I got home this morning and went to start the wife's 2000 Expy, and I all I got was "clunk". Checked battery, was a just at 12.02, but enough to turn over. Put charger cables on my truck and her's. Got a 13.60 while charging, tried again, "clunk". Checked Fender-mounted relay, 13.50, and checked the starter-mounted solenoid contacts. All showing 13.60 or above. I can hear/feel the solenoid "clunk" when the key is turned over, but it's not engaging. I tried shorting the 2 terminals on the Fender-mounted relay, still just a "clunk".

Installed new starter and solenoid last year. Cleaned battery cables and terminals. Anybody know of any ideas on how to check the Starter-mounted solenoid without having to remove the entire starter from the vehicle? It wasn't fun removing it last year and I'm just performing normal diagnosis, until I have to yank it back off.

Can I run a jumper cable from the positive to the starter solenoid 12+ contact and see if that will do it or eliminate a possible bad wiring issue, even though I saw at least 13.50 with the battery being charged? I know that if there is corrosion, loose connection, or even a few strands of wire touching, I could still see 13.50, but not a good enough connection to deliver the amperage to the starter to engage.

Thanks again!

 

Go remove the serpentine belt and see if the starter can then crank the engine. Accessories can "jam" the engine.

 

Will try in the morning. Thanks for the idea!!

 

New starters go bad too, especially if it's a rebuilt and not actually new.

 

Darned right! I learned many years ago that "NEW <> GOOD" the hard way, of course.

 

Supposedly new, "Ultima" from O'Reilly. But I put a new alternator on shorterly there after and it only lasted 1 month before the bearing cup fell out and destroyed the shaft inside.

 

Did you try shorting the posts on the firewall mounted solenoid? If the contacts are burned up in that it could still click but not provide enough power to the starter.

 

You could try the old tap the starter motor with a hammer while trying to start the motor trick. If it cranks when being tapped it is all but certain a bad starter.

 

UPDATE:

I got the ol' girl running again. Turns out that the copper lugs on the positive side had corrosion inside where the bolt tighten down to the post. Wired, scraped and cleaned everything, got a new battery terminal post/lug and attached it, and it fired over.

Thanks again for everyone who posted with ideas and questions. I certainly thought I was in for a cat and mouse game. Glad it was an easy fix!

 

Is this at the starter post or the post on the battery?

 

The post on the battery.