Will not crank

[dwh4784]

So you hear the starter spinning/whirring but not engaging anything?

[Who-is-JohnGalt?]

Sometimes. I'm wondering if the wiring could be bad, or if there is an impedance that's causing it to not yet enough power to spin, even though the battery tests at 12.3 volts which should be more than enough to spin the starter. All the fusible links test good, the wiring has some scorching on it in various places but is intact and not frayed at all.

[Who-is-JohnGalt?]

Ok, so I have got into the car a bit more....


The battery full charge, just won't spin the motor over at all. Starter is working as I can hear it come on when I turn the key on. I have started replacing the battery cables as the old ones were pretty ratty and jerry rigged and some of the wires into the main loom that goes into the sbec were only connected by a single strand of wire. It got dark before I could finish, but I'm wondering what else it could be.


And thanks for all the helpful advice and suggestions offered here so far, I appreciate it.

[dwh4784]

What do you mean by this part here, what exactly are you hearing and with the key in what position?

Starter is working as I can hear it come on when I turn the key on.

[Who-is-JohnGalt?]

I hear the solenoid when I try to start it and like a whirring? sound but starter gear not engaging motor.

[dwh4784]

If it is actually spinning without engaging it is either not popping out of it's rabbit hole or your flexplate is missing teeth. All of your spinning of the motor by hand should have moved it to a different spot so missing teeth is less likely. If it is spinning in place without coming out to mesh with the flexplate I'm not really sure what would cause that other than a bad starter and you have a new starter in there.

You're sure that the whirring you are hearing is not the fuel pump correct? Post #13 you describe the fuel pump as whirring also, just want to make sure because the starter spinning should be noticeable compared to that. The fuel pump will prime (whir) to life when the key is first turned ON for a few seconds. Then should go silent, by that time you are turning the key expecting the starter to fire up.

[RoadWarrior222]

My next order of attack would be solenoid harness, battery and engine grounds, unplug alternator (Bad alt can short bad enough to stop effective starter operation and flatten battery) if you can get it fired up with a charged batt and alt unplugged, something screwed with alt. Check solenoid harness and grounds first though.

[dingles9]

Did you look over your FUSE LINKS? I had a fried wire that kept my fuel pump and starter from engaging.