wont start
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Let's get the basics out of the way first....
Take your battery down to any parts store, and they will test it for you. Check all connections at battery terminals, grounds, and starter....ensure that they are clean, tight, and secure.
Once those are eliminated, either the problem is solved or we move on to testing the starter.
Take your battery down to any parts store, and they will test it for you. Check all connections at battery terminals, grounds, and starter....ensure that they are clean, tight, and secure.
Once those are eliminated, either the problem is solved or we move on to testing the starter.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Do you hear the starter solenoid click? Meaure the battery voltage at the battery terminals. 12.0 volts and below, discharged, charge your battery up with a battery charger. 12.9 volts and above, fully charged and linear in between. If battery voltage falls dramatically when you hit crank, you may have poor battery connection or a defective battery. Remove the battery cables (neg first) and clean the cable lugs, bolts, and the battery terminals and replace the cables (neg last). This should be done at least once a year, battery cables become corroded and then make a poor connection to the battery. You can buy a decent digital test meter at Harbor Freight for $8.
If you hear the starter solenoid click, then keep hitting crank over and over and if it suddenly cranks, you need to replace the large copper contacts in the starter motor that are forced together at the end of the solenoid stroke to switch current to the starter motor. These contacts get blackened and pitted with use and eventually don't make a low enough connection to supply the 100+ amps the starter motor requires. Hitting crank over and over bangs the contacts enough to make connection.
If you hear the starter solenoid click, then keep hitting crank over and over and if it suddenly cranks, you need to replace the large copper contacts in the starter motor that are forced together at the end of the solenoid stroke to switch current to the starter motor. These contacts get blackened and pitted with use and eventually don't make a low enough connection to supply the 100+ amps the starter motor requires. Hitting crank over and over bangs the contacts enough to make connection.
Last edited by jfb; Feb 5, 2011 at 06:42 PM.
