ticktickticktickticktick!!

thats all i hear when i turn the key

battery connection ok.

what else?

 

Did you disconnect anything in order to install something, or did it just happen like overnight. Some info about your car would also help.

 

95 LT1...just installed a new optispark

before opti, it would crank constantly...but not kick over.

now the car just ticks when i turn the key. battery is good, alternator is new. battery connections are nice and tight and not covered in corrosion

 

And your sure you connected the opti correct.

 

yes, the plug only fits in one way with teh groove on the side.

 

If you a sure the cables positive and negitive are tight then next bang on the starter while someone else turns the key. If it still does not work test all terminals for proper voltage and if it is correct take apart your starter and clean it up. That is the same thing that happened to me just 3 weeks ago. It's kind of funny mine was after an opti install to.

 

the weird part is that it was fine before the opti change...but my car did sit for about 3 weeks. but the battery is strong since i can turn my headlights on and they are bright like always, and i tried jumpstarting the car....what was your problems fix red on red??

 

My car sat for 2 weeks I put in pacesetter LT, droped the tranny, changed opti, and put on new exhaust setup. In the process I took the starter off and set it aside. 2 weeks later I am excited to here it and same problem you have. So I went through the process I mentioned above and could not affored a $110.00 starter so I took it apart to see if anything was wrong, looked good so I cleaned everthing up put it back together and it fired right up. I forgot to mention I also replaced the solinoide but that did not fix the problem. The only problem I now have is after about 20 or 30 times starting the car it will just click, I then turn the ignition key 3 to 5 times and it will fire up. One of these day's I will have it rebuilt.

 

my starter is about a year old...maybe 18 months. i didnt touch anything on it tho...starter was left untouched.

 

Turn your lights on when you try to start it and see if they dim when you turn the key. If they do then it's possible your starter is siezed.

 

well, sometimes when i turn the key, it tries to crank, but then all the lights seem to shutdown and then nothing happens...then when i remove the key, and do it again....it just ticks

 

Just cause your lights work doesn't mean the battery is strong enough to crank the car. It sounds like you got a dead cell in the battery. Try checking the voltage at the battery. It will say 12.x volts. Now have a buddy crank it over and then watch your voltage drop . When a cell goes the battery can longer support the load of starting so thats all you'll hear. Happened twice to me. I thought the mechanic was full of but when I tested the battery while starting, he was right.Give it a shot, see what happens.

 

Best thing to do with a starter that you think is going bad is to tap the body with a hammer, lightly, don't give it full on pissed off blows. Try cranking.If it starts chances are it was a bit gummed up inside. I had one on my truck go bad and the one I just replaced when I put my 383 into the Z28. Both times a light tapping was all it took. This is only to buy you time so you are not stranded somewhere. You may be able to get along for a long time doing that but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

I'd make sure your batter is fully charged before you start throwing money at it

 

I'd agree with the battery solution as well. I had sort of a similar incident, where it would just click for no random reason. I jump started the car, and Vrrm! Fired right up. So I knew it was the battery.