Welcome back to this weekends episode of “how does this even happen” with your host, my car.

Last weekend after a drive I parked my car and left it without a trickle charger as an experiment to see if I had a parasitic draw. Today when going to start my car, I turned the key and had absolutely zero reaction from the starter. I charged the car for an hour or so, got 12V indicated from a multimeter, and tried again. Not even a click from the starter.

Whenever I turn the key, the HVAC fan gets quiet and the lights dim. This is typical for a massive draw from the battery. But something weird I also notice is that my oil pressure indication flashes red on the cluster and my SECURITY light on the DIC flashes. Plus, my cluster revs to 1200RPM momentarily. But the starter doesn’t even make a sound.

I tried cycling the key in the door lock and tapping the UNLOCK on the door handle to see if the security system thought I broke into the car. Still no reaction. For extra context, I had recently swapped out my ignition control module and ignition coil for standard motor products versions. I have SERIOUS doubts that this has anything to do with my starting issues, but it’s worth mentioning.

Any ideas as to what this could be bros? You guys know the mysteries of this car that not even the FSM dares to mention. I’m going back to university for the week but I’ll be on here to gather ideas for Friday when I come back home.

 

Leave it on the trickle charger for the week. If the same symptoms after that id take the battery to pars store to have the battery stress tested. If battery is good Id start checking battery cables, electrical grounds and starter connections.

 

I don't know if Corvettes are built this way but many vehicles shut off power to unneeded accessories when starting. This gives max amps to the starter during cranking. Stuff going off many not be due to the starter drawing a heavy current load. Someone else may confirm if this applies to C4s. Also the motor itself is the heavy draw but it does not start until the solenoid moves to close the contacts (the 'click' associated with dead batteries). No click or sound at all is usually the solenoid, ignition switch, neutral safety switch for autos or clutch pedal switch for stick. Battery checks are free at most all parts stores then get your test light / volt meter and follow the current. FSM is very helpful here but if you don't have one someone will post the needed pages if asked. Good luck.

 

Your battery may have a dead cell(s) which can cause the symptom you have.

 

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions. I managed to get under the car before I left my house for the week.

The plastic ribbed covers that I put over my starter wiring was melting. Not like a drip melting, but they were warping, indicating heavy heat exposure. I checked the fusible links and they all had continuity. This should mean that the wires themselves did not fail, which is good. This leads me to believe that heat soak from the exhaust pipe could have baked my starter solenoid and caused it to die. But, I will drop my starter this coming weekend and bench test it to be sure.

This starter has caused me hot-start problems for a while. The next time I install a starter in this car, whether it be a new one or the bench-tested current one, I will put one of those fancy DEI heat-resistant blankets on it. It has been suggested to me in the past... maybe I should have listened.

If the starter checks out, I will have my eye on the battery next. Its date-coded 5/22 so it SHOULD still be good. But, its Autozone brand too, so you just never know.

 

If it's actually 'heat-soak' many years ago any of the older larger DR starter motors we installed aux relay/solenoid (FOMOCO) solenoid. These were mostly larger motorcoaches w/454 or similar BB engines. That might be something to consider and aside from some wire only thing needed would be the FOMOCO style solenoid. Also there's various springs for the GM solenoid. A fresh spring sometimes corrects the issue you mention. It doesn't come with most solenoids. Heat attacks the weaker spring.

The blanket you mention being suggest to do - I wouldn't consider.

 

Heat soak surprisingly wasn’t my issue…

I spent the whole weekend redoing the wires to the starter just in case that wasn’t the issue. Turns out, my clutch safety switch was the issue the whole time. I disconnected it, jumped the two terminals, and boom… it cranks. Why didn’t I start with that? I never claimed to be smart…

Regardless, I hope this helps someone someday. Thank you to everyone who replied, I pondered everyone’s comments thoroughly in my diagnosis process. Now let’s get this car back on the road.