1996 Plymouth Voyager Engine won't turn over :(

GNURR

MEMBER
1996 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER

1996 Plymouth Voyager Automatic 334000 miles

Okay, so I was driving down the road, doin' the limit (about 80kmph), happy as can be, music cranked, and I hear this weird clicking noise. So I turned off the music, and sure enough, there is a clicking noise coming from the engine I have no Idea what this means, so I'm starting to worry, as my accelerator pedal loses pressure, and my engine shuts off. I manage to coast to RELATIVE safety (busy road, rush hour) and call for a tow-truck. The van is now sitting on the street, and the engine won't turn over. When I turn the ignition, all I get is a clicking noise (which started as a single click, but when I held the ignition down, it became a rapid succession of clicks). The lights come on, but fade almost to nothing when the ignition is turned. The oil light is also on, but I just checked the oil, and it is clean, and topped up. I also checked the battery, it shows a voltage between terminals of 12.34V at about 10 degrees celcius. I also checked the timing belt, and it seems to be fine. What has happened to my poor little minivan?

5 Replies

OBXAUTOMEDIC

MECHANIC
3,711 POSTS

Hello,

Ok, first thing I would do is to try and turn the Crank Shaft Pulley. If you are unable to turn it then most likely your oil pump went out and with no oil being circulated the engine would stat clicking/ticking and freeze up if not shut down immediately.

So with a socket and ratchet try turning the Crank Pulley.

Post findings

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Sunday, April 19th, 2009 AT 9:16 PM

GNURR

MEMBER
3 POSTS

K, so I tried to get in there with a socket wrench, but the crank pulley is all but inaccessible from the top, and I can't see the bolt/nut on it at all. So That was kind of a bust. I tried pushing it forwards, while in gear, but that had no effect as far as I could tell. I can't do a whole lot in my situation, as I live in an apartment, and have to park on the street ><. I just don't want to throw my money away to a mechanic when this might still be a simple fix.

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Monday, April 20th, 2009 AT 2:14 AM

OBXAUTOMEDIC

MECHANIC
3,711 POSTS

I know you said that the Battery has had 12.34V, well that doesn't mean that the Battery isn't bad. The battery can be fully charged and show 12.60v and still be bad. Your volt meter cannot show you what the CCA's are which is what is needed to turn over the vehicle, so if the CCA's are low then all you would get is a clicking of the starter selenoid do to not enough CCA's.

I would suggest having someone help you and try jump starting the vehicle. And see what happens and let me know.

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Monday, April 20th, 2009 AT 8:51 PM

GNURR

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3 POSTS

Had a buddy try to jumpstart, got nothing. The battery is old, but I'm reluctant to accept that my power drain while driving was enough to override the alternator and drain the battery.

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Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 AT 12:18 AM

OBXAUTOMEDIC

MECHANIC
3,711 POSTS

Not if the Alternator went bad and you were driving on only the Battery.

When you say you go nothing, it didn't turn over and it had one hard click like the starter engaged the flywheel and wouldn't do anything else? Or did it do the clicking as if the starter selenoid wasn't getting enough power through it.

If it was a single hard click then I would say that your engine may be locked up.

You really need to see if you can get a socket on the Crank Bolt and try to turn it. Take a look and see if you can access it from inside the wheel well, you may need to remove the wheel.

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