How to diagnose a starter cranking problem?

Click no-crank, no-click no-crank, or slow crank. Step 2: Charge the batteries and perform a battery load test on the battery bank Step 3: If the load test fails, individually test each battery and replace any faulty batteries Step 4: Then perform a voltage drop test on the starter main cables.

What does no start no crank no click mean?

If you have a late model GM vehicle and turn the key only to hear nothing, you’ll most likely think you have a dead battery—and you may. But a no start, no crank, no click condition can be far more involved than that. In the old days, power flowed through the ignition switch and down to the starter solenoid. Not anymore.

Where does the 12 V go in a no crank car?

With the ignition key in the on position, there should be power on the heavy gauge red wire and a strong ground on the black wire. When the ignition key is pushed to the crank position you should have an additional 12 V going into the relay and 12 V comes out on the wire that runs to the starter solenoid.

What are the symptoms of a cranking system?

While cranking problems can be frustrating, but identifying and correcting the root cause does not have to be. The first step is to identify the symptoms. In a cranking system, you can divide your symptoms into one of three possible troubleshooting categories: – Click No-Crank: The solenoid clicks but the starter doesn’t crank.

When to use no crank, no start?

Whenever you have a no start condition when attempting to start your vehicle it’s important to make the distinction between “no crank, no start” and “crank, no start” situations as they are treated differently.

What is a typical GM starting system wiring diagram?

Click on the image here to pull up a PDF of a typical GM starting system wiring diagram. Depending on the year, model and engine of your GM vehicle, your starting system may be less complicated or use only some of the components shown here. For example, earlier anti-theft systems didn’t communicate the same way with the PCM.

Why does my car not crank when I start it?

This way when it’s time to fire up the vehicle the battery can be charged, tested and installed. If the vehicle will not crank when the battery is known to be good, we won’t have to backtrack and check it again. When it comes to vintage cars and batteries the biggest problem is when unexpected long-term storage occurs.

What are the wires in a classic car starter relay?

Classic car starter relays will often have four wires in the connector. With the ignition key in the on position, there should be power on the heavy gauge red wire and a strong ground on the black wire.