2010 Equinox - Starting issue - Help please

Automotive
#1

Hi Guys,
I’ve got an intermittent starting issue. Whent it occurs the solenoid clicks and then nothing. No cranking at all.

Some details:
1). The alternator was replaced <1 month ago
2). The battery was replaced last weekend
3) before the battery was replaced the “Service battery charging system” illuminated 2

Tests this far:
1) The load tests at Orielly’s showed the battery, the alternator, and starter are working properly.
2) i voltage tested a few points, when I was experiencing a no start issue. I got 12.5v across the battery terminal. I got 12.5v from positive terminal to the engine block. Low but not horrid.
3) I banged on the starter and it still didn’t start.

Any ideas?

#2

Are you certain that it is the starter solenoid, and not other relays? My F150 will still click the relay that sheds some loads during starter engagement, even if the neutral safety switch is not reflecting park or neutral.

#3

the low voltage might mean you need to check your grounds.

does it jump from another car?

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#4

How did they test the starter?

#5

@kbraby
The sound is coming from the starter area rather than the relay area. Any ideas on how I can be more sure?

@PearceDunlap
I checked multiple spots by putting the DMM negative lead on a on those spots, engine and frame locations, with the positive lead on positive battery terminal….no difference in voltage.

@procterc
They had me turn the car off and start it with the load tester connected….I assume it looks at voltage drop while starting.

 Thanks for the questions thus far….keep those and the suggestions coming.
#6

I’ve had that particular symptom happened twice on my Ram.

The first time the Bendix would engage but not fully which would result in the solenoid clicking but it wouldn’t engage enough to turn the motor resulting in nothing else happening except the solenoid click.
The only way to really test for that would be to take the starter off of the vehicle so you can see exactly what it’s doing as you test it. AutoZone and O’Reilly’s both should be able to test the starter with it off the vehicle.
That’s also why when you said that it was tested while it was on the vehicle sounded odd to me because every time I’ve had a starter tested, they’ve made sure to tell me that they could only test a starter solenoid while it was on the vehicle but to fully test the starter itself, I would have to take it off.

The second time I had those issues happen, I ended up taking out spark plugs, after testing everything I possibly could, just to make sure the motor was rotating.
Come to find out I had had a head gasket fail between a cylinder and water jacket so the motor would sit, water would leak into the piston and hydrolock the motor, resulting in the same symptoms of the starter click but nothing else.

Not sure if either one of those would be your problem, but it’s definitely something to look at.

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#7

Guys,
Thanks for all the good replies. After @madscists ‘s post I looked it up on YouTube and found this:
https://youtu.be/kFsl5r34lCI

  Which convinced me it was the starter.   I bought a new starter and went to put it in today.   It is a pain to get to….because I’m a full sized human and getting under a car requires lifting it.

image
image4032×3024 3.47 MB 

 As you see from the image you can’t see the stud terminal or cable….so I don’t feel bad about missing it during initial troubleshooting.


   Any ways I got unadulterated access to the starter and I found the nut on the positive terminal of the solenoid was missing.   When I wiggled the wire from under the hood it wasn’t loose because there was retaining strap I couldn’t see.
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