I would try to check for spark if I can get the engine to actually turn over. Like I said in the previous post I might now be having an issue with the starter. The battery has been checked by two places and both said it was good CCA and voltage. I don't know if they can also load test. Mine actually had about 120 more CCAs than what it was advertised. So now I have to get back to the point of being able to rotate the engine over to check for spark, either starter or battery.

 

Have you checked the main cables at both ends for corrosion and damaged wire strands? Doesn’t take much corrosion buildup or broken wire strands to cause problems with cranking.

Limited LTCC info:

https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/lt1...ctions-882760/

 

What I don't get about why it won't crank now is it would crank a few days ago even with the check engine light for DTC 36. It still would crank a lot but it would eventually start. Hell it was a running, starting, driving daily car that had no problems about 3 weeks ago. Between the shut off driving and now the no crank condition what could have gone bad just like that?! If the parts stores say the battery is good I still wonder if they are actually testing for load as well.

 

I'd be giving thought that maybe all the extra cranking has killed the starter. It doesn't take all that much to overheat one internally.

 

I'll try to get the starter off then. It looks like a pain in the *** to remove. Any tips for removal on an automatic car? I believe some transmission lines are in the way. I had it replaced about 2.5 years ago when my transmission was out for a rebuild so access was way easier.

 

Has your weather been significantly colder over the past few weeks?

My experience with battery testing goes back decades. With a fully charged battery you hooked it up to a carbon pile load,and set it to draw 1/2 of the rated CCA for 15 seconds. Then you checked the battery voltage and temperature. I see more contemporary volt meters being used for testing, but I believe the test is typically run with the battery in service, not out of the car.

Is it possible you have left an interior liight on, or have an aftermarket electrical device (audio system, amplifier) that is suddenly applying a parasitic current draw to the system even when the key is off?

I run a Battery Tender on my Firebird because it sits unused for extended periods of time. But eventually (6 or 7 years) the battery dies. In the recent extended cold spell here in the northeast, and with reduced vehicle usage due to Corona virus, my wife's Prius needs to be started at least once a week. My leased 2019 Subaru Forester with limited miles seems to be cranking slowly after a few days not being started, and it has a huge battery because of the auto stop/start in traffic, heated seats, heated steering wheel, etc.. But, I just got a recall notice that there is a control module in the power lift gate system that is causing battery problems.

 

I put an new aftermarket head unit in around Thanksgiving. I previously had another aftermarket head unit in before that. The only other weird thing that has happened twice now since the radio install( but before the DTC 36/shut off and no crank issue currently) was I got in the car and turned the ignition to on just before start and the radio didn't turn on. I swapped a few of the 15 amp fuses in the fuse panel driver side and it worked again...so strange. I was almost wondering if that was ignition switch related since key on seems to power up the radio among other things. Then I started to wonder if the ignition switch could have caused my sudden shut off as well as the no crank issue?

 

Do try somehow to be sure you are getting strong current down to the starter and it still doesn't work before pulling it off. Different battery/jump starter etc.. I'd hate to suggest you 'buy a starter' and that not be the problem.

​​​​By the way, your car looks great man!

 

Thanks for the compliment! Those pics were just after I got it repainted in October. Same GM green metallic but with GM WA 391 grey metallic in center of hood and around headlights and grille/fog light area and rear Camaro taillight panel.
Pioneer do you think I could just check voltage with a meter at the starter before I take it off? I do have the ability to test my battery on a different starter at my work so I plan to try that this week.

 

Voltage at the starter means nothing if it isn’t operating. A very fine wire, badly corroded can provide 12+ volts when there is no current flow. But when the starter is cranking the engine, it can be pulling 200 amps. If the large wire that supplies that current flow has broken/corroded strands, or corroded terminals, voltage drops significantly, and the starter labors.

 

Ok, maybe try that battery in another vehicle to see if it can support cranking load, then go from there. I do agree with you, If you replaced the starter just 2.5 years ago logic would say it should be good, but you never know.

Way I understand it, the starter motor armature (the center shaft inside the starter motor with the plates and copper windings) heats up from the high current it absorbs during cranking. The only parts of the armature that touch anything that can conduct heat away are the ends of the armature shaft where the bearings support the shaft, and the face of the armature where the brushes touch it- so not much contact to get rid of heat. It must radiate the heat to the starter casing, which is not very efficient transfer, and takes time. The casing is sealed against the elements so the armature gets no airflow either. Normally, a short crank is nothing for it- the current flows for a split second or two and the temp rises a few degrees, and then it's not used again for a long time so the heat bleeds off.

When your engine doesn't fire up, and you keep hitting the starter over and over, the heat builds up faster than it can get rid of it. Eventually something overheats and 'lets go'. Now, just how much cranking that takes I don't know.

If mine doesn't crank right up I hit it for a few good bursts and then let it be for a while- like 15-20 mins to give it time to cool off a bit. I've never personally killed one, but I've seen others do it in frustration trying to crank a vehicle. Even if the starter survives the abuse, it almost certainly shortens it's life.

Looking at those nice paint jobs on yours and Injuneer's cars makes me want to paint mine. It is the old 'early 90's Camaro deep-red-burgundy' color. They called it 'Patriot Red' but it never looked 'Red' to me- but I liked it. It's so faded and weather-abused now that I wouldn't dare post a pic.

Are those wheels on yours the staggered-sized Vette wheels? I picked up a set of those years ago for a good deal. I have never tried to locate tires for them. They are stored in my attic. I had replica ZR1 wheels on my Camaro, then pulled them and put them on an 86' Vette I bought. I'm thinking of putting the ZR1's back on the Camaro, and putting the 5 spoke Y2K wheels on the Vette.

 

Great info guys. I really do appreciate the feedback. I have to work extra this week and weekend so I might not get back to the car for a bit unfortunately. Yes the wheels are 18x9.5 GM Y2K on all four corners (all rears from a Vette) I have a 1/2 inch spacer on the front and ARP wheel studs and 3/4 inch spacer on the rear so make it look staggered. Wheels also painted like center of hood.

 

Okay update finally. So the starter ended up breaking physically. The nose cone broke off. I'm not sure why or how. I got that replaced by a shop. That shop also did some checking after replacing the starter and said they thought my problem was the optispark. I got a new Petris unit and got it installed finally this weekend and it's back up and running. Thanks again guys for the help!