I havent posted on here, normally I can find someone with similar issues and gather info.. This problem i have never heard of.. had starter issues turn the key and it would just click, but if I would try repeatedly it would finally start. Till the starter got heat soaked today and had to leave it sit for 30mins, got a new starter, installed it, and went to try it out and nothing, so I took it off and tested it on the ground with jumper cables, and off it went perfect. put it back on the car nothing.. pulled out the test light and tested the current to the (S) side of the starter on the top of the car(not at the actual starter) had current, so i pulled the wire off and checked it at the starter connection.. has current there too. so that wire has current when i turn the key to the start position, but starter wont engage (not even a sound), so i put a jumper wire from the spot on top of the car where i poked in the test light, when i connect it to the batt directly, it cranks. Does anyone here have any ideas???
my car is a 91 camaro rs, 350 4 bolt main taken out of an 88 chevy pickup, has an energizer comp cam, headers, and is carbed with a holley 750.

 

So the starter kicks right on when you jump it with a screwdriver in the car, but not from the key/ignition?

 

My factory starter had a bad solenoid. At the most embarassing times it would just give one loud click and nothing else. You'd have to try multiple times then it would finally spin over fine and start. The solenoid pushes a really big push button switch and that switch was intermittent on my car from the time it was brand new.

 

Check your neutral safety switch, those have been known to cause this problem. Do you get any lights on the dash when you try to start the car?

 

the starter was replaced because the orginal starter was grinding, was not properly shimed..
yes it cranks with a screwdriver on the car, just not with key...
the weirdest part is it has current going to the switch at the starter, so would that omit the posiblility of the neutral safety switch being bad ???..
ive replaced the ground cable put it on the actual block.
put a new ignition switch, still nothing.

 

Had a similar problem on my dad's '57 Belair. Turned out the positive cable from the batt had broken down on the inside and was not visible. Replaced the cable and all was fine.

 

had that issue myself! i put headers on my 89 and it ate the **** outa my starter wire! sure does help to check!

 

the positive cable makes since... ill have to check that tomorrow. what i did for now was put a push button going from the batt to the purple wire so i have to turn the key and push the button.. but it is still intermittent. sometimes it cranks and sometimes it does not.. so it is sounding more like the positive cable

 

yea make sure you keep an eye out for that fan switch too those get burned then the relay ticks like crazy!

 

ok just replaced the pos cable and it is still a no go... any more ideas.. haha

 

WHAT?!!!!! ......hmmmm Are you sure the battery is good??
take it to autozone n have them charge it for you, its free..
also....hmmmm...thats weird....kuz it cant be the alternator OR MAYBE IT CAN! but still not sure....id check that battery first.. kuz when batterys kinda lose charge you get that same click!

 

not the batt.. the batt is giving off 13 volts checked that... when I turn the key drops like maybe 1 volt to 12... same when it cranks the batt is fine alternator is fine too..

 

ok so what i ended up doing was put a push button directly from the batt to the push button, then from the push button to the starter switch.. so at-least it is working again... still annoying but dont have any clue as to what the problem is...

 

If you're still looking to troubleshoot the problem, here's a short article that should help:
http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=38

Hope this helps.
Lou

 

wow thanks lou, I will definitely trace those wires and get it working properly...

 

Can the fan switch keep an engine from starting? I think I'm having the same issue as this person, a loud click with a charged battery, I thought I did hear some clicking up from the front of the car, I have to ask, are the fan relays the two black cubes on the harness right near the fans? How do I know if they are bad? I should note the fans were wired (by a previous owner) to turn on when the car was started, and are not turning on when I turn the key to the on position, hmm?

 

no your problem sounds like a bad starter!
loud click when turning the ignition...camaros are known for that(well mine as well as a couple of people i know) i think it has to do with the exhaust pipes being REAL close to the started n it makes it heat up a lot...well thats my theory!
the relays shouldnt have to do ANYTHING with the car starting.. i told rick to check the fan switch wires cuz his positive wire might have been burned up n maybe those wires can end up the same way..
so yea yours sounds like a bad starter...

 

any luck?

 

Mine does it first thing in the morning. I'm thinking it has something to do with the steering wheel lock. Trying to pay attention to moving the steering wheel slightly when it acts up. My starter was replaced 1 year ago.

 

sorry captin just saw your question today, I havent had the oppurtunity to trace wires yet, the car is running i ended up installing a push button directly to the starter from the batt, so it is starting fine now.. I might be doing some major work to this car in the near future, replacing the 350 4 bolt with an ls1, and the 700r4 with the t56, so ill trace the wires during/after the transplant..

 

Just wanted to say, mine is taken care of. Bad, real bad MAF, aand though my posts looked clean, they werent all the way clean, it was enough somehow that it provided a buffer keeping the current from flowing into my cables. Cleaned off like new, new 1/0 ground put on and she purrs like a rabid panther now

 

bad starter even if it was new its just like everything sometimes its doa. when my starter was going i used to have to get under my car and hit it with a hammer. got me through the summer a few years back.

 

Just want to say, if any of you do go to replace a starter, look into the mini high torque starter from the 90's vettes, It is pretty nice, and the price wasn't too bad through Advace Auto. It's not too heavy and exhaust clears it real nice, wires are easy to get to.

 

Im having this issue,just replaced the starter..and 6 outta 10 times you get this CLICK and nothing,Yet it starts with a jump everytime..so I went to a certified mechnic we ran some test and found nothing wron,This leads him to belive its a bad starter,starters when going bad will work with a bit more juice put to them is what i was told by him,and yes sometimes they are bad right out of the box..so anyways im gona try a power master