Starting problems

[Alfredo]

Hi guys, i need your help or opinion...
When i turn on key to start engine, i hear only a "click", coming from the engine room.
I must turn the key 5 or 6 times, until the engine starts.
The "click" comes from a litle brown piece near the battery (we call it "automatico de arranque", in spanish).

My question is: if i change this brown piece, i would solve the problem, or can it be another thing??

Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[sumless]

Not sure what the brown thing is, but that "click" is usually from the starter solenoid, usually black and has 2 large gauge waires with a third smaller gauge wire close to the battery. This feeds the starter a direct connection from the battery. The Click is a large relay closing the connection to the starter. I have seen that the relay fails, even with the "click" sound not enough voltage gets to the starter to turn the engine over.
One way to check this would be to connect the two large gauge wires together and observer if the starter motor engages.

Cheers,
-Joe

 

[mikeinri]

I had a similar problem recently, and it turned out to be a bad solenoid, as mentioned. This is bolted to the inner fender, just behind the battery. There is a small wire going from the positive battery terminal to this solenoid (as mentioned above, there are several wire connections on the solenoid).

Mine also clicked, which made me think it was OK, but when I brought it to a mechanic for a real diagnosic (I thought it was the starter and didn't want to do that job), they put a meter on it and figured out it was just the solenoid. They also bypassed the solenoid and the truck started, ruling out the starter. (Luckily, I had an honest mechanic.)

Another thing you'll want to do is take the positive cable off the battery and inspect it for corrosion damage, typically where the wire enters the terminal (where the red insulation ends). Look all the way around the cable, the corrosion may be on the bottom (meaning closest to the battery when installed, the top would be the part that you can easily see without removing the cable from the battery). A good warning sign of this is if you see white crusty stuff building up on the terminal.

Mine recently was corroded halfway though, and also caused starting problems. I was able to cut off the corroded part, strip back some insulation, and install a new terminal. You'll need to cut the small wire going to the solenoid and connect that to the new terminal as well.

You could just replace the whole cable, but it's big bucks, and routed in an insane way (down through the engine, under the motor, and connects to the starter on the driver's side). It also looks like you need to remove the starter to reach the connection.

If you rule out the solenoid and battery cables, it could be the starter.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[EMG7895]

The solenoid by the battery may be bad, the solenoid on the starter, or the starter, or the battery cable may be bad. The hardest to replace is definitely the battery cable. Try jumping the solenoid by the battery, if it starts that is bad, if not see if you can get your starter tested.

 

[Alfredo]

Thanks!!!
yes, i am talking about "starting solenoid"...
i was reading your answers and i am thinking that my problem can be low voltage... i will try it too.

Thanks again friends!!!

 

[dyazdani]

Sometimes a few good taps on the starter can get it going again, if it helps, get a new starter.

The others covered about everything else.

 

[stinger2]

i have the same problem. Tried to boost but it won't even turn over. Help.

 

[BP_93explorer]

i had the clicking. it was bad connections at the terminals. i replaced the clamps (they were corroded) on the wires and it hasn't happened since. been a few months now

 

[stinger2]

terminals...

are you talking about the battery terminals?

 

[marragtop]

Keep in mind that wires can corrode from the inside out. So, the wire may look good yet still not making a good connection. Best way to diagnose is to have 1 person on the ignition key and another person wiggling the wires.

 

[BP_93explorer]

yeah, i was talking about the battery terminals. i would turn the key slightly and everything would work but when i tried starting the truck i would get a clicking noise. i would have to go wiggle the wires then get back in and it would start up with no problem. i didn't replace the wires, just the battery terminals.

 

[Mud Bug 94]

just so we all know gentlemen...cranking the engin over with low voltage will kill the starter solenoid.

 

[Minivek]

just so we all know gentlemen...cranking the engin over with low voltage will kill the starter solenoid.

Really??? How exactly does it kill the solenoid??

 

[Mud Bug 94]

because you are cranking it over longer which over heats it and it ..well ***** out basicly..i dont know howt to explain it but its happend to me a handfull of times.