Starter goes click,click, click, etc.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2000
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From: FL
Starter goes click,click, click, etc.
Anyway, doing some errands this afternoon. At the grocery store, car refuses to start. Starter is just clicking away.
Anyway, hike home, change, get tools (this is going to be fun, NOT), hike back. Still won't start but some guys help me to push start it so I can drive it home to fix it.
Get home. Shut down. Starts fine. Started over a dozen times. :smash:
I'm thinking solenoid was stuck. Another other suggestions. Not sure what to do now. May be a new starter but this one seems to be working. Solenoid is only 2 1/2 months old ( old one had a stripped stud).
For now. :cheers:
Anyway, hike home, change, get tools (this is going to be fun, NOT), hike back. Still won't start but some guys help me to push start it so I can drive it home to fix it.
Get home. Shut down. Starts fine. Started over a dozen times. :smash:
I'm thinking solenoid was stuck. Another other suggestions. Not sure what to do now. May be a new starter but this one seems to be working. Solenoid is only 2 1/2 months old ( old one had a stripped stud).
For now. :cheers:
Team Owner
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From: Lakeland, FL
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Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (Aaron-74)
Battery maybe...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 2,738
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From: Deep in the Heart of Dixie Alabama
Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (SteveG75)
Battery, Maybe, but probally the starter. Sounds like heat stress. Very common problem with Corvettes. Heat from the engine, stresses out the starter and want work. Give it about 40 minutes to cool down and it will crank.
Solution: Probally need to buy a new heavy duty starter or buy and install a heat shield for the starter.
It will leave you stranded again, sometime in the future.
Solution: Probally need to buy a new heavy duty starter or buy and install a heat shield for the starter.
It will leave you stranded again, sometime in the future.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 264
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From: Maricopa AZ
Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (GrandSportC3)
New solenoid's go bad often. They go bad real fast if your ex. header goes right next to it. Shielding or a high temp solenoid fixes the header heat problem. Battery could of just been weak also. Check for loose nut on the big red starter wire and check the small bolt that holds the copper strip from your starter to your solenoid.
Other problem witch I don't think you have is the starter gets hot from the drive and wont restart and you get that clicking noise. Car cools down and it starts fine or it never starts again. This would be the starter itself.
Hope this helps you out. :D
[Modified by Zane, 8:23 PM 9/4/2002]
Other problem witch I don't think you have is the starter gets hot from the drive and wont restart and you get that clicking noise. Car cools down and it starts fine or it never starts again. This would be the starter itself.
Hope this helps you out. :D
[Modified by Zane, 8:23 PM 9/4/2002]
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Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (SteveG75)
Battery. It could be corroded battery cables / connections. But most likely the battery.
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Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (bamavettes)
Battery, Maybe, but probally the starter. Sounds like heat stress. Very common problem with Corvettes. . . . buy a new heavy duty starter
It will leave you stranded again, sometime in the future.
It will leave you stranded again, sometime in the future.
I had similar problems, even took my starter in for testing, they said it was fine. Hmmmmm, the test checked it electrically, but not under load. I said give me a new starter, he said, "you don't need one". That was 11 months ago and the new starter hasn't failed to start since. Service counter mechanics know less than me, that should tell you something.
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From: St. Charles IL
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Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (SteveG75)
If you think it might be the starter, remove and dis-assemble it. Any bearing play (side to side) you can detect means the starter is reject. A moderate amount of end play is okay. Look at the brushes and commutator. If the brushes look like they are worn down to nothing, or the commutator is anything but a nice copper color the starter is reject. Taking it apart won't kill the core charge for a rebuilt starter. I think you can even use the older style starters as a core charge for the newer gear reduction starters which I've been told are much better (and a lot smaller). If none of the above is evident, your problem is most likely elsewhere (cables, ground, etc. :cheers:
[Modified by Big Fish, 10:00 PM 9/4/2002]
[Modified by Big Fish, 10:00 PM 9/4/2002]
7th Gear
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Benton AR
Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (SteveG75)
I had a similar issue with my 69 vette this summer. It turned out to be the battery. Low cranking amps would only allow the solenoid to click and not pull in. I would try a new battery unless you are sure that yours is good. How recent is the problem? Did you change anything prior to this click, click? Just some thoughts?
Good Luck :cheers:
Good Luck :cheers:
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: MHT N.H.
Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (SteveG75)
I would clean the battery connections first. then you can move on to the bigger things. I had the same thing happen to me a few times. I figured out my quick disconnect thingy had gone bad. Got rid of that real quick. Have fun! :)
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,043
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From: FL
Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (Johns vette)
Thanks everyone.
Should have been more specific on the noise. It sounded like the starter was trying to turn but not engaging with the ring gear. It definitely was not the heat soak no turn problem. I had that this summer and already installed a heat shield.
Anyway. Leaning towards the battery now. It is about 5 years old. Noticed that it was not charging as fast as it usually does on the way to work this morning. Amp gauge is normally almost zero within a couple of miles but this time it sat at 20 almost all the way in.
We shall see what I can figure out after work today. :smash:
Should have been more specific on the noise. It sounded like the starter was trying to turn but not engaging with the ring gear. It definitely was not the heat soak no turn problem. I had that this summer and already installed a heat shield.
Anyway. Leaning towards the battery now. It is about 5 years old. Noticed that it was not charging as fast as it usually does on the way to work this morning. Amp gauge is normally almost zero within a couple of miles but this time it sat at 20 almost all the way in.
We shall see what I can figure out after work today. :smash:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Woodforest
Re: Starter goes click,click, click, etc. (SteveG75)
I am with the Battery folks. It will problably check ok as far as voltage goes, but when it gets hot and theres a load is when it falls on its face. Seen it time and time again. I have even replaced starters for no reason when it turned out to be battery. Do the simple stuff first.
