No idea what the deal is

[castlerover]

Hi all,

In my last post and stated that my series 2a would not start and all that was happening was the single click from the solanoid. From that point on I bench checked the starter, it was good. I cleaned all the grounds, they are good. I put a new solanoid in. I charged battery, its reading 12.5 volt. I even put a new battery in from another vehicle and that did not start it. What the heck can be causing the truck not to start. This was an all of sudden thing. It drove great one day and the next it would not start. I have a gear reduction starter in it with the built in solanoid that has a bypass wire on it, so it runs off of the oringinal solanoid. Help

[martindktm]

Is the engine still turning over? Try to start it with the hand crank. Maybe that's why its not starting....

[castlerover]

no the engine is not turning over. The only thing that happens when I turn the key is the single click of the solanoid. It seems like no power is getting to the starter. I do not have a hand crank to crank it over, I should get one.

[NickDawson]

Have you checked power to the starter? If you are able to have it engage on the bench then the lead from the solenoid to the armature should be good; you'd just need to check the hot lead from the battery to the solenoid terminal (I think, someone fact-check this statement).

I think Martindktm is asking is if the engine will move freely. You might be able to put it in 4th and get some help pushing it... or pull the plugs and turn the fan belt... if you still have the starter off, you might try to move the fly wheel with a large screwdriver or wrench.

I'm also a little confused (owing mostly to the fact that I have the mechanical skill set of a caveman) about this bypass of the integrated solenoid. Without the magnetic solenoid on the gear reduction starter, how is the gear being kicked out to the flywheel?

[SafeAirOne]

Without the magnetic solenoid on the gear reduction starter, how is the gear being kicked out to the flywheel?

Some are mechanical...

[zony]

OK... I'm not a wrenchie either... and this may sound stupid... so whack away :-)... but if starter is good, battery is good... how about your battery cables? I recall from my CJ5 days having the same problem... in my case it was deep corrosion in the battery cables from the snow... just thinking it might be something hidden and hopefully inexpensive?
Marc

[ArlowCT]

Sounds like it could be a ground issue. Do you have a nice clean ground strap running from the engine block to the frame?

Also, just because you can hear the solenoid click shut does not mean power is getting through. Have you made sure with a volt meter that power is making it all the way to the starter when you flick the key?

Hope all this messing around will lead to the answer. Good luck.

[Rineheitzgabot]

Is the engine still turning over? Try to start it with the hand crank. Maybe that's why its not starting....

Martin was asking if the engine WILL turn over at all. Is the engine able to turn over, when turning the crankshaft with a means other than the starter.

(edit: I went back and saw that ND spoke about this earlier; sorry.)

[martindktm]

Martin was asking if the engine WILL turn over at all. Is the engine able to turn over, when turning the crankshaft with a means other than the starter.

(edit: I went back and saw that ND spoke about this earlier; sorry.)


Yes thats what I wanted to ask. Because all the best ground and battery on earth wont turn it if the engine is seized by something.

[bear7343]

Long shot hear, however having just dealt with a clutch issue that drove me insane it may be the following. Are you getting a single "click" from the solenoid or are you actually getting a single "thunk" from the transmission? If it is from the transmission your vehicle may be stuck in gear and as a result, the engine can't roll over due to the tranny being engaged. The hand crank solution would work to tell you this, however since you don't have one you could jack the back wheels off the ground and try to roll it over.