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Motor won’t start.

Old Jan 5, 2021 | 10:14 PM
  #1  
Nastytransam96's Avatar
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Motor won’t start.

No crank, no start. Nothing at all. Just stuck.
96 trans am lt1.

Last edited by Nastytransam96; Jan 5, 2021 at 10:18 PM. Reason: Left out vehicle info
Old Jan 5, 2021 | 10:31 PM
  #2  
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Are you saying when you turn the key to “START” nothing happens, the starter does not engage and crank the engine, no clicking of the solenoid?

When you turn the key past “RUN” to “START” do all the dash lights come on for a few seconds - bulb check?

Does the “SECURITY” light turn on and stay on, or possibly start flashing?
Old Jan 5, 2021 | 10:34 PM
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Motor won’t start.

On my old Camaro if you didn't use the correct number of shines that could happen. Also not tightening the bolts correctly or using the wrong starter could also cause this. Sounds like this isn't that uncommon.
Old Jan 5, 2021 | 10:36 PM
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Originally Posted by Injuneer
Are you saying when you turn the key to “START” nothing happens, the starter does not engage and crank the engine, no clicking of the solenoid?

When you turn the key past “RUN” to “START” do all the dash lights come on for a few seconds - bulb check?

Does the “SECURITY” light turn on and stay on, or possibly start flashing?
so to answer this. I try to start the car and it just sounds like a clunk, I can hear the starter engage. All the lights are normal on the dash. I have look into almost everything. Took off the spark plugs and cranked. Haven’t tried to take off the converter and check. I just fully built the motor and installed a 3200 stall torque converter. I drove the car everything was good until I parked it for winter and went to start it and nothing. Battery is brand new. Starter is absolutely brand new. Used the car for one day from the shop to the house. That’s it. Everything in motor is brand new and forged.
Old Jan 5, 2021 | 10:37 PM
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From: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
Re: Motor won’t start.

OK.... I see you also posted in an old thread that your starter is split in half.

https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/lt1...e-help-378284/

Probably would have been helpful to include that info here. You already have a response in the other thread.

Old Jan 5, 2021 | 10:40 PM
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Yes correct. That post was from 2003 so I didn’t think anyone would see it lol. I changed it yesterday. It’s brand new. It boggles me. I think it’s possibly the torque converter but who knows. Because the starter was split. I have the starter I’ll post a picture.
Old Jan 5, 2021 | 10:47 PM
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Re: Motor won’t start.

In the post from mrmint69 (above, copied from other thread), he mentions an issue with the shims. When you installed the new starter, did you measure the clearance?

From Shoebox:

http://shbox.com/1/starter_gear.jpg
Old Jan 5, 2021 | 10:53 PM
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Sorry I think this is confusing. I like talking better over the phone. So the starter was found to be cracked. Not necessarily the real issue here. My car was driving completely fine until parked. Then I went to go start yesterday and it wasn’t starting. I thought the battery was dead so I put it on charge for a good 2 hours. Then I did a battery test everything was great actually. I have an optima red top battery. Then I went to start but still nothing. So I raised the vehicle on the hoist (yes I have a hoist) and checked the starter. I noticed it was split. So I thought that was the issue I mean why not the starter is split. So I installed a new one. I go and try to start and no luck. There is power to the starter. Then I go try to spin the crank and it’s very hard to do so. Then I left it at that. Haven’t touched it much today. I hope this helps.
Old Jan 6, 2021 | 12:42 AM
  #9  
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Are you saying that when you turn the key to “START” the starter is energized (has power), but is unable to turn the flywheel/flex-plate (depending on which trans you have?)? That might explain why it cracked. Is it possible the engine is hydrolocked?
Old Jan 6, 2021 | 08:39 AM
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Originally Posted by Injuneer
Are you saying that when you turn the key to “START” the starter is energized (has power), but is unable to turn the flywheel/flex-plate (depending on which trans you have?)? That might explain why it cracked. Is it possible the engine is hydrolocked?
Yes that’s correct. So guess what I tried I took a breaker bar and tried very hard to turn the crank. I got it to turn about 2 times. Then I try to go start and it almost started. Before that it wouldn’t even crank over or anything. So what does that mean? Hydrolocked?
Old Jan 6, 2021 | 08:55 AM
  #11  
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Auto or manual trans?
Old Jan 6, 2021 | 09:09 AM
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Auto trans.
Old Jan 11, 2021 | 03:09 PM
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Pull your spark plugs and turn the key to the start position, see if it spins freely. Look to see if you have water or coolant coming out of the cylinders. Your motor can't compress water=hydrolocked.
Old Jan 11, 2021 | 07:16 PM
  #14  
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Re: Motor won’t start.

Could also be leaking fuel injector, stuck open. Pull the dipstick and see if the oil smells of fuel.
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