Engine not cranking over?

Good morning,

Can you upload a video of the noise you are describing so I can hear what you hear? This guide can help us fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

Please run down this guide and report back.

I would still like to hear it.

The Bendix is a one-way clutch for the end gear to spin the motor. If the starter spins free when cranking, then the starter is bad and needs to be replaced.

Roy

We understand it completely when we are given clear, correct information.

Roy

Hello,

If I can jump in hear. It sounds like the engine might be locked up. Can I ask if the lights dim way down if you stay on the crank position? Will the engine turn over by hand? Please let me know.

I would recommend that you start by checking fuel pump pressure and check to see if you have a good hot blue snapping spark at the plugs. If you want to make it easy, see if the engine starts for a few seconds if you use starting fluid. It you try that, let me know the results.

Hello,

It sounds like you have a starter that is out. Here is a guide to help you check it out. Look toward the bottom of this guide:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-engine-will-not-crank-over

If the starter is getting power with the key in the crank position is it bad. Here is a guide to let you know what you are in for when doing the job:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-starter-motor

Here is a diagram (below) on what it will be like on your car.

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken

Do the head lights work and are they full brightness?

Here is a guide that will help you load test the battery using the car:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Here is a guide that will help as well:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers

What are the symptoms when you try to crank the engine? Do you hear a single rather loud clunk each time you turn the ignition switch to "crank"? If so, there is an easy fix for that.

If you do not hear that clunk, can you hear if the starter relay is clicking in the under-hood fuse box? That one can be a little tricky because there are other relays that will also be clicking. What happens to the brightness of the headlights or dome light when you try to crank the engine? Do they stay bright, go out completely, or get dim?

The starter circuit can be split into three smaller circuits for troubleshooting. There are a couple of different ways of going about this depending on whether you have a voltmeter or test light and know how to use them. As an alternative, to narrow it down, you can remove the starter relay to bypass it with a jumper wire, or you can pop the cover off, reinstall it that way, hen squeeze the contact to see if the engine will crank. If it does, we will know two of the three circuits are working and the battery is good.

It is sounding more like you have a bad starter motor more and more.

Here are some guides that will help you and a wiring diagram below:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

See where you are losing power.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-starter-motor

You will need to jack the car up safely as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/jack-up-and-lift-your-car-safely

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers

You can check the fuses check the smaller red battery cable where it bolts to the under-hood fuse box. Be sure it is clean and tight. That is a common place to find a problem. Next, follow the smaller black negative battery cable to where it bolts to the body sheet metal and be sure that one is clean and tight.

If you do not identify a bad connection, you will need a test light. A digital voltmeter will work too, but in this type of circuit the test light can be more accurate. Turn on the headlights so some current is leaving the battery. That will help make a bad connection show up. Now start with the test light's clip lead right on the negative battery terminal. If they still have the battery behind the left front tire like they did in the 1990's, just use the jump-start terminal under the hood. Place the test light's probe on the positive battery terminal, or the jump-start terminal by the left strut tower. The light should be bright. If it is not, work back to the battery to find the broken connection.

If the test light is bright, move the clip lead to the engine block or head. Next, move the probe down to the starter and check on the larger bolt-on terminal. The light must still be bright.

If you are doing this with a voltmeter, you want to find full battery voltage, (12.6 volts), all the way to the starter. If you find around 12.0 volts, the battery is discharged. If you find closer to 11 volts or less, the battery has a shorted cell and there's no way to know what will work and what wont until it is replaced.

Good to hear, please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help.

Cheers