Is this a failed starter? Video/audio attached.

[StormTrooperExplorer]

I was able to drive to work this morning, and when I went to leave for lunch it would not start, sound exactly like this in the video. Not a single unusual thing about the drive this morning.


I had to get it towed home.
It has full battery power, battery was replaced 2 months ago.
Engine oil is full and clean. 124k miles.
I'm leaning towards it being the starter, but I'd like some confirmation and any tips on what to check out, etc.
The Starter fuse and relay appear to be fine and working. I swapped the fuse and relay one for another and it still did the same thing.
Video attached, turn up the volume. Thanks for any help.

EDIT: The click you hear is coming from the starter, when you put your hand on it you can feel the click.

 

[StormTrooperExplorer]

UPDATE: I replaced the starter, but it did not fix the issue.

 

[StormTrooperExplorer]

I got Forscan fired up and ran a bunch of the self tests, the only errors was again, the P06E9, which is just the failure to start code, and the PCM self-test came back with P1288 ( Cylinder Head Temp Sensor Out Of Range). Would that stop the engine from starting?

 

[Lee's Automotive]

I was able to drive to work this morning, and when I went to leave for lunch it would not start, sound exactly like this in the video. Not a single unusual thing about the drive this morning.


I had to get it towed home.
It has full battery power, battery was replaced 2 months ago.
Engine oil is full and clean. 124k miles.
I'm leaning towards it being the starter, but I'd like some confirmation and any tips on what to check out, etc.
The Starter fuse and relay appear to be fine and working. I swapped the fuse and relay one for another and it still did the same thing.
Video attached, turn up the volume. Thanks for any help.

EDIT: The click you hear is coming from the starter, when you put your hand on it you can feel the click.

That don't sound good at all it's possible there's a bad connection but it almost sounds like the Bendix on the starter is being engaged but the engine isn't turning at all almost like the engine is locked up

 

[Motorhogman]

Try turning the engine over by hand. If it turns start looking at grounds and cables..

 

[StormTrooperExplorer]

Try turning the engine over by hand. If it turns start looking at grounds and cables..

What is the best way to go about that? I know to turn it by the crankshaft, what is the best approach to getting to it? Thanks

 

[Lee's Automotive]

What is the best way to go about that? I know to turn it by the crankshaft, what is the best approach to getting to it? Thanks

crank pulley bolt

 

[StormTrooperExplorer]

Thanks! It turns. Which is a huge relief. I'm now going to investigate electrical all over again.

 

[peterk9]

crank pulley bolt

Will turning the engine like that also turn the starter or is it disengaged? Just wondering if the starter had a bad spot on the windings.

Peter

 

[StormTrooperExplorer]

Solved. It was a very miniscule amount of corrosion on one the positive battery terminal posts, one of the connecting wires had corrosion on the bottom of it, and it built up enough to cause it to no longer get power from the terminal. You would have not seen this just by looking at the terminal, it had to be taken apart to be found. Once it was clean, the car started. It baffles me, because the starter wires all had appropriate voltage going to them. So I can only assume something else wasn't getting the power it need to allow the engine to turn over.

I have aftermarket battery terminals installed for about 3 years because the originals corroded so badly they couldn't attach well anymore. I was having a large mount of that greenish dust on them every few months. And once I replaced them, I never had an issue since now.

I guess the lesson from this is to start from the very very basics. Check those terminal thoroughly first, do continuity testing on all the power wires connecting to the terminals.

Thank you all for your help!

 

[Lee's Automotive]

Will turning the engine like that also turn the starter or is it disengaged? Just wondering if the starter had a bad spot on the windings.

Peter

If the starter is disengaged it won't turn the starter but if the starter Bendix is touching the flex plate it will turn the starter as well

 

[Lee's Automotive]

Solved. It was a very miniscule amount of corrosion on one the positive battery terminal posts, one of the connecting wires had corrosion on the bottom of it, and it built up enough to cause it to no longer get power from the terminal. You would have not seen this just by looking at the terminal, it had to be taken apart to be found. Once it was clean, the car started. It baffles me, because the starter wires all had appropriate voltage going to them. So I can only assume something else wasn't getting the power it need to allow the engine to turn over.

I have aftermarket battery terminals installed for about 3 years because the originals corroded so badly they couldn't attach well anymore. I was having a large mount of that greenish dust on them every few months. And once I replaced them, I never had an issue since now.

I guess the lesson from this is to start from the very very basics. Check those terminal thoroughly first, do continuity testing on all the power wires connecting to the terminals.

Thank you all for your help!

No problem bro I'm glad your issue is fixed and yep it's crazy what corrosion can do to a vehicle