so, recently whenever I try and start my camaro, I press the start button, can hear the starter spin, but it doesn't crank the engine. It sounds like the starter is running fine, no hesitation, nothing like that, but it sounds like the starter is in space properly and is an engaging the engine enough to be able to start it. I'm not very certain on how the starters on these cars work, but from some pictures it looks like its belt driven. Is it possible to somehow adjust the tension so it will engage?

 

Hi DirtySpleen ,

On our cars , the starter drives the Flywheel (for standard shift) or the Flexplate (for automatic) by gear drive only , there is no belt . The way our starters work is that when you turn the key to the start position (or push the button in your case it seems) the "solenoid" does TWO functions . First function is to push the starter's tiny gear into mesh with the flywheel or flexplate's big gear . Once the solenoid has reached the end of it's travel it engages a high current electrical switch within itself which supplies power to the starter motor to begin cranking the engine . The starter's small gear is equipped with an "overrunning clutch" (called a "Bendix" in the old days , named after the company that patented it) which will prevent the engine from spinning the starter to dangerous RPMs between the time the engine actually starts and the key gets released from the start position . Yes , were it not for the overrunning clutch the starter's "Armature" could be driven to such high RPM as to fragment and destroy the starter (as well as possibly throw some nasty shrapnel around) .

Now that we have got basic starter operation out of the way , we will examine the things that could cause the starter's motor to run but the engine not to crank . the possibilities are , in order from most likely to least likely ;

Bad overrunning clutch in starter = replace bendix or entire starter

Bad gear on starter's overrunning clutch = same as above

Chipped or missing teeth on the flywheel or flexplate's "Ring gear" (this is the "driven" gear in this application) = replace flywheel or flexplate .

The first two are quite easy , simply replace the starter . The last one is quite involved , requiring the removal of either the engine or transmission to replace . Were this MINE to troubleshoot , I'd remove the starter and look into it's mounting hole with a flashlight at the ring gear . Have a strong friend SLOWLY turn the crankshaft while looking at the teeth on the ring gear . you will be able to spot any missing teeth right away , broken stuff like that being quite obvious . If you see no badly chipped or broken missing teeth then replace starter reusing any shims installed with the old starter . If your engine cranks , praise the third gen Gods , you've dodged a bullet . If your engine still does the same thing with a new and tested for proper functioning starter , start savin up them pennies , cause it's gonna take a whole bunch of em to fix the bad ring (driven) gear .

 

Call your local auto parts store and ask them if they can bench test the starter.Pull the starter and take it to the store. If its bad buy a starter that has a lifetime warranty. The starter can be alittle tricky to get out. Just keep shifting it around and trying different angles until it slides through.
I was going through starters fairly fast (heat soak) until I"completely" covered it with a thermal blanket. I have had the same starter now for 3 years.
Side note = Most can also test it in the car.

 

Thanks, great info.