NEED HELP Starter only clicks

cretecrawler

Original poster
Member
Jan 11, 2016
102
Citrus Springs Florida
2006 denali 5.3l 2 wheel drive. Drove my grand babies to school Friday morning as usual with no issues whatsoever, 25 miles round trip. Got back home, then 30-45 mins later decided to go on another errand and the Voy would only click, no other issues. All accessories worked with no problems. I could turn the key to start position and it would click once then not again click for a couple moments. Trickle charged battery for approximately 12 hrs till light on charger turned green. Then it would click every time I turned the key to start position. So tried jumping it off another vehicle, no change. Pulled the battery from the running vehicle and swapped it into the Voy with again no change. So WRESTLED that *#&'&"$ starter out and took it down to be tested. Starter tested good with no issues. WTH??? What's next??m
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,344
Ottawa, ON
Did you check the relay? try jumping it?
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,344
Ottawa, ON
Although it shows the 4.2, it's the same procedure.

 

TJBaker57

Member
Aug 16, 2015
2,900
Colorado
Here's a look at a 4.2 fuseblock & starter relay socket... The PCM terminal markings are likely not correct for a V8 though but I suspect the rest to be the same...

IMG_20201002_135506.jpg
 

cornchip

Member
Jan 6, 2013
637
My experience in the past year has been a bad ground cable. The starter solenoid will 'tap tap tap' when you turn the key. Ultimately I replaced the ground/positive cables with new. When I diagnosed it, I took my jumper cable from NEG on the battery to the casing on the alternator....the best ground I could find. Did the trick in my case. These cables do go bad with time.
 
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cretecrawler

Original poster
Member
Jan 11, 2016
102
Citrus Springs Florida
My experience in the past year has been a bad ground cable. The starter solenoid will 'tap tap tap' when you turn the key. Ultimately I replaced the ground/positive cables with new. When I diagnosed it, I took my jumper cable from NEG on the battery to the casing on the alternator....the best ground I could find. Did the trick in my case. These cables do go bad with time.
No sir, just tried that and no improvement
 
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cretecrawler

Original poster
Member
Jan 11, 2016
102
Citrus Springs Florida
I have removed the starter and had it tested and it showed all good. Even rapped on the starter and no change. It is only clicking once for each key turn which in old school terms says to me that the starter is bad. There is no rapid ticking like a bad connection or bad (corroded) wire. I made sure it had good clean connection at the starter. Everything in the vehicle is otherwise working as normal.....
I would think if the starter is the culprit and it just happened to test good on O'reilly's machine then I should get it to turn over at least once in a while
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,344
Ottawa, ON
I know how much of a b!tch it is to R&R the starter on the V8. For the trouble, better to just replace it and not have to do it again.
 

cretecrawler

Original poster
Member
Jan 11, 2016
102
Citrus Springs Florida
I know how much of a b!tch it is to R&R the starter on the V8. For the trouble, better to just replace it and not have to do it again.
Ugh, just did that, not a fan. O'Reilly want $175 for the (in stock) starter. Didn't even ask what brand it was when Rock Auto was $135 for AC Delco.

Ended up having to jack up passenger side of engine and remove brace plate to squeeze it out. But I put it back in already.
 
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TollKeeper

Supporting Donor
Member
Dec 3, 2011
8,053
Brighton, CO
Now the big question, will it start with the new starter!?

If it doesnt, you could always just run a large lead from the battery to the main lug on the starter. If it starts, you know its in the wiring.
 

cretecrawler

Original poster
Member
Jan 11, 2016
102
Citrus Springs Florida
But that means just buying a new starter to find out. I will try running a jumper cable from the battery to the starter. Then if that doesn't work I am gonna take it out again to see if it is not performing with enough torque to turn the engine.
 

budwich

Member
Jun 16, 2013
2,048
kanata
since it appears that you have some sort of access to the starter connections, then you should do some electrical measurements at those connections to see what the state of the starter is.

At the starter, check for voltage on the "b" connector... it should be seeing 12v all the time. Further if you have a test light, it should light bright.

Your description of the symptoms might need a bit a more. You initially indicated that you only hear a click when the key is turned to start. Was that click from the start relay (in the fuse box) or the solenoid on the starter itself. It appeared that you never heard the starter solenoid UNLESS you jumped the relay... is that true? Go from the answer and test results.
 

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