:
1. recharged battery had it checked its good
2. had starter checked its good
3. replaced ignition switch its good
4. checked all wiring for a short or bare wire. none
5. checked ground its good
I heard a clicking when i would turn the key on I traced it to a relay in the console. it would click when i turned car over and then the volts would go real low. could this be my problem? what really ticks me off is that it turned over when i was finding TDC and then i droped distributer in and nothing.
there is no power to the s or r terminal only to the battery wire. It would not even crank by sparking the s term with the battery term. WTF I have almost had it. I am just about ready to list this in the for sale section. ( dont really want to but almost ready)
what i have done:
1. recharged battery had it checked its good
2. had starter checked its good
3. replaced ignition switch its good
4. checked all wiring for a short or bare wire. none
5. checked ground its good
I heard a clicking when i would turn the key on I traced it to a relay in the console. it would click when i turned car over and then the volts would go real low. could this be my problem? what really ticks me off is that it turned over when i was finding TDC and then i droped distributer in and nothing.
there is no power to the s or r terminal only to the battery wire. It would not even crank by sparking the s term with the battery term. WTF I have almost had it. I am just about ready to list this in the for sale section. ( dont really want to but almost ready)
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 478
Likes: 56
From: Woodstock Georgia
There are a few things that come to mind based on your description. You say that it turned over fine while setting #1....but then nothing after that. You say that 12V is good at the output of the ignition switch but is not making it to the solenoid. Have you checked the neutral safety switch?
When you go to turn it over, turn on your headlights and see if something is loading the system down. Sounds like you either have an open wire from the ignition switch or an open fusible link or fuse. Another thing that you can do as a test is to jumper from the S terminal to the 12V on the solenoid (in park) and see if she turns over.
When you go to turn it over, turn on your headlights and see if something is loading the system down. Sounds like you either have an open wire from the ignition switch or an open fusible link or fuse. Another thing that you can do as a test is to jumper from the S terminal to the 12V on the solenoid (in park) and see if she turns over.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 683
Likes: 4
You may want to try this. The ground wire from the negative terminal of the battery consists of two separate cables. One attaches to the negative side of the battery and exits the battery box and attaches to the frame crossmember. The second attaches to the bottom side of the passenger side frame motor mount. The other side of this cable attaches to the engine block where the starter support bracket mounts at the top to the block. Both cables are very short approx 16 to 18 inches. The points where these cables mount to the frame are where a bad connection will appear. This is how to attach the ends correctly for a good ground. Bolt, washer, cable end, star washer, frame. You MUST have the star washer between the cable end and the frame. This washer actually digs into the metal to provide a good ground.
Hope this is of help. Send me a PM if you need pics.
Good luck
Steve
Hope this is of help. Send me a PM if you need pics.
Good luck
Steve
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 184
Likes: 1
From: Oak Grove MO.
at the starter there is 12 v there is nothing at the s term when key is turned. do automatics have a nuetral safety switch? if so what does it look like i assume it is by the shifter. i tried the jumper from the starter 12 v to the s term ... nothing. i have cleaned the ground areas with a wire brush till they shine but I will try the star washer as well. thank you for helping any other ideas please send I will keep you updated.
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Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 478
Likes: 56
From: Woodstock Georgia
Originally Posted by topless 77
at the starter there is 12 v there is nothing at the s term when key is turned. do automatics have a nuetral safety switch? if so what does it look like i assume it is by the shifter. i tried the jumper from the starter 12 v to the s term ... nothing. i have cleaned the ground areas with a wire brush till they shine but I will try the star washer as well. thank you for helping any other ideas please send I will keep you updated.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 478
Likes: 56
From: Woodstock Georgia
Originally Posted by topless 77
do automatics have a nuetral safety switch? if so what does it look like i assume it is by the shifter.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Maybe this will help. Not specific to Corvette, but it's probably better than nothing.
http://z.about.com/d/autorepair/1/0/j/c/58882923.gif
http://z.about.com/d/autorepair/1/0/j/c/58882923.gif
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
From: Chehalis Wa
I had the same issue with my !978. It ended up being a bad connection in the starter harness. Check the connections inside of the plug that drops down to the starter. One of my wires was pushing out of the connector but at a glance they all looked in place. The connector is at the top of the firewall directly above the starter, I believe it had 4 or 5 wires in it. Hope you find it soon.....or the neuteral safety switch?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 184
Likes: 1
From: Oak Grove MO.
not the grounds I waranteed my starter after having the place test it over and over I have not put it on yet. i will let everyone know how it goes. I retraced the s wire and now I have power to it. I am just going to replace that whole wire as well.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 184
Likes: 1
From: Oak Grove MO.
still nothing... replaced starter, retraced wires, tried bypassing the nuetral safety switch. tried jumping the starter by touching s term to 12v term. when i first put the key in there is good power i try to start it and power drops to about 1/4 of what it was. i let it sit for a while there is a click and i have full power again. the click comes from under the passenger side dash. should i just tear all the factory stuff out and put in a whole new wire harness? I am thinking its bout time for a shop except thats going to be real expensive any other ideas first?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,716
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
I have a 77 and have had the dash out not that long ago. There is a relay over by the A/C duct on the pass side. Is this were the clicking sound is coming from? I am not sure what it is for but you may be able to reach up there and pull it out and un-plug it and see if you problem goes away. It is just held in place by a clip. In the mean time I will try and find out what it is for. I have an assem manual that might tell me what it is.
I have also had trouble with starting and had to run a grounding cabel from the starter to the motor mount on the same side. I think there is one there already from the factory.
Neal
I have also had trouble with starting and had to run a grounding cabel from the starter to the motor mount on the same side. I think there is one there already from the factory.
Neal
Last edited by chevymans 77; Sep 7, 2006 at 08:58 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 184
Likes: 1
From: Oak Grove MO.
i traded that relay with another one that i found in the console area. still the same thing. I do have a grond running from the engine block to the underside of the frame on the pass. side. if you could check your manual for me that would be great there might be another relay or something there. Its got to be something simple because i have tried all the hard stuff. thank you
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,716
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
the relay is the flasher relay. I don't think that is your problem.
there should be a large ground cable running from the bracket at the rear of the starter, this bracket ataches the rear of the starter to the motor block. The other end of the cable ataches to the motor mount, there is a hole in the motor mount that the bolt passes through. The assem manual shows this cable.
My car would start some times and others it would just click like a dead battery, drove me crazy. I was working on something one day under the car and noticed that the cable was loose and that it was in very bad shape so I replaced it, that fixed my starting problem.
Neal
there should be a large ground cable running from the bracket at the rear of the starter, this bracket ataches the rear of the starter to the motor block. The other end of the cable ataches to the motor mount, there is a hole in the motor mount that the bolt passes through. The assem manual shows this cable.
My car would start some times and others it would just click like a dead battery, drove me crazy. I was working on something one day under the car and noticed that the cable was loose and that it was in very bad shape so I replaced it, that fixed my starting problem.
Neal