Clicking and no start

[MGidish]

I have replaced the starter for the 3rd time in 2 mos. each lasting a little while then leaving me stuck somewhere. each time having slightly different symptoms when gone bad. Currently, when i turn to start i get a clicking noise and no cranking. The lights dim and one time when holding it in start, some smoke appeared to the left of the fuse box under the dash. I guess from a wire getting too hot and melting the plastic cover. I put a new starter in today and when i went to start i got the same clicking. any ideas on what else could be the problem. The wire getting shorted maybe. Alot of wires under there and i couldnt pinpoint which one it is. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Lorenr]

Check the battery very carefully. For some reason these things require a good battery in order to start. Make sure there aren't any dead cells or shorts.
Clean the terminals, check the wires to the starter and the connections.

Some of the parts houses sell starters that they warrant for the life of the car. I bought one and the things last.

 

[SonicRiot]

You have a short and your starter or a short is drawing too much current, thus burning out the wires and/or the starter.

Break out the multimeter and prepare to dismantle your car.

 

[MGidish]

I'm thinking the new starter may be bad as well. I tried to short the starter's power and ignition posts and it just clicked too.

 

[Lurch]

I had a problem similar to this, occasionally the car would just click and occasionally it would start right up. Turned out to be the voltage regulator, like a $6 part.

[edit]As I recall, the voltage regulator is located near the starter in genIIs, so maybe it just sounds like the starter that is goofed up?[/edit]

 

[MGidish]

where should i start Sonic?? the starter is good, battery is good, so somewhere from the ignition switch to the starter i guess.

 

[DDakRT]

I'm having the exact same problem right now. My car is stuck on the driveway right now.

Any details would be great!

 

[projectSHO89]

Don't have time this morning to provide the details again, but if you SEARCH for "Starter Troubleshooting" or "NO Crank" using the advanced SEARCH tool and my username, you will find several posts with a lot of starter troubleshooting hints.

Steve

 

[TYSHO]

where should i start Sonic?? the starter is good, battery is good, so somewhere from the ignition switch to the starter i guess.

If you're recieving a clicking noise, the ignition wire to starter solenoid is feeding the starter with power.

I would double check that the wires are placed correctly and that you have a fully charged battery.

Normally, if you recieve 2, IIRC, or 4, clicks when you try to start...it's the solenoid. If you recieve a non-stop clicking, that's very fast, and only stops when you let the key back off start...the battery is low/dead. If you're recieving the non-stop, fast, clicking...I would get your alternator checked, if the battery is new/good.

 

[DDakRT]

Thanks Steve, I'm doing a search now.

My clicking noice is a single click. You turn the key, click once, nothing else happen.

 

[SonicRiot]

So the remote solenoid and the starter solenoid are good. Pull the starter, apply battery voltage and see if it turns.

 

[DDakRT]

So the solenoid is good if there's a click? I dug up like 30 different threads regarding the same problem and some say if there's a click it's the solenoid, others say the click means the solenoid is still good.

My battery is good, and if the solenoid is fine, must be the cables then right?

 

[SHO-Me-Up]

I'm having the exact same problem right now. My car is stuck on the driveway right now.

Any details would be great!

Strangely enough... I am having the exact same problem as well... what is this? a SHO epidemic?

I checked my battery terminals, they are fine, i also have power to the rest of the car (if i need to go somewhere i pop the clutch for the start). If i sit there for a while and 'click' the friggin thing it will eventually start.

Description:
Turn the ignition - Click
Turn the ignition - Click
Turn the ignition - Click
Turn the ignition - Click
Turn the ignition halfway - Some one give me a good push!

I bought a starter for a 93 MTX from a salvage yard and it's in my basement just incase i'm going to have to replace it.

 

[SHOstuff]

I was having the same problem with my girlfriends probe. I would try to start it and it would click and so I thought it was a bad starter so I went got a nother one and it did the same thing when I would go to start it. So I took them both to O'Rielly and had them tested and they both were good. So I checked to make sure it had good connection and the post were clean and it was all good but still no start. So what it came out to be was corrosion in the battery wire itself. After putting some corrosion cleaner, I forgot what they call it, but I sparayed it on there and cleaned them really good and it cranked right up. So check your wires and see if they need to be cleaned.

 

[New to the SHO]

did either of you guys get your sho to start? I have that same problem right now, one click and no start.... and its about impossible to bump start i checked out the same stuff that sho me up did every thing is fine, starter.... silanode but the cables is a possiblilty???

 

[40BelowSummer]

If your lights are dim and it wont crank the problem is the battery or wiring to starter/solenoid (depending on ATX/MTX)

If you lights/radio etc all work fine and no crank then it is either the solenoid/ wiring from solenoid to starter (MTX) or the starter itself

Please do yourself a favor and check the battery cables. This is the cause the majority of the time. On an MTX check the wiring from the battery to the solenoid, from the solenoid to the starter, and from the starter to the negative battery post. If they seems good, then try jumping the solenoid (by the airbox) with a screwdriver.

Good luck, ........have to go to class

 

[NiNeTy Fo SHO]

I got the good ole 1 click and no start right now...I was left at a furniture store last weekend when it happened. Messing around with the car while people were getting tow rope/jumper cables together, I got the tire iron out. I hit the starter with it about 20 times...jumped in, hit the key...and VROOOOM!

Called back up and said forget it, Im on my way...and layed about 20 feet of rubber....I dont like it when I am left somewhere and the car dont start!

Have never been left somewhere...*yet*.

 

[New to the SHO]

ok so heres the low down.... the starters fine..... The battery cables are fine I replaced them, the cable from the starter soleniode to the battery is fine and last but not least the battery is fine I charged it for 12 hours and it took a charge, also the relay i was talking about i borrowed a working one from my buddys 91 sho exactly like mine that works and its all fine... what it does is turn and click once then does nothing else..... if u hold it there its just like if the car was off..... does anybody have a clue what could be wrong now??? If not.... I grab a rope and my brothers GMC Sierra and tow that B*tch to startmart....

 

[n8rsk8r]

I had all these problems, I have been through 6 starters, on the seventh one, I replaced the cables, on the atx, they are not just the wires like all other vehicles, oh no, there is a thousand dang connecting points and grounds and computer hookups, I was amazed, still got the same results. I finally got a Napa starter, had to replace that one once, and the newest one from them is cool. Also, I replaced the ignition switch, I think It may be a bad starter. It could be that it has a bad spot in it, hence the click, the starter gear pops out and has to make contact with the flywheel. If it can't do that, it can't do it's job. It would be different if it came on, or out, but it doesn't sound like it was/is doing it. also, I did change batteries during all this crap happening. I think the starters just go bad, after oil from changes, and heat from the engine, I think they just go bad?

EDIT: there have been alot of updates to our starters, I got I think at least three different kinds, they had differences in the grounding/wiring. thought you would like to know that good luck!

 

[SHOZ123]

If you hear a click that is the external starter solenoid relay working.

If the lights dim then the starter is bad or stuck.

If the lights don't dim and the starter does not spin and you hear a click the starter brushes or internal wiring is bad.

The actual starter solenoid is a mechanical device that is activated by the starter solenoid relay. It pushes a Y shaped device that pushes the small gear out on the end of the starter to engage the ring gear.