Starter Question - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

sjarrett71 · 02-13-2011, 04:58 PM

Well I got my steering column all installed and everything buttoned back up. I put a charger on the battery since the truck hasn't been started in a few weeks. After a while I attempted to start the truck (72 GMC 350/4 speed). All I got was click click click. I first thought solenoid. I tried to jump the starter with a screwdriver and I got same thing. I crawled up under the truck and saw the starter teeth were in the out position and resting on the flywheel teeth. I turned the engine over a little by hand and I heard the starter disengage. I tried to start the truck again and all I got was click click click. I looked again and the starter teeth were against the flywheel again. It would never turn the engine over. What would make the starter do that? Solenoid?? It started fine last time I started it (about a month ago). All the wire connections are good, tight, and clean. Why do parts go bad just sitting there???

mr48chev · 02-13-2011, 05:13 PM

Make sure that the battery is actually charged up as sometimes the clamps on the charger cables don't make good contact or at least mine don't all the time.

Then check your cable connections to make sure that they are clean and good. My bet is that you have a bad connection at one of the cable ends that is letting just enough power through to click in the solenoid but not turn the motor over.

If it got real cold where the truck was sitting and the battery was real low to begin with it may have frozen in the last cold snap an gone bad too so that is worth checking out.

Those starters are easy to rebuild and take under ten bucks worth of parts at Napa to do the rebuild. Brushes and bushings and an hour total and you have a fresh starter.

sjarrett71 · 02-13-2011, 09:36 PM

All the cable, wires, and connections are good and clean. I had to take a screwdriver and move the starter gear back by hand. Then when I tried to start it again, the same thing would happen. Teeth would come out and stick, starter would click, and the engine would not turn over. I was able to turn the engine over by hand though so I know it's not locked up.

sjarrett71 · 02-15-2011, 08:22 PM

Took the starter out today and repaired a crispy purple wire which didn't help. Bench tested my starter and nothing. Noticed I was not even getting any sparks when I jumped the starter post so I tried with a different battery and the starter tested fine. Reinstalled the starter and put the different battery in my truck. Hooked everything up and it starts fine. I guess MR48CHEV was right and the cold weather killed my battery.

02-13-2011, 04:58 PM	#1
sjarrett71 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rolla, MO Posts: 2,463	Starter Question Well I got my steering column all installed and everything buttoned back up. I put a charger on the battery since the truck hasn't been started in a few weeks. After a while I attempted to start the truck (72 GMC 350/4 speed). All I got was click click click. I first thought solenoid. I tried to jump the starter with a screwdriver and I got same thing. I crawled up under the truck and saw the starter teeth were in the out position and resting on the flywheel teeth. I turned the engine over a little by hand and I heard the starter disengage. I tried to start the truck again and all I got was click click click. I looked again and the starter teeth were against the flywheel again. It would never turn the engine over. What would make the starter do that? Solenoid?? It started fine last time I started it (about a month ago). All the wire connections are good, tight, and clean. Why do parts go bad just sitting there??? __________________ -Scott- Last edited by sjarrett71; 02-13-2011 at 04:59 PM.

02-13-2011, 05:13 PM	#2
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,433	Re: Starter Question Make sure that the battery is actually charged up as sometimes the clamps on the charger cables don't make good contact or at least mine don't all the time. Then check your cable connections to make sure that they are clean and good. My bet is that you have a bad connection at one of the cable ends that is letting just enough power through to click in the solenoid but not turn the motor over. If it got real cold where the truck was sitting and the battery was real low to begin with it may have frozen in the last cold snap an gone bad too so that is worth checking out. Those starters are easy to rebuild and take under ten bucks worth of parts at Napa to do the rebuild. Brushes and bushings and an hour total and you have a fresh starter.

02-13-2011, 09:36 PM	#3
sjarrett71 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rolla, MO Posts: 2,463	Re: Starter Question All the cable, wires, and connections are good and clean. I had to take a screwdriver and move the starter gear back by hand. Then when I tried to start it again, the same thing would happen. Teeth would come out and stick, starter would click, and the engine would not turn over. I was able to turn the engine over by hand though so I know it's not locked up. __________________ -Scott-

02-15-2011, 08:22 PM	#4
sjarrett71 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rolla, MO Posts: 2,463	Re: Starter Question Took the starter out today and repaired a crispy purple wire which didn't help. Bench tested my starter and nothing. Noticed I was not even getting any sparks when I jumped the starter post so I tried with a different battery and the starter tested fine. Reinstalled the starter and put the different battery in my truck. Hooked everything up and it starts fine. I guess MR48CHEV was right and the cold weather killed my battery. __________________ -Scott-



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