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No Crank? Posted by Ari [Email] ![]() ![]() In Reply to: No start, Nick ![]() |
From your description, it sounds like the starter isn't cranking. Is that correct?
If you turn the key to START, do the dash lights dim or stay bright? If the lights dim or go out, I'd start with the battery leads. They may look nice, but the outside of the clamps don't carry current. Remove the clamps, and brighten up the surfaces on the post and the INSIDE of the clamp. That's where the current flows. Peek in the insulation at the end of the cables. If you see a lot of green or white powder, that's corrosion inside the cable and a new cable may be required. Make sure the negative cable has a good connection to the chassis - again, it's the surfaces you DON'T see that carry the current.
If you turn the key to START and the lights don't dim, do you hear a click from the area of the starter? A click indicates the solenoid is working. If it doesn't click, I'd suspect a bad ignition switch. This is one way they fail.
If you do hear a click from the area of the starter, it may be a bad solenoid or a bad starter. The solenoid is just a big relay, and the contacts can get dirty. They don't always carry enough current to make the starter move. If the problem is worse when the car is warm, I'd suspect the solenoid. The solenoid is mounted right on the starter, and requires removal of the starter to get at.
Lastly, it can be a bad starter. It might have a dead spot on the commutator, and if the starter happens to stop there, it won't turn. An electrical version of Russian Roulette. If you can turn the starter slightly (requires GOOOD access) and then you can start the car, I'd say the starter need replacement.
posted by 192.249....
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