Intermittent no crank no start issue

Hi,

If the starter isn't responding, it could be a few different things. First, confirm the battery terminals are both clean and tight. A loose or poor connection can cause this.

Take a look through this link:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/everything-goes-dead-when-engine-is-cranked

Next, since it is intermittent, it won't be a fuse. However, it could be a relay or the starter itself. What I need you to do is this. Since you hear the starter relay click, it appears to be working. So, that leaves the starter motor.

At the starter, there will be a heavy gauge black wire (which has 12v at all times straight from the battery). There will also be a smaller/thinner gauge black wire that should only have 12v when the key is in the start position.

When this happens, have a helper turn the key to the start position while you check for power at the smaller wire on the starter motor. If there is power present, replace the starter. If there isn't, let me know and we will work backward through the schematics to determine where power is being lost.

Here is a link you may find helpful:

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

Also, I attached the wiring schematic below for the starting system, so you have a reference.

Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Take care,

Joe

See pics below.

Hi Joe, thanks for your help with full details.

Result test: my actual battery = 12.78 volts.

1. At all times:
At the heavy gauge black wire shows 12.78 volts from my multimeter, at the thinner gauge black wire shows zero volts from my multimeter.

2. When my helper turns the key to the start position:
At the heavy gauge black wire shows 11.35 volts from my multimeter (drop about 1.5 volts), at the thinner gauge, the black wire (trigger wire) shows 12.78 volts from my multimeter (nothing happened, just heard a click in the starter relay as before).

It sounds like you have a bad starter, or the engine is locked up.

Here is what I suggest: Remove the starter and take it to a parts store. Have them bench test it for you. Most will do it free of charge. That will confirm if it is truly bad, but under the conditions you mentioned, it should have engaged.

Here is a link that explains in general how to remove and replace the starter. You can use this as a guide.

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

If you look at the pics below, they are the directions specific to this vehicle. The directions include both for a manual transmission and an automatic. Highlighted the heading for automatic transmissions. They have them all tied together

Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Note: Disconnect the battery negative cable prior to starting to work on the starter motor.

Take care,

Joe

See pics below.

My old starter stopped working, I replaced it with a new one, with this new one when my helper turned the key to start the engine I heard a lot of clicking sound like a machine gun coming from the alternator, moreover, the headlights are too dim, the low battery indicator on the dashboard is (on and off, on and off 2, 3 times) and the engine won't start.

According to your professional experience, what should I do in this case, I wish I could let you hear these sounds?

** Before i changed the starter i only heard one click when my helper turned the key to start the engine.

Hi,

Were there any engine problems that you were aware of prior to the problem starting? I ask because it sounds like the engine is locked.

Do me a favor. I need you to get a socket and breaker bar and place it on the center bolt at the crankshaft pulley / harmonic balancer. It is the bottom pulley that the belt runs on.

I attached a pic below of the pulley location but ignore the tools. It's just so you know what you are looking for.

Place the socket and breaker bar on the center bolt and see if you can turn the crankshaft by hand.

Let me know what you find.

Take care,

Joe

See pic below. Note: that you may have to remove the inner fender on the passenger side to access the pulley.

Also, if you could record what is happening and upload it for me, it may be helpful.

This video I shot when starting the engine with the first starter I bought, I'm not sure if it's any good so I changed it to another one from the same seller.

** The car battery is also new and fully charged.

And this is the second starter that I just replaced, and it just seems to be spinning bit by bit like it can't afford it. Maybe I have to get a third one with higher power.

I'm not sure, looking forward to your expert help.

Hi,

I need you to remove the battery and have it load tested. I feel it just can't manage the load. I listened to both videos. The first one sounds weaker than the second, but both sound like a very weak battery or a connection issue between the battery + and the starter.

Most parts stores will load test it free of charge.

Let me know,

Joe

Today i tried to install the third starter on my car and to my surprise it started smooth immediately as soon as the key passed through the start position, and voilà it worked.

I think the car starters on the market today are really poor quality or substandard.

Thank you so much for your help these past few days, without your help from your valuable experience I really don't know what to do and where to start.

Bye bye, Joe.

Hi,

You are very welcome. I'm happy to hear it's fixed. And I couldn't agree with you more. I can't begin to tell you how many new parts I've gotten that are no good. It's really frustrating.

Regardless, please feel free to come back anytime in the future if you have questions. You are always welcome here.

Take care of yourself,

Joe