Starting issue
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Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2012
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Starting issue
I'm sure you guys have seen these threads plenty of times lol. I have a 2001 corvette thats a manual. Anways Im having intermittent starting issues now, when car is idling the battery is at 13.5v. I don't have any codes that are out of the ordinary, I cleared all my old ones and nothing new has popped up since trying to start it. I replaced the battery about a year ago, so I'm hoping it's not that. When I try to start the car, I get about one turn over and then it stops. Happens a few times and then it would finally start. Another time it started up, but after half a second or running it died on me. I'm thinking it might be the starter? About a year and a half ago I had cleaned the contacts for the ignition switch, so I dont think it would be that either, so battery or starter? or what? any ideas?
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Well looking at battery, had good clean connections. Voltage at just siting was 12.35 under a load test it only dropped to 11.8 after 5 min. When running the car it's at 14.5. So battery seems alright to me.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,140
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From: Port St Lucie Florida
The starter is underneath the car, under the pass side header. Check those wires to see if the connections are burned out. Mine was, and had all kind of fluctuating voltages on the DIC. Come to find out the smaller red wire at the starter was burned through, since I fixed and spiced the wire. consistant readings. But you have to check the starter solenoid first and rule that out.
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The starter is underneath the car, under the pass side header. Check those wires to see if the connections are burned out. Mine was, and had all kind of fluctuating voltages on the DIC. Come to find out the smaller red wire at the starter was burned through, since I fixed and spiced the wire. consistant readings. But you have to check the starter solenoid first and rule that out.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Battery connections tight??????????????????? If you can MOVE them by hand the are NOT tight!
Starter solenoid. Next place to check. MUST be clean and tight!! Wires in good shape!!
IF,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, all that checks out good,,, Have someone HOLD the key to CRANK while you APPLY SOME EXTERNAL AGGETATION to the solenoid/starter. IF,, the whack causes the starter to crank, you need a new solenoid and or starter. The solenoids are well known to fail but, you have to remove the starter to replace the solenoid...
Starter solenoid. Next place to check. MUST be clean and tight!! Wires in good shape!!
IF,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, all that checks out good,,, Have someone HOLD the key to CRANK while you APPLY SOME EXTERNAL AGGETATION to the solenoid/starter. IF,, the whack causes the starter to crank, you need a new solenoid and or starter. The solenoids are well known to fail but, you have to remove the starter to replace the solenoid...
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Boise, ID
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C5 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
If you end up needing to replace, part number is ACDelco 337-1115. Just picked one up to do while my motor is out in preventative maintenance.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
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Haven't had a chance to check solenoid. But just tried to start it, had issues, started up for a second the first time then died. Then took a while of cranking over a couple times to finally get it going.
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Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Boise, ID
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C5 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
To add one more possibility or item to rule out that, has the car died while running? If so, could indicate your alternator is going out given your battery is only used to start the car and alternator powers car and charges battery.
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Nope, haven'd had that problem, had that issue with my c4 corvette before, least I know those symptoms lol.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: Espanola New Mexico
Starting issue
The symptom you described about the starter cranking and then quitting is something that happens when you have problems with ignition switch contacts, but you stated that you had cleaned them before. If you find no problems with wiring at the starter and the starter itself, I would replace the ignition switch contacts. Good luck.
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The symptom you described about the starter cranking and then quitting is something that happens when you have problems with ignition switch contacts, but you stated that you had cleaned them before. If you find no problems with wiring at the starter and the starter itself, I would replace the ignition switch contacts. Good luck.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,139
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From: Espanola New Mexico
When you try to start the car can you hear the TDR relay in the passenger foot well area clicking, do you here any clicking at the starter itself? I helped a fellow c5 owner fix his problem, it would crank and then quit before the car started, and yes sometimes it would start and then die a few seconds afterwards, he replaced the ignition switch contact block and has had no problems since. Hope this helps.
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Best picture I could get with header still on.
Yeah, I went and looked at the starter the best I could without taking header off, the one connection I could feel was tight on there. Well I cleaned the contacts in the ignition block about a year and a half ago, so I mean I guess it couldn't hurt to take a look at it again.
Last edited by Clavicus; Nov 4, 2015 at 07:08 PM.
Tech Contributor
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The Theft Deterrent Relay (TDR) is the dividing line between controlling the relay and telling the solenoid to power the starting motor/
You MUST determine if the TDR is being powered when you turn the ignition switch and complete the safety circuit . (Depress the clutch or have it in PARK/N)
IF,,,,,,,,,, the TDR CLICKS when you turn the key and complete the safety circuit, that relay closes a heavy duty contact which supplies 12 VDC @ 60AMPS to the starter SOLENOID.
SO,,, If the TDR is actually being powered by the lower current control side of the relay and CLICKS, and the starter doesn't work, you have to figure out if the solenoid is getting the 12 VDC 60 amp power from the high current output side of the relay.
If the solenoid is getting the 12 VDC 60 amp power and isn't powering the starter motor,,, Thats where that THUMP THE SOLENOID comes into play!!
You MUST determine if the TDR is being powered when you turn the ignition switch and complete the safety circuit . (Depress the clutch or have it in PARK/N)
IF,,,,,,,,,, the TDR CLICKS when you turn the key and complete the safety circuit, that relay closes a heavy duty contact which supplies 12 VDC @ 60AMPS to the starter SOLENOID.
SO,,, If the TDR is actually being powered by the lower current control side of the relay and CLICKS, and the starter doesn't work, you have to figure out if the solenoid is getting the 12 VDC 60 amp power from the high current output side of the relay.
If the solenoid is getting the 12 VDC 60 amp power and isn't powering the starter motor,,, Thats where that THUMP THE SOLENOID comes into play!!
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Nov 4, 2015 at 08:50 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,139
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From: Espanola New Mexico
I am sorry I misunderstood you post, when you car cranks but fails to start, it means that you are not providing either spark or fuel or something else is going on. Your ignition switch contacts provide power to several modules including the ECM, I still believe that you may have problems with the ignition switch contact block.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: South Western Ontario
Agree with the above. If it keeps cranking but doesn't start it wouldn't be a bad idea to look at the ignition switch again. After that, you'll have to dig deeper into what could be causing the issue. I have a hunch it could also be the crank position sensor since they can cause funny running and starting issues before getting any codes.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,375
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From: CA.
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
Without knowing exactly the symptoms of your failed starts--The most common issues on early C5's is the Column lock feature---OR the anti theft feature---Both of those are very hard to diagnose---If you have tried everything else and still have a problem- GM is still repairing the column lock on all cars for free as it is a safety issue---There are only a few things that can cause a C5 to start at die---
Bad low oil pressure sensor or real no oil pressure
Faulty column lock
Faulty fuel pressure sensor or no real fuel pressure
Faulty anti theft device
Bad low oil pressure sensor or real no oil pressure
Faulty column lock
Faulty fuel pressure sensor or no real fuel pressure
Faulty anti theft device
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
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From: South Western Ontario
The car doesn't care if there is oil pressure and there is no fuel pressure sensor.
