Engine not cranking over?

Tiny
ADAVILARSP
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
When going to start the truck it would only engage the starter but the flywheel will not turn and the truck will not start. Had the starter checked re installed it and it is still doing the same thing. Replaced the starter completely and it is still doing the same thing. Tried replacing the ignition fuse its still the same. The battery works the engine just will not start.
Saturday, March 24th, 2012 AT 1:34 AM

26 Replies

Tiny
AAP34798
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
You need to turn the engine manually with a socket if it doesn't then it may be seized. also if the flywheel/flexplate has a ring gear that have teeth that were broken where the stater is engaging it, then the starter won't have anything to turn.

Check out this guide I found it should help

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

Please run down this guide and report back.

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Saturday, March 24th, 2012 AT 3:48 AM
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
If the starter just clicks loudly and lights dim then engine is froze. If starter spins but makes no noises then it's not engaging flywheel.
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Saturday, March 24th, 2012 AT 3:52 AM
Tiny
BRIAN 87
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Ok I'm having the same problem. I have a 94 silverado 2500 4x4 350ci with 185,000 miles. Haven't had it long but when I bought it the starter sounded like it was dragging so I thought no big deal I will change it in a couple weeks since I only drive 100 miles a week back an forth to work. Well went to the store shut it off for 10 min and went to start it back up. Turned over 3 times then clicked once and quit. So initially thought well starter went out. So I got a rebuilt one that was on my father in laws wrecked truck which was working fine before it got wrecked. I got nothing no click nothing. So we pulled it to his house and tested his and mine by hooking them up to car battery with jumper cables and well both worked great. So first thought no power to starter. Found the ground wire to starter(little red wire) was really close to the manifold and looked burned some. We spliced it with same gage wire. Hooked back up but did not install the starter just let it hang and bumped the key. Starter operated as should so I put it back together and tried it. The starter engaged but and tried to turn a tiny bit but did not turn motor over nor did it retract. So we thought its in a bind. We tried to adjust it an tighten bolts every which way. Still just a click so we shimmed it. Still one click. We tried both starters this way and still one click. Starter engages like it should but acts like in a bind. So we checked the fly wheel and turned it witn screw driver and turned like it should. Even put a breaker bar on altinator pulley and turned motor over just fine like it should. So motor not seized. Check oil and coolant and took plugs out and all was normal. Oil only has 100 miles on it. Checked fuses and checked wire harness and come up with nothing different. Checked grounds as well. Now someone before me bolted the ground from fire wall an back of block together then to frame it does look rusty and rough. But no matter what we have done nothing changes starter still engages to the fly wheel but wont turn motor over. Very frustrated and just give up tonight on it. Please help what could it possibly be. Its like either its not getting enough juice once it tries to turn over motor or ground I don't know just need help before I push it off in the river.
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Monday, May 29th, 2017 AT 8:29 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,663 POSTS
I only use AC Delco starter motor becasue almost everything else I have tried has failed. Here is a guide on how to test and replace the starter motor. Never use sims on a GM starter.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-starter-motor

Here is a good test as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers, Ken
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Wednesday, November 8th, 2017 AT 2:53 PM
Tiny
SKYHARBOR
  • MEMBER
  • 0 POST
I had to replace the AC Delco starter cost me $104.00 all fixed.

Here is the starter

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007QBT0WA/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=2carprcom-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B007QBT0WA&linkId=7bd6be7430f7d53062d2040b85e536dd

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Monday, November 11th, 2019 AT 12:50 PM
Tiny
TICCAMAN1992
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Hi guys, so im in a bit of a bind here. I just intalled a new starter on my 98 silverado with a 5.7. It wss the gear reduction starter, everytging bolted up fine no issues with the intstal but I went to go start the truck and my motor just keeps turning over and over. There are times were it spunds like it catches and wants to start but nothing actually happens. Could it be a bad fly wheel, or do I need to shim it? I did not have shims on the old starter and shims did not come with the new one.
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Monday, March 30th, 2020 AT 8:33 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Maybe I am a little unclear as to what the engine is doing. Are you saying that the starter is spinning and not spinning the engine or the starter engages the engine/flywheel and spins it but the engine just cranks but does not fire?

Maybe get a video of what it is doing and that will get us on the same page quickly. Thanks
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Thursday, April 2nd, 2020 AT 9:06 AM
Tiny
PETER NYE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 251,000 MILES
Two weeks ago the engine would not start. Next day it was fine for a week. Last week it would not start again, I turned the steering wheel and the ignition started. Now last evening I had the same problem again. All my accessories are working but it just wont turn over, and there isn't any sound at all as far as the starter or other parts are concerned.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:14 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
Someone is going to have to do some electrical testing while the problem is present to be able to find this issue. You will need a test light that recognizes both a power or a ground signal.

Here is the diagram

https://www.2carpros.com/images/external/62392139.gif
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:14 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DCARILLO49
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
I have a 96 Chevy 1500 with 120k on it. I bought it used with about 115k. I only use it on the weekends. It is parked at my work and I take it home on the weekends. A few weeks ago I decide to take it home for the weekend and I turn the key to start it and all I hear is a load boom and white smoke just pours out of the right side of my hood and it doesnt start. I waited a few minutes for the smoke to clear and opened the hood. I didnt see anything out of the norm. I did some searching on the internet and found exploding batteries so I put a brand new battery in it but still wont start. It tries to start but wont so I think the starter is still ok. This past weekend I tried to get a closer look to see if I could see any burnt wiring and the only thing I discovered was old spark plugs and the the wires are a littly rusty. Also on spark plug did have some oil on the white part. Not sure what that means but didnt think it could be a good thing. Do you think that maybe I should try changing all plugs, wires and distributer cap? If these are bad would it cause the truck not to start and or cause that explosion? Any help would be much appreciated.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DENNYP
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,824 POSTS
It could cause the no start, but the battery can cause the explosion. I have had many batteries explode due to acid leaking from them, or poor battery cable connections. The poor connection causes a spark and ignites the flamable gasses inside the battery.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TOM GREATOREX
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 240,907 MILES
No power to start wire on starter all fuses are good.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,476 POSTS
Check the starter relay in the under hood box. Also check the actual terminals in the box, they heat up and become loose so they do not make contact. If that is okay then check the neutral safety switch, for that you can jumper the yellow wire and the purple wire in the switch harness. If it cranks now the switch is bad.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KBLACK
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 15,000 MILES
When I started my truck I pulled down to change the gear and it popped out of line and now wont start or change gears what should I do?
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,755 POSTS
Have you checked the shift linkage to see if it is loose or came apart?
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JOE1953
  • MEMBER
  • 620 POSTS
  • 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • RWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 233,000 MILES
When I turn the key to the cranking position nothing happen the starter wants turn the gauges on the instrument cluster don' t move no light on in the instrument cluster the turn signal lights not working the head lights are working the hazard flashers are working the bolt that hold the positive cable on the battery the bolt is tight but the cable not very tight how do I tight the cable? The battery have a side post I disconnect the little wire from the starter solenoid and turn the key to crank position and hook a test light to the starter solenoid small wire my test light light up so current is getting to the starter solenoid, so I bench test the starter motor it will crank what could be the cause for the starter motor not to crank when bolted to the engine? How to fix this problem and what to check?
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,663 POSTS
Hey Joe1953,

This is a classic positive battery cable problem, what happens is over the years the positive cable gets internally corroded which is difficult to see sometimes, (look of bulging) start by replacing this cable and get back to me.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HUNTERMAX
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 59,000 MILES
I'm not totally sure the problem is electrical but that seems more likely than engine. The truck won't start. When I turn the key in the ignition there is no noise at all. All lights work, radio works, fans work (for air).

Here's what happened
I replaced the starter about 2 months ago and had to replace some wiring with it.
A few days ago when I was starting my truck, I turned the key, there was a metal sounding clunk, a pause and then the truck started fine. The next time I started it, it started just fine. But the next time I started it I heard the same clunk again and then nothing. And there's been nothing every since. I was thinking it could be the ignition switch, the wire I replaced, or the fusible link between the battery and the alternator? I know it's not the starter, solenoid, neutral safety switch, battery or battery terminals.

There is one other piece of info that may or may not be useful in answering this question. The blinkers and emergency flashers aren't working but all the other electronics seem to be working fine.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
A clunk during an initial engagement of the starter after it starts points to -drive pinion is too! Close to the flexplate, and a high whining during cranking is you are too far-might have to use shims to correct the problem or the flexplate needs replacement-

Could also be the drive pinion is jammed with the flexplate.

Go back underneath and check for battery voltage on the purple wire while key is at start position-do you have it. If so drop the starter and investigate
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
AQUASTELL
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 1996 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 250,000 MILES
My truck suddenly wouldn't start, so I am first trying to charge the battery. It's one of those Super Start batteries from O'Reilly's "DO NOT ADD WATER" but I don't know how old it is. In the process of charging the battery, the battery itself started chirping. The engine work light was very dim, and getting dimmer and brighter. Ditto with the internal lights. When the battery chirping starts, the lights blink. Finally got "full bright" on all of the lights, turned the key, and instant dead. No lights, no nothing, but the chirping in the battery, and something under the dash also seems to be clicking along with the battery chirping. Someone suggested to me that there might be a relay inside the battery making that noise. I am currently charging it up again, since it is too dark to work on it right now, thought I would ask here. I have thought that the battery is just shot and to replace it tomorrow, but am very concerned at the instant discharge that happened when I turned the ignition key. Now am afraid it might be something else, and not sure what to look for.

======

Follow up. Additional information.

I had the battery fully charged and lights were bright, and all I did was open the car door and it died again. (Lights went very dim so I didn't even bother to try to start it.) Since I didn't even get the key in the ignition before the battery died again, I am not thinking it is a short in the ignition anymore.

The chirping noise that I thought was coming from the battery turned out to be the horn. I discovered this when the battery became fully charged and so did the horn! That didn't last long, fortunately, and the battery died again because the (presumed) alarm switch is already in the off position.

So how would the alarm system be activated? Which I really did not even know it had. But what else makes the horn honk repeatedly when no one is in the truck? And could this be draining the battery and keeping it drained? There is a switch under the dash that is unidentified, and looks like an aftermarket thing. When I flipped it once a couple of weeks ago, nothing happened, so I am guessing that must be the alarm switch. But it is switched to the off position, so I am baffled.

If it is an alarm system, could it be designed to cut off the battery so that the truck doesn't start? And a malfunction in it is causing this problem?

Can I remove this stupid alarm thing? If that is what it even is? How can I be sure that is what it is? How can I safely remove it without causing a short?

At this point I don't even know where to begin troubleshooting. I am thoroughly baffled.
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 AT 5:15 PM (Merged)

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