HELP! Starter issue?

[Markc88]

Hi all,

Just bought an '87 R20 with a 350TBI a couple months ago. It has issues but always started up until a few days ago. It always would hesitate a little and sometimes need a few goes to start. The other day I tried starting and it turned over and didn't start. On the second try it just clicked and then nothing. Hooked up jumper cabled and charged battery, same issue. Thought it was the starter; replaced the starter and battery...same issue. Starter engages the flywheel but doesn't turn over. Also, starter teeth stay engaged after trying to start.

Not sure what to do. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Markc88]

So I don't know why or how, but its working after I removed and reinstalled it. I took the new starter back to autozone and they tested it just to make sure it was good (it is). I came home, reinstalled it with the same 1 shim I had in there before, and voila it fired right up. Let it warm up and then over the next 30 minutes started it 5 more times, no issues.

If anyone knows what may have been the problem, I'm all ears. Still have no idea what was going on.

 

[yevgenievich]

Loose wiring, cracked flexplate or just dirt under the shim when installing the starter

 

[Cuba]

Next time you're having starter issues:

Check cables. Need a good ground to body from battery. Need a good ground to engine block from battery.

Positive cable needs to be directly connected to main post on starter, main post on alternator, and fuse block.

Just because cables look good, does it mean you have good connections end to end. Eyelets from the cable may not have good connection internally, therefore not connected to posts well. Aftermarket cables tend to use copper wire soldered or crimped into eyelets/terminal ends. The two different metals eventually form a corrosion barrier, even if you can't see it. This is more apparent on high amperage equipment such as a starter, the highest drawing item on a vehicle. Other things like A/C compressor, blower motor, wipers, headlights will also draw high, but less noticeable.

Good luck.

Also if all else checks out good, verify you have a solid 11-12v at the switch POST or terminal end (not wire) on solenoid at starter when cranking, because it could be a failing ignition switch.

 

[HotRodPC]

Good Advice @Cuba glad to see you back and participating again.

 

[CORVAIRWILD]

When GM introduced side post terminals, I believe on the 1969 Grand Prix, the trouble was just beginning. It's a great idea, but they should have been filled with grease from the factory, and they weren't. So I've seen vehicles from out west in the dryest of climates corrode internally, from just a couple drops of water. The old mechanic trick is just to tear off all the rubber-plastic insulation, and expose the copper ring that's buried inside that plastic rubber semi-seal.
I'm not so abusive to original GM cables, so I take a very small flat blade screwdriver, and I'll chip away the corrosion on both sides of the copper ring. First you have to pull out the little bolt with a pair of vice grips, a little bit of spray lube helps, and you just keep on jiggling it and it will pop out of the enclosure. Then I wire brush the bolt, sometimes they head looks like brand new, but when you pop the thing open, you won't believe what's doing inside. After all the plated metal surfaces are all nice and polished, I coat both sides w grease, di-electric is preferred, and I look at the battery to make sure the lead isn't corroded, mine just gave me real trouble on my 6.2 Blazer. The battery connection was corroded because the truck sat indoors in a damp warehouse for three years, and things look good, but in reality I had bad corrosion, which is so easy to clean, but caused me such grief. When you read the usual typed blurb that says clean and corrosion free connections are important, it just seems like the usual crap, but it's so true and important. Sometimes a side terminal cable will corrode all the way into the cable to lug connection, which means you may have to cut off the end or replace a cable entirely.

I don't like the aftermarket cables, they look cheap, so I buy some welding cable and a cable crimper and thick glue impregnated shrink tubing on eBay, and I make my own cables.
I bet when you took off the cables and put them back on, your worked your way through a bit of the corrosion. Take a flashlight and put on your eyeglasses and look more carefully, I bet you got a corrosion issue that got passed you

 

[Cuba]

Good Advice @Cuba glad to see you back and participating again.

Hey thanks! My favorite forum too, life just likes to play with us at times... such a practical joker it can be. Lol

Glad to see you back on here too! Hope all is well with you! Wondering why I didn't get any emails with notifications. I'll have to recheck my settings!

 

[Crispy]

My trans am has the side posts and the cable itself was corroded from the eyelet down about 2 inches. Causing intermittent starting issues similar to yours. I didnt want to mess with the trans am just yet so I cleaned the cable end and applied dielectric grease. My suburbans wiring has been replaced with 4 gauge marine cable and military style top post terminals. Given the age of our vehicles its not a bad idea to upgrade you Big 3 as they call it.

Battery to starter
Battery to alternator
Battery to block
Battery to chassis

Yes, its 4, but its known as the big 3.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Hey thanks! My favorite forum too, life just likes to play with us at times... such a practical joker it can be. Lol

Glad to see you back on here too! Hope all is well with you! Wondering why I didn't get any emails with notifications. I'll have to recheck my settings!

Stuff got screwy once the change over

 

[Cuba]

Hmmm. The funny thing is I all of sudden started getting notifications and I haven't checked or adjusted them yet. Lol

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Hmmm. The funny thing is I all of sudden started getting notifications and I haven't checked or adjusted them yet. Lol

Big brother is watching........

 

[RustyPile]

Big brother is watching........

Stop saying that!!!! You're scaring the lady!!!

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Stop saying that!!!! You're scaring the lady!!!

Ain’t nothing I’m gonna say is gonna scare @Cuba trust me on that.

 

[RustyPile]

Ain’t nothing I’m gonna say is gonna scare @Cuba trust me on that.

Well then... Stop saying that!!! You're scaring ME!!

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Well then... Stop saying that!!! You're scaring ME!!

Lol I doubt that too.