# chevy 1500 wont start



## shaww (Nov 7, 2007)

i pulled my truck into the parking space, and as i was pulling in, it shut off. i tried to start it but it would not. i dont think it is the batery because i already tried jumping it. i then thought it was the alternator, but it tested good. could it be the starter? if it is how do i fix it


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## manic (Aug 2, 2005)

Is the starter clicking? When you hit the key does it try to start.?


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## shaww (Nov 7, 2007)

it does not click at all. all my electronics turn on, but it doesnt make any noise. i tried hitting it for a minute with a wrench while my buddy tried starting it, but nothing.


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## manic (Aug 2, 2005)

Check the wires going to the starter, trace them all the way back.
If you feel brave you can run a hotwire directly from the battery
to the starter, have the key on, and brush it across the positive 
side of the starter. Its like hotwiring the truck. Be careful doing this
and dont do it if you dont feel safe. But if you do this and the starter
tries to start the truck you have a wiring issue, possibly, or ignition.


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## shaww (Nov 7, 2007)

i was told it was dangerous to do that. but should i just get the alternator, and the battery tested, and then if they are both good, does that mean i need to replace the starter.


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

It quite may well be the solenoid, so the hot jump like manic explained would test that. However, be very careful when doing a hot jump to the battery. Leave the key off, and it may turn over since you are bypassing the solenoid, but not start. That is what I would do if it were mine. 

I recently had a tractor that did the same thing. It would do nothing except all the lights came on, etc. When I took one of the cables off the solenoid to test it, the cable was enough burned through with corrosion that it would not handle the amperage to engage it or even click. Changed the cable...and away we went. This tractor was less than six years old and the solenoid battery cable from the battery should not have done that.

You can also check the solenoid by finding out where the battery (if accessable) goes on the solenoid, then looking where the starter hooks on another post and just touch a cable on both with the switch off.....it will turn over, but not start if it is the solenoid.


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## shaww (Nov 7, 2007)

i dont know if it is that i am just slow, or stupid, but i am not understanding this. i am always afraid of being shocked or something. but what exactly is the hot jump. is it when you take the jumper cable, and hook the pos and neg up to the battery while attaching the other positive to the celenoid? and even when i do the hot jump, how wil i know what to replace. sorry for all the stupidty


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

First of all, no one is stupid or asks stupid question on this forum. Some of have more experiences (O.K., I am older, much older) and that is how we learn, so let's work with this without being hesitant to ask questions if you don't understand. We prefer that you do instead of doing something you should not.

*Jumpers from car to battery*:

Now to the issue at hand... if you tried to jump it from another car and got nothing (make sure you have positive (+) to positive and negative to negative (-), it is most likely not the battery at this point if you made sure you had a good connection to the battery cable or posts. 

So, that is done. To be safe, remove the jumper at this point.

*Now, to check the cable between the battery and solenoid:*

Find the positive on the battery + and then trace that wire down, you will find the solenoid. Take the jumper wire down to that solenoid post (only use that one post where that cable is on there, (there are others on there) and attach the jumper on to that one post and making sure it is not touching any others. Then, take the jumper to the battery + and attach the cable there. Turn on the key and try to start it and see if it turns over. Then, if it does not, it must be either the solenoid or starter.

*To check the solenoid and/possibly the starter*.....Take the jumper cable off at this point to be safe.

Leave the key off. Then, find the starter. Put the jumper cable on the starter while the other end is not contacting anything. Then, take the other end of the jumper cable and touch it on the + side of the battery with the key still off. If it turns over....likely, you have a bad solenoid, or a bad cable between your starter and the solenoid. 

If it does nothing, take the starter off an have it checked by a mechanic. (_or, you can hook the positive up to the starter from the battery, and take the ground wire from the battery (jumper) and ground it to the starter...If it runs, is good, and if does not spin, then most likely bad_.)

Help, any mechanic on here who can help this one?

Again, hesitate to ask anything on here. Maybe a real mechanic could explain it better than I did, so hope some others jump in here. Where the heck are you MT??????????


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## 89camaro (Nov 4, 2007)

on a lot of chevy small blocks the starter gets poor ventilation. due to this the starter soaks up engin heat due to being so closs to the engine and exaust0 manifolds. this is a normal problem for small block. my car has it right now. you drive it for a while and shut it off sgo hsopping or whatever adnb come back and you get a no start no crank condition.

to test the starter do as the other have said. however i do not recommend using jumper cables to do this because they are to big and have bare metal exposed to be used safely on a starter, i would take a scredriver or other insulatedgrip metal object, and "jump" meaning connect the big fat terminal on the starter solonoid to the tiny post with oone wire on the solonoid. you will most likely destroy said scredriver due to it arcing to the chassis or engine. sparking is normal and is scary at first because you wont be ready for when it makes contact. i had to do this in a major downpoar on a highway barely off the road once when my ignition coil "jurry rig" failed duie to the rain.
when doing this remeber to set the scredriver on the smaller post on the solonoid(the big round thing on the top of the starter that the big fat usually red cable is connected to) and than slowly for your sake touch the other end of the screwdriverto the big terminal with trhe battery cable connected to it.
i also posted a looong list of other emergency fixes i have used in the appropriate thread todsay so feel free to browse if your into a long read.

i reccomend doing this with the key in the on position meaning turn it till your gauges turn on. this way if you succed in getting the starter to turn over the engine it will start meaning you dont have to do it again and you can get it to a sho that much faster. also it lets you know that your car is getting 3 things upon starting:fuel/air/and spark.

and you looking for a real mechanic has been answerd although im not employed as one now i have worked as one and completed an auto program.(im not boasting jsut trying to instill confidence)

replacing a starter is fairly easy. 
step 1 disconnect the negative battery terminal THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP DONT FORGET THIS IT WILL BE VERY BAD.(this will aslo clear any memory setting in any electronics in the car)
step 2 once the battery is disconnected remove the bolts holding the starter to the tranny/engine.
gently lower the starter and support it.
3rd remove the wire connections to the starter. 
4th can be tricky depending on the car. remove the starter from the vehicle.
5th reinstall with new starter in revere order of these instruction.
putting the starter back in can be even harder than removing it as you have to a get it back in place properly and b; thread one of the bolts that holds the starter to the car in place and let it support the starter while you wiggle the starter so you can get the remaing bolts in place that hold it to the car. it should be noted that you reconnect the starter wires to the starter---NOT THE BATTER TERMINAL TO THE BATTERY THOUGH hehe step 1 as listed above should be preformed last when reinstalling the starter.

good luck.


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

Hey 89camaro, thanks for the boost. I was getting in pretty deep there, so needed someone who has done that stuff on a daily basis. I have only done that stuff on a repair your own situation, so don't claim to be a certified Mechanic. Have a great evening and thanks for the reply on this one.


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## 89camaro (Nov 4, 2007)

not a problem ill check back periodicaly to lend a hand. check out my poorly typed book on emergency fixs in that thread. by poorly typed i mean letters where theyre not supposed to be and no punctuation i need to look at the keyboard to type at a decnet speed and my fingers tend to slip to the wrong keys. hehe take care and you can send me a pm if ya need help


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## STEVE1981 (Dec 3, 2007)

All the suggestions are good places to start,but make sure the truck is in netural and park brake on for safty,if it's a manual this will override the safty switch.


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