Every once in a while when I try to start my car, when I turn the key to crank it, it just makes a 'thud' type sound...no starter click, no NOTHING. Then, when I turn the key back to the Acc position and try to crank it up again, it fires right up. What could be the issue? I don't have any codes (well besides my P0171/0174 and I know they they have to do with the tune as I just had a cam installed). Could it be a loose ground, bad starter, altern, battery?!?! This problem started about 3 days ago. It doesn't really bother me as I can crank the car again and it always fires right up with no struggle, I just want to see if anyone else has had a similar issue.

 

I would start at the battery and make sure all the terminal connections are clean and tight. Good luck with it.

 

The starter SOLENOID on our cars can and will fail. They become intermittant and need to be replaced. My 02 Z was so bad, I had a 3 foot metal rod in the trunk that I used to sneak down between the header and used it to whack the starter. Worked well until I got the chance to replace the solenoid. The new solenoid was $40 ish dollars at a local starter repair place.

You can replace the Theft Deterrent Realy, ($12 dollars at Autozone) but, that may or may not help you. They can also go bad.

Let us know how you make out!!

BC

 

Thanks BC...I did the header install myself about a month ago and had a cam installed about 2 weeks ago so Im wondering if all the glub glub glubing caused a solenoid to crap out or connection to wiggle loose. Ill check the started, battery, and alternator connections. I also have a charge system fault (P01637) code as well....

 

I also have a charge system fault (P01637) code as well....[/QUOTE] That right there would make me want to check the connections on the solenoid! Start there first. They need to be clean and tight.

Bill

 

Its weird too...this morning, while moving, I was driving around and the battery volts were around 11.1-11.5 then just before I got back home, they jumped to 13.2-13.5, where they should be. It was the strangest thing.... Also, the charge system fault seems to only come on when it is cold

 

Bad connections!!

Bill

 

WOW...just had a scare on the way home. I was moving all day from my apt, graduated from grad school and am going to my parents house for the holidays, and was having issues with the charge fault failure all morning. After moving, I get on the road (hr and a half drive home) and I get the light again, battery volts are around 11.5 and are hovering around that number.

About 45 min later, volts climb to 18 then creep down to 11.5, 11, 10.5, 10, 9.5, 9....I start to freak out because I know if they get too low the fuel pump could go out. I exit the interstate and pull into a Chevy dealership, thank GOD, and right when I exit, my gauge panel goes out!!!! The car is still running but the gauges look as if they are OFF...no rpms/speedo/battery/gas/oil pressure and my TCS/ABS/PULL THE HECK OVER lights are on!!!! I limp it into the dealership and it dies and wont start. I talk to the tech, who works on the local vette club cars, again thank GOD, and suggests trying a new battery. I put it on myself under the service drive-thru since I had my tools with me (bc I wasn't going to pay $100 for someone to put a new battery in...they all thought I was crazy as they were all looking at me) and VOILA...it started right up and I drove home! Volts bounced between 13.2-14.9 on the remaining drive so for now, the problem is resolved.

So I end today $106 poorer but with a new battery...hopefully the problem is resolved. Im going to get under the car after Christmas and tighten the starter bolts/grounds/etc just to make sure.

I need a beer...

 

ONE other thing that can and will cause this issue is a bad ignition switch.

If the solenoid engages for a fraction of a second and then quits, that ignition switch is looking more and more like a PRIME SUSPECT.

Find my post on rebuilding the ignition switch your self for free and do that.

Here ya go:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ch-repair.html

BC

 

Well I drove the car again today and sure enough, I keep getting the SES/SVS/charge system fault (po622/p1637)....I hate this car right now...

 

Quote: ..I hate this car right now...[/QUOTE]

We all have a LOVE / HATE relation ship with our vettes.

Until you inspect all the wiring and connections associated with the charging system, your car and wallet will NOT be happy. Start at the alternator and check the small plug on top of the alt. Make sure its in good shape and is making good connection with the pins in the alt.

Then check the large red field connection on the back of the alt. Make sure it clean and tight.

Heres a test you can run:

Obtain a battery JUMPER CABLE. Connect one of the jumper cables to the battery POSITIVE terminal and then connect the other end of that cable to the back of the alternator on the RED wire terminal. (This procedures eliminates all the wiring, splice fuses and connections at the alternator.)
IF, the "CHARGING SYSTEM FAULT" goes away, the problem most likely is on the connections at the solenoid and they need to be inspected, cleaned and tightened.

Check all of that out first.

BC

 

WELL...after a few hours of looking at everything, I think I fixed the issue. The background of my issues are above (low battery volts..around 11-12 then dropping. Im going repost the codes so that people could find this when searching: P0622, P01637, charge system fault, service engine soon(ses), service vehicle soon.

With the guidance of Bill Curlee, who is a HUGE help, I/we narrowed down the search to the starter. I went to the starter and found that the nuts/posts on the starter solenoid holding the purple wire (hard to see but it connects to the darkest brown nut) and the red&brown wire were loose and could be turned/moved by hand:



I tightened them down as much as I could as I have LT and its a bear to get a hand in there, let alone a socket. Now when idleing and cruising, I am seeing a steady 13.2 volts with the radio, a/c, and lights on, and without the lights on, 13.5. I know this might be low for some, but I do have a powerbond UD pulley so that maybe part of it.

Thanks again Bill and I will report back in a few days/miles to see if anything else pops up; wish I could buy you a beer as you deserve it. Curlee for CF President!!!!!