1994 Chevrolet Camaro Car wont start

Tiny
BBARBO9
  • MEMBER
  • 1994 CHEVROLET CAMARO
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • RWD
  • MANUAL
My car will not start it has a clicking sound it sounds like from the starter. All lights inside outside car work horn is fine and all. Go to start it and makes a couple small turns then clicking starts. The battery gauge in the car needle is barely above the redline and sort of touching it. So im lost please help.
Saturday, September 19th, 2015 AT 1:13 PM

11 Replies

Tiny
BBARBO9
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Also tried jump starting it and it got to the almost half level the needle for battery gauge in car that is. Does the same stuff though
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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Start by measuring the battery voltage. It should be 12.6 volts. If you find closer to 12.2 volts, it's good but discharged. Charge it at a slow rate for an hour. If you find it's around 11 volts or less, it has a shorted cell and must be replaced. Jump-starting is usually ineffective with a bad battery.

If charging the battery gets the engine started, measure the battery voltage again with the engine running. It must be between 13.75 and 14.75 volts. If it is low, the charging system is not recharging the battery while you're driving.
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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I put a brand new battery in today and still won't turn over
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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What exactly are the symptoms? Do you get a single clunk from the starter solenoid? Does the starter crank the engine but too slowly? What happens to the brightness of the head lights or interior lights? Do you have a digital voltmeter so you can take some readings?
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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No it dies not start. It just starts to turn and clicks then nothing and then start clicking again. I do not have a volt meter.
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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What about the head light brightness when trying to crank the engine? I need some details to know where to start the diagnosis.

You can get a perfectly fine digital voltmeter at Harbor Freight Tools for around seven or eight bucks.
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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The battery alternator starter all say around 11 volts and the headlights dim as well as everything else
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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You're going to need a mechanic to look at this. At "around 11 volts", the head lights should not dim very much. The industry-standard for the starter motor to crank the engine is 9.6 volts. You apparently have more than that. If the voltage is sufficient, slow cranking can only be caused by one open brush in the starter. That kills half the circuit. Current draw will appear to be close to normal, but actually, half of the starter is drawing double the current it should and the other half is drawing nothing. That makes voltages look normal but the starter has only half the strength it should have.

The clues you mentioned don't agree. The "Volts" gauge on the dash shows the battery voltage is much lower than 11 volts. The head lights should be dim during cranking indicating the battery has a shorted cell or a bad connection is restricting current flow. With a shorted cell, the battery will measure close to 11 volts when nothing is turned on. There's no cure for that other than to replace the battery. If the voltage is 12.6 volts but then drops a lot during cranking, that points to a bad connection. Most commonly on GMs with side post batteries, that is right at the battery, and much less likely at the starter.
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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Well so I tried to turn the motor by hand on the crank pulley and it wouldnt turn so now im thinking something seized up since it sat for four months between heads swap and tranny rebuild
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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Rats. You should be able to turn the crankshaft pulley by hand, but try with a ratchet and socket on the large center bolt head.
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
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I did and it wouldnt budge the strange thing is when my dad turned the key I tried turning the crank together it turned about a 1/4 turn im confused
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Saturday, August 17th, 2019 AT 5:04 PM

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