A few days ago I started having problems starting... I would see good volts on the dash gauge, and also on the DIC, usually about 13.5 or 13.7 when not running, but turned the key to turn on the gauges. When engaging the starter, voltage drops to VERY low level, the solenid just clunks...as soon as I release the key so as to disengage the starter solenoid, proper voltage reading returns. One of the battery terminals was not the best...it was hard to get it to stay tight, so I figured the high current demand was causing an open at that terminal so I got a new battery yesterday. Now the terminal bolts are nice and tight, the battery is well charged, and the problem persists. I think I have one of the heavy high current wires failing, or its connection to where they go..I can't see where they go down below from above, ..I am sure the PLUS one goes to the high current terminal on the starter solenoid, and I suspect the MINUS one goes to the engine block or starter frame, but that is just a guess...Tomorrow AM I will jack the car up and get underneath it to take a look....If anyone has any photos or links to details of the starter area, and info on how the heavy current MINUS wire are routed and terminated, that would be great...

Sometimes the solenoid will engage and the car will start..about 1 in 12 tries....

On the times it won't start, about 1/3 of the time I can hear a vague sound of arcing, like a loose ground wire that is not fastend down tight would make make as the current that is trying to flow will make sparks across the gap. The starter could be bad, but when it does engage it sounds fine, and has been working fine with no gradual loss of performance. The symptoms are just like other older cars I have had in the past that had the high current wires or their terminations age and fail....I hope that this is all it I have wrong..

Any ideas, photos, or comments will be appreciated. I have no clue how these wires are terminated below, so some good photos or a link to diagrams would be VERY appreciated. Built in early 1998, original side terminal type high current wires still in place, never replaced before, so around 14 years of age

THANKS!!!

 

Sounds like you are experiencing a grounding terminal problem. Very common on the earlier C-5s. There are 6-8 different grounds that need to be checked, cleaned and reinstalled. Do a search, there have been several threads about this problem that include the diagram locations. It will be a couple of hours of work, but should solve your problems.

 

This was interesting...I had my husband try to start the Vette, after removing the plastic housing from around the battery and fuse area, so I could get a good look down at the starter area. When he would try to crank it, we got a LOT of arcing just above the starter, on the engine block. Jacked it up and took a look from below, and there was the other main ground wire, going to the engine block. I felt around up there to see I could sense that the wire itself was failing at the transition to the fitting on the end, but it seemed really stiff and tight. Then I got a socket on a 12 inch extension up to the bolt and though it was tight, I loosened it up a good ful turn and then re-tightened it. While under there we also checked the heavy wire to the solenoid and found it to be tight, but with limilted clearance thanks to the exhaust oxygen sensor being in the way, I had a really hard time getting a wrench on it..It was tight. Anway, after the loosening and re-tighteing of the engine block ground, guess what....it starts every time now. Oh, yeah, I could also get to one of the 2 bolts that hold in the starter, and checked it for tightlenss, and it was REAL tight..the other one has the exhaust in the way, so I left it unchecked. The heavy cable wires remain 14 years old, as is the starter, so I think I'm going to set some funds aside and buy a new starter and battery cable set to replace these, but at least I don't have to worry about doing it first thing tomorrow to get my daily driver back.

It looks like to change the starter I need to pull the exhaust....and that looks like removing the bolts at the flange to the tail/muffler ends, removing the 3 bolts on each manifild, and the 2 exhaust support bolts right behind the engine. With the front section of the exhaust pulled down out of the way, the starter and wires look pretty easy..

For the moment, I think were OK, but this could come back..it was likely just corrosion between the block and the wire terminal, and my loostening and twisting broke enough of it away to restore function, but I'm still a little worried about the age of all this, and how much better it would all be if I stripped it all out and rebuilt with new starter and wires, and with anti-corrosive grease on the right places to ensure a long connection.

If I can get another 14 years after I do this, it will be good until I'm 74!

....more importantly, when I have long tube headers put in, access to the starter and wires will be more difficult, so it will be best to get this done really right to be ready for headers, and not have to worry about pulling it loose just to fix the starter or cable bolts.

Dont ya just love the image of a kinda overweight 60 year old gal crawling around under her Vette, getting dirty twisting wrenches like the young guys? I may not have been much of a pretty sight, but that was me today!

Jennifer

 

My '99 with its 326,000 miles, still on the OEM starter. Just remember that nothing lasts forever.

 

Good to hear your still going good with that many miles..I hope to keep mine going as long as I'm around, and expect to reach that many miles at some point. I have about 150K on it at this time, ....your over 300K is good news!

I keep my transmisson, differential, and engine fluids freshend regularly, and use RedLine racing synthetic oil with Lucas synthetic additive in the engine....Red Line in the diff, and authentic GM fluid in the auto tranny and power steering...RedLine is expensive, but REALLY seems to lube well.

 

Unless you see major corrosion or problems with the wire or connectors, it is really overkill to replace them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it ! When you install the headers, take all the connections apart, clean well and reinstall. It will be much easier with the exhaust out of the way. I would also do all the other grounds while you are getting your hands dirty. Good preventative maintence to go along with everything else you are doing to keep it running smoothly.

 

Awwwww Geeeeee....
I spoke too soon about all being right...After starting just fine over and over last evening, all the bad came back today. I got a new HEAVY ground wire to go from battery to engine block thisafternoon, a 2 gauge...the OEM is about half the gauge of this wire. I hope to have time tomorrow to jack it up and change it out and see if this buys me any improvement. I am also going to add a ground wire from the case of the alternator to the frame of the car, as per Bill Curlee's suggestion in another thread...the alternator grounds through its mounting bolts to the engine...having an additional path that eventually winds its way back to the battery can't hurt. If I end up pulling the exhaust out to get better access to the ground bolt on the block, I'll go back to where I got the ground wire and also get a large gauge replacement for the positive to the solenoid. I just hope I dont also end up pulling the starter. but we'll see how it all turns out.....wish me luck!