9D1BURD

My 91 firebird(3.1 liter) has developed a starting problem. When i turn the key the starter clicks once and thats it. I changed the starter saturday, so i know it's good. I assume the one click i hear means it has power? Does the starter get it's ground from it's connection to the block? if it does could that area need cleaned? I have slight rear main leak and some oil has gotten in that area. Could the oil be killing my ground connection? thanks in advance!!!

Camaro_hunter_d

um sounds like lack of power from battery. Usually a clicking noise is the electricity arching inside the silinoid. Try a battery and see what happens. If your ground was bad nothing would happen.
Just to make sure though you are saying that the engine is NOT turning over at all and you are hearing clicking noise. If thats is the situation then try a battery, that will more than likely be the culpret.
Rememeber to keep it simple. Work from the power source back/forward. The sole purpose of the battery is to start the car and nothing more. Yes people use it for other things but that is the battery's design, to start the car.

9D1BURD

Thank you for replying, I hear one click when i try and start it, it's not a continous clicking sound. Just one lone click. I thought if it was the battery and would keep clicking until i let off the key? And it is not turning at all. After about 15 turns it fires right up. Do you still think it could be the battery?

TomP

Have you tried starting the car with jumper cables between your battery & a good battery? That would eliminate a "weak battery" guess.

Did you clean all the ring terminals at the starter with a very fine sandpaper? Are the connections at the battery clean & tight?

If you have a $10 remote starter switch, you can jump the starter without using your ignition key. First, remove the coil wire from the center of the distributor cap. Then, connect the remote start switch between the positive terminal of your battery and the B+ terminal on the SOLENOID (where all the thin wires go to). Then, press the switch. If the starter spins freely, you know the wires to the solenoid are probably dirty.

Yes, the starter gets it's ground from the block. The thick wire to the motor comes off the battery. The ground comes from the thick cable at the bottom of the front passenger side of the engine. I think you're fine with the ground, though.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
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9D1BURD

Yes i cleaned everything when i changed that starter. Where can i get a remote start switch like you were talking about TomP? If my wires are dirty, what should i do? Sorry if my questions seem dumb, but i am clueless about this one. thank you

86Chicken

I would put the battery on a charger for a while to be sure that it has enough juice. Then check the connections at the battery and the starter again to be certain that they are Ok.

My 'bird does the same thing about once a month. All I have to do is clean and tighten the pos. cable at the battery. My mom's Buick has a similar problem but on her's the neg. cable comes loose over time

Dale

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1986 FireBird
2.8L MPFI
Gutted Cat, No muffler (Sweet Sound)
Was 700-R4 --> Now T5

TomP

Any Pep Boys (or similar) sells the switch.. it looks either like a gun-trigger or a big pushbutton, with alligator clips on each wire (total=2 wires).

To clean the ring terminals, just buy a pack of fine sand paper, like, 320 or 400 grit, and rub the terminals until they look clean. To clean the battery terminals, you can use a battery-cleaning wire brush.. it's basically just a round wire brush. Really you're just making sure the battery terminals aren't corroded. If they're shiny, you're probably good.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
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ChevyGuy87

the same thing happened to me when i put a new pos battery wire on. make sure that it's tight at the starter and the battery

TomP

ChevyGuy, where'd you get the positive cable from? GM told me I'd have to measure mine, tell them the length, and they'd sell me one. They said they don't have a part # for my car- AND, what I don't like, is the parts guy said it wouldn't have a red insulator at the battery, it'd be black. Sounds like a good way to accidently cross the positive & negative cables! Of course I could paint it red, but I don't want to... did you go through GM for it?


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
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ChevyGuy87

nope. i just went to autozone. and get this, its red

Camaro_hunter_d

Fires up after sitting for 15 miutes after you try to start it huh?... Thats a new one to me. Well if the engine had been running then refused to start it would be the selinoid overheated...I would say take off the wires(at the starter) and clean throughly and out on some dialectric gease when putting them back on. Hell with that stuff your car could fire up underwater...LOL


Well I would try the complete wire cleaning first though. If you have to you can direct wire a push button start switch, That could be a prob too, the rods in your steering column not aligned right...I have seen that before. Could start at any position and have a hellofa time tring to get the thing to turn off. So I quess it could go for the reverse to start... Does the key turn easily with no resistance? No sticking in either direction?...If it turns good then I have no clue then...

Graeme'sFirebird

Same thing happens on my boat. Know what it is...its the solenoid. When the engine warms up it makes the wires in the solenoid spread apart, when they cool they come back together

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1989 Firebird
2.8 v6, t5 swapped in

Ram Hi-po clutch, Cold Air, 1.6 rockers,Lakewood LCA's, Lakewood Lift bars, Wonder Bar, 3" y-pipe, Random Tech Cat, 3" I-pipe, Flowmasters, MSd 6a, MSD Coil (Fireball in future) Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Ignition Module, Auto Meter Gauges (Water, Clock (needed one) Fuel Pressure, and 5" monster tach)TB Bypass, 4th Gen Seats

Coming for my v6:
Panhard Bar, 4thgen front seats, Nitrous, Line Lock, and Ram Air 2 hood

"I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to not have run at all"

TomP

Great! Thanks, ChevyGuy, I'll check that out!


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
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Xenodrgn

Nevermind. Sorry.

[This message has been edited by Xenodrgn (edited June 12, 2001).]

Camaro_hunter_d

Well he can't start when the engines cold...not hot...

Horst

same thing with my firebird, I changed the solenoid and every thing was fine again.
you can check your solenoid visually for black marks,if it has, this means it is burned in this part.

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www.marion-becker-nidda.de
91 Firebird 3.1
Modsynomax ultra flow stainless steel -americanracing rims (ar26) rear 15x8 255/60
front 15x7 235/60
www.members.aol.com/tramphorst/pontiacpics

Camaro_hunter_d

Nevermind read something wrong here...The silinoid is getting "stuck". Thats why after a few tries it works fine. The silinoid has a bad spot. replace it

9D1BURD

Thanks again for your help, i will replace that tonight.



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1991 Firebird
3.1 Liter
No Mods(yet)

9D1BURD

Oh wait, i just chaged my starter so the solenoid is brand new!!! or am i wrong in saying that the gm starters have the solenoids mounted on them????

[This message has been edited by 9D1BURD (edited June 13, 2001).]

TomP

Correct, the solenoid's the smaller can, on top of the large starter motor. That's why I think it's a bad connection somewhere; since you just replaced the starter- but hey, you could've gotten a bad starter.

If you remove the starter, you can "test it" on the ground. Get jumper cables, a remote start switch, and put some boots on. Connect the remote start switch between the terminal of the solenoid that held all the small wires, and the BIG terminal that held the positive cable. Connect the cables to your battery, but don't let the other ends touch!! Now, clip the negative clamp of the jumper cables to the case of the starter motor; somewhere silver, like the mounting bolt area. Put your foot on the starter motor, and press the motor into the ground. Clip the positive jumper cable clip to the BIG terminal of the starter solenoid.

So your hookups at the starter are: Case = negative jumper cable, small solenoid terminal = remote start switch, large solenoid terminal = positive jumper cable AND remote start switch.

With your foot on the starter, hit the remote switch. The starter should spin fine... if it acts up, bring it back and complain.

Just be careful to NOT let the jumper cables short out, and to keep your foot on the starter- it'll jump, and could make the jumper cables short out (if they fall off).


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

9D1BURD

I will be doing that tonight, thanks for all the great help everyone.


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1991 Firebird
3.1 Liter
No Mods(yet)

Camaro_hunter_d

or you can clamp the positive cable to the big bolt post and touch the neg cable to the small post and it will do the same thing. without a starter switch(no need to waste the money in my opinion). Still hold it down cause that thing will JUMP when the bendix engages and the gear spins...

Joe_L

Okay, to narrow down the bad Battery quest, when you hit your key does the clock go out, when it makes this click. Mine did this 2 weeks ago, bad connection, the positive terminal was a little loose.

Is your radio holding its time, and radio stations you pre-set. If not you have a loose connection, dirty terminals, or a bad battery.

If none of these are happening, I would say your problem lives in the soilinoid. But you'll have to listen to TomP on that one.

KED85

IF YOU HAVE A BAD STARTER, seek out the best rebuild or a AC DELCO unit or even rebuild the original starter thing yourself.
IT's not difficult at all and it's kinda fun.
Pep Boys has the kits they go for about $14 or so. Only need sandpaper, brake cleaner and some grease (axle is fine).
IF YOU NEED NEW SOLENOID, seek out a DELCO unit.
DELCO units are the best!!

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

92bird

Hey, I have a 92 firebird (3.1 v6) and I have the same problem...
My car will click once when I try to start it. I cleaned the terminals yesterday and just tightened my postive, must have came loose on all my crappy roads round here
Try that and it may help....also I just installed a new starter