Not turning over
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,991
Likes: 34
From: Deadmonds, WA
Not turning over
I'm trying to bring my FB to life for the first time. I think I have everything connected.
New battery, new reman starter, new starter cable.
It clicks rapidly when I turn the key but doesn't turn the engine. I verified that I can turn the engine easily by hand so I know it's not seized. I re connected the starter cable to the battery to make sure it is seated tightly.
I took a video https://youtu.be/FvboE5A9Uog
Any ideas?
New battery, new reman starter, new starter cable.
It clicks rapidly when I turn the key but doesn't turn the engine. I verified that I can turn the engine easily by hand so I know it's not seized. I re connected the starter cable to the battery to make sure it is seated tightly.
I took a video https://youtu.be/FvboE5A9Uog
Any ideas?
ancient wizard...
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 262
From: Maryland
Possibilities:
1) Defective reman starter,pretty common. You can test it out of the car yourself with jumper cables and a small jumper wire.
2) Battery voltage low(discharged) or defective battery. Have a voltmeter? Check battery(at battery) voltage as car sits,key off. Good(new)battery=12.6-12.8 volts. Leave voltmeter connected to battery and watch it as you attempt to start car,voltage should not drop any lower than @10.5 volts. What is voltage that meter is showing? Leave negative voltmeter test lead on battery,put positive lead on battery wire at starter and attempt starting,what is the reading?
3) You say you replaced the starter cable,what condition is negative cable from battery,body ground at lower left apron to starter bolt? A quick test for a poor ground connection without removing anything is to connect one end of a jumper cable(s) to negative battery terminal and the other same color clamp to a good ground on the engine or to the metal body of starter itself and try to crank again. If the engine cranks over at this point,you need to check ground connections at all points mentioned previously.
4) By now you should have some idea where the problem lies with voltage readings,if not,disconnect negative battery cable,remove starter. Hook jumper cable positive clamp(red) to post on starter that positive battery cable goes to. Spin the mounting nut down snug first in event an arc occurs it won't damage threads on stud. Hook negative clamp to mounting ear on starter. Hook other end of cables to car battery. Take a small section of 18 gauge wire and strip insulation from each end. Put your foot on starter so it can't move and touch one end of your jumper wire to the positive post on starter solenoid and the other on the male spade terminal on the solenoid that the female insulated spade terminal in the car wire harness goes on.
Good starter=starter drive extends and motor spins up and when jumper is removed starter stops spinning and drive retracts. If it still makes same noise as in car but does not spin,1st verify this test on a another car with a known good battery or just a known good battery by itself.
If results are same,very likely starter solenoid contacts are defective,get another starter.
.A good idea is to test the replacement since now you know how BEFORE you install it in car to save yourself the extra work of removing a 2nd defective unit. Yes,in the reman world it is possible to have more than one dud before you get a good one.
Post back your findings/results.
1) Defective reman starter,pretty common. You can test it out of the car yourself with jumper cables and a small jumper wire.
2) Battery voltage low(discharged) or defective battery. Have a voltmeter? Check battery(at battery) voltage as car sits,key off. Good(new)battery=12.6-12.8 volts. Leave voltmeter connected to battery and watch it as you attempt to start car,voltage should not drop any lower than @10.5 volts. What is voltage that meter is showing? Leave negative voltmeter test lead on battery,put positive lead on battery wire at starter and attempt starting,what is the reading?
3) You say you replaced the starter cable,what condition is negative cable from battery,body ground at lower left apron to starter bolt? A quick test for a poor ground connection without removing anything is to connect one end of a jumper cable(s) to negative battery terminal and the other same color clamp to a good ground on the engine or to the metal body of starter itself and try to crank again. If the engine cranks over at this point,you need to check ground connections at all points mentioned previously.
4) By now you should have some idea where the problem lies with voltage readings,if not,disconnect negative battery cable,remove starter. Hook jumper cable positive clamp(red) to post on starter that positive battery cable goes to. Spin the mounting nut down snug first in event an arc occurs it won't damage threads on stud. Hook negative clamp to mounting ear on starter. Hook other end of cables to car battery. Take a small section of 18 gauge wire and strip insulation from each end. Put your foot on starter so it can't move and touch one end of your jumper wire to the positive post on starter solenoid and the other on the male spade terminal on the solenoid that the female insulated spade terminal in the car wire harness goes on.
Good starter=starter drive extends and motor spins up and when jumper is removed starter stops spinning and drive retracts. If it still makes same noise as in car but does not spin,1st verify this test on a another car with a known good battery or just a known good battery by itself.
If results are same,very likely starter solenoid contacts are defective,get another starter.
.A good idea is to test the replacement since now you know how BEFORE you install it in car to save yourself the extra work of removing a 2nd defective unit. Yes,in the reman world it is possible to have more than one dud before you get a good one.
Post back your findings/results.
3) You say you replaced the starter cable,what condition is negative cable from battery,body ground at lower left apron to starter bolt? A quick test for a poor ground connection without removing anything is to connect one end of a jumper cable(s) to negative battery terminal and the other same color clamp to a good ground on the engine or to the metal body of starter itself and try to crank again. If the engine cranks over at this point,you need to check ground connections at all points mentioned previously.
100% on this thought. I had corrosion on my positive terminal a few months ago; it wasn't visible but it wasn't enough to deliver the goods.
ancient wizard...
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 262
From: Maryland
Follow negative battery cable(originally black)from battery.
It runs down to frame rail and at lower left inner fender apron the insulation breaks and a ground lug is crimped around cable and the lug is bolted to a threaded insert in fender apron. This is the main chassis ground. The cable then travels to starter and is terminated in a large round eyelet attached to one of starter mounting bolts.
All the connections should be clean,corrosion free and tight.
For diagnostic purposes,use the jumper cable method from battery to engine/starter I described in last post. It is a quick way to eliminate the ground side of starter circuit as cause for no crank.
Have you done any voltage checks outlined in previous post?
It runs down to frame rail and at lower left inner fender apron the insulation breaks and a ground lug is crimped around cable and the lug is bolted to a threaded insert in fender apron. This is the main chassis ground. The cable then travels to starter and is terminated in a large round eyelet attached to one of starter mounting bolts.
All the connections should be clean,corrosion free and tight.
For diagnostic purposes,use the jumper cable method from battery to engine/starter I described in last post. It is a quick way to eliminate the ground side of starter circuit as cause for no crank.
Have you done any voltage checks outlined in previous post?
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,991
Likes: 34
From: Deadmonds, WA
That is probably my trouble. I checked and there's a big wire from the battery to the shock tower, but nothing from the engine. My bad. Piecing this thing together out of a pile of parts in the hatch over the course of 5 years, I guess you're bound to forget something. When I have a chance to wire up a ground, I'll update the build thread 
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ancient wizard...
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 262
From: Maryland
That is probably my trouble. I checked and there's a big wire from the battery to the shock tower, but nothing from the engine. My bad. Piecing this thing together out of a pile of parts in the hatch over the course of 5 years, I guess you're bound to forget something. When I have a chance to wire up a ground, I'll update the build thread
Going aftermarket i would measure the length you need and buy a universal length cable with eyelets each end and attach from negative battery terminal direct to starter mounting bolts. May have to enlarge eyelet to fit starter mounting bolt thru it.
What I did was ran a 00 from the negative to the starter. I then ran a premade with eyelets from the negative to the shock tower and another from the shock tower to big alternator bolt.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,991
Likes: 34
From: Deadmonds, WA
The original negative batery cable was one piece from battery to starter with body ground crimped lug midway in cable. You'll need to provide a ground wire for starter same gauge as battery cable.
Going aftermarket i would measure the length you need and buy a universal length cable with eyelets each end and attach from negative battery terminal direct to starter mounting bolts. May have to enlarge eyelet to fit starter mounting bolt thru it.
Going aftermarket i would measure the length you need and buy a universal length cable with eyelets each end and attach from negative battery terminal direct to starter mounting bolts. May have to enlarge eyelet to fit starter mounting bolt thru it.
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