Car won't turn over! Starter??
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 4
From: Okinawa Okinawa
Car won't turn over! Starter??
I just got back from running around with the car. No problems during the trip which included starting and stopping the car twice. When I got back to the house I forgot to turn off the lights. I went to turn on the car to lower them and it won't turn over. I tried jumping the car, no luck. I checked the constant 12V on the starter and the switched 12V to my MSD box. Both have 12Vs at the correct time. The car won't even try to turn over. Could it be the starter? Please advise.
Scott
Scott
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,844
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From: Pearland TX
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Car won't turn over! Starter?? (scottw)
Scott,
Not sure if this will help, but without being there I'm just fishing. I've had a few times over the years that when I shut down an engine that the compression was such that it would not turn over. An hour or two later the car would start right up after it bled off. If the lights are still up & on disconnect the battery & try it later. You can also try taking a brass hammer and tap the starter to maybe free up gears that might have got disoriented. And if you can reach it.... vettes don't give much room... maybe turn the ignition on and jump the positive/negative leads on the starter with a screwdriver. Always good to have someone around & in the car if you do such.
Again... just fishing. :)
Not sure if this will help, but without being there I'm just fishing. I've had a few times over the years that when I shut down an engine that the compression was such that it would not turn over. An hour or two later the car would start right up after it bled off. If the lights are still up & on disconnect the battery & try it later. You can also try taking a brass hammer and tap the starter to maybe free up gears that might have got disoriented. And if you can reach it.... vettes don't give much room... maybe turn the ignition on and jump the positive/negative leads on the starter with a screwdriver. Always good to have someone around & in the car if you do such.
Again... just fishing. :)
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 4
From: Okinawa Okinawa
Re: Car won't turn over! Starter?? (bgrice)
bgrice,
It must be the compression thing. Does anyone know what makes it do that? If I have a sparkplug wrench with me can I take each out to solve this problem if it happens again and I'm not at home?
Thanks a lot.
Scott
It must be the compression thing. Does anyone know what makes it do that? If I have a sparkplug wrench with me can I take each out to solve this problem if it happens again and I'm not at home?
Thanks a lot.
Scott
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 1
From: Fishkill NY
Re: Car won't turn over! Starter?? (scottw)
This also could be a bad solenoid on the starter. Could be a compression thing too but only if your leaking fuel into the cylinders which is a bad thing..
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 4
From: Okinawa Okinawa
Re: Car won't turn over! Starter?? (SLICKMAN)
Okay, its not a compression thing. I went out and turned it over once and I stopped. I went back out to start the car and get the lights down and it won't do anything again. I do have a gas smell now. Not sure why. I'll try some more things in the morning.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,844
Likes: 0
From: Pearland TX
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Car won't turn over! Starter?? (scottw)
Scott,
(Edit: Disregard the below... wishing you luck)
Obviously, you got the car started. I was just offering a few things that I have run into over the years. This current vette even will offer me resistance at getting it started after I have driven it hard.... stopped it... and then attempted to start it right back up. I'm not sure who offered that tidbit to me over the years, but when it happens I wait a bit and the car usually starts right up. It very well not be what I suggested and maybe you might want to look into your starter(solenoid, brushes, gears) as was suggested above. A good starter should be able to turn over any motor. I don't think it is any mystery that those that drag race(high compression engines) have high output starters to turn those things over.
[Modified by bgrice, 5:23 AM 11/24/2002]
(Edit: Disregard the below... wishing you luck)
Obviously, you got the car started. I was just offering a few things that I have run into over the years. This current vette even will offer me resistance at getting it started after I have driven it hard.... stopped it... and then attempted to start it right back up. I'm not sure who offered that tidbit to me over the years, but when it happens I wait a bit and the car usually starts right up. It very well not be what I suggested and maybe you might want to look into your starter(solenoid, brushes, gears) as was suggested above. A good starter should be able to turn over any motor. I don't think it is any mystery that those that drag race(high compression engines) have high output starters to turn those things over.
[Modified by bgrice, 5:23 AM 11/24/2002]
