Good afternoon. Many motorists are familiar with the situation when the starter clicks, but does not turn. As for evil, such situations occur at the most inconvenient moment, for example, at gas stations or when leaving for work.
In today's article, we will tell you how to determine the malfunction and, if possible, start the car to get to the place of repair.
Before telling the troubleshooting algorithm, let's look at the starter device. For clarity, watch this video:
As you can see, the starter is a conventional DC motor and relay. When you turn the key in the ignition and hear a click, it is the retractor relay that clicks (the coil and contacts at the top of the screen in the video). If the starter does not rotate, but clicks, the following options are possible:
- dead battery.
- failed starter relay
- burnt contact nickels in the retractor relay.
- worn starter brushes.
- starter anchor stuck.
- no power plus is supplied to the starter (because if there is no mass, there will not even be clicks of the retractor)
Below we will analyze each of these malfunctions in detail, and tell you in which malfunctions it will be possible to start the car on the spot, using the existing starter, in order to get to the service.
The battery is heavily discharged- the most common cause of clicks when turning the ignition key.
This error looks like this:
In our video, you can see that at the start, at first, the starter barely turns the engine, and then it just cracks .... With a strong discharge of the battery, the starter will not even try to crank the engine, but will immediately make nasty clicks.
The fact is that the battery voltage is not enough even to trigger the solenoid relay!
Solutions to the problem:
- light a cigarette from another car ( .
- start the car from a pusher / tug (if it is with a manual transmission).
- take off and
Your starter is good!
Starter relay failure.
Relay failure manifests itself as a soft click when the key is turned.
In this case, you can start the car with a simple screwdriver. It's done like this:
Attention! If you are not confident in your abilities, do not do it. It is better to contact a specialist or call a tow truck. If you make a mistake when starting this way, the vehicle may move unintentionally or fire due to a short circuit.
- put on the parking brake.
- using a screwdriver, we close two contacts on the solenoid relay (as in the video).
- after starting the engine, remove the screwdriver and go to the place of repair.
Burned contact nickels in the retractor relay.
This malfunction manifests itself in the form of loud clicks when the key is turned to the start position and the key is released. In some cases, the starter may operate.
Here is a video example of such a malfunction:
How to quickly diagnose contact nickels?
Everything is extremely simple - open the hood, take a screwdriver, and bridge these two terminals:
If a spark jumps during the jumper, and you hear the sound of the electric starter rotating, you can be sure that you have burnt contact pads.
In this case, the car can be started with a screwdriver!
How to start a car with a starter when contact nickels are burned?
Attention! If you are not confident in your abilities, do not do it. It is better to contact a specialist or call a tow truck. If you make a mistake when starting this way, the vehicle may move unintentionally or fire due to a short circuit.
In order to start the car when the contact nickels burn out, it is necessary to simultaneously bridge all three contacts on the solenoid relay.
The closure of two contacts under the nuts is necessary for the rotation of the armature, and the closure of the control contact in order for the overrunning clutch (bendix) to engage with the flywheel.
The order of starting the car in case of failure of contact nickels:
Vehicle with manual transmission:
- put on the parking brake.
- turn on neutral gear.
- open the hood and prepare a flat screwdriver.
- turn the key in the ignition switch to the ignition on position.
- after starting the engine, remove the screwdriver and go to the place of repair.
Vehicle with automatic (+variator and robot) transmission:
- we install a car parking brake (for a robot and a variator).
- open the hood and prepare a screwdriver (maybe two).
- turn the ignition to the on position, press the brake, move the gear selector to the park (P) position.
- using a screwdriver, we close all three contacts on the solenoid relay (sometimes one screwdriver is not enough and you have to take two).
- after starting the engine, remove the screwdriver and go to the place of repair.
The starter brushes are worn out.
The malfunction manifests itself in the same way as the burning of the contact nickels (loud clicks when the ignition key is turned), the only difference is that when the brushes are worn, the starter will never rotate.
It is checked in the same way when the contacts of the retractor relay are bridged with a screwdriver.
like in this picture:
Starter spinning does not start, sincerely not observed.
How to start a car?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to start a car with this starter, it must either be repaired or replaced.
If the machine is equipped with a manual transmission, it may be possible to start with a pusher or towing method.
If the car is equipped with an automatic transmission, it makes sense to call a tow truck or a tow truck.
Stuck starter anchor.
If, by some miracle, the brushes hold out, then when you turn the key to the start position, you will hear a very loud click, and then, for a while, all appliances will go out (you may feel a specific smell)! In the same way, the burning out of the mass is manifested!
In any case, the car itself will not go anywhere. It is necessary to make diagnostics and follow the tow truck / tug to the place of repair or parking.
The starter is not supplied with power plus.
For clarity, look at this picture:
Without a test light or a multimeter, you will not determine this malfunction! And in general, without appliances, it can be confused with brush wear!
As you can see, if the power wire from the battery to the retractor breaks, the starter will not work, but the retractor will click.
If, during a visual inspection of the direct battery-starter wire, you do not see any damage, call a tow truck / tow truck and follow to the place of repair and diagnostics.
That's all I have today. Let the situation when the starter clicks, but does not turn, no longer happens to you. If you have any questions or if you want to supplement the article, write comments!
It is not uncommon for a situation when you go out to work in the morning or on a day off (going shopping) - you approach your car, get behind the wheel, insert the key into the ignition, turn it and ... a click occurs, but the engine does not start.
Let us consider such cases in more detail in order to know what to do if such an unenviable situation does occur.
To find out why the starter clicks but does not turn, it is necessary to disassemble its device and the switching circuit, including the nodes on which its operation depends. We divide the entire structure of interest to us into three elements:
- power system - for a starter, this is, first of all, a battery;
- switching - all connections (wires and relays);
- the starter itself.
So - let's get started.
Option one - battery
Perhaps this is one of the most common types of malfunctions of this kind. Its essence lies simply in a discharged or inoperable battery. Determining a discharged one is simple:
- if the retractor relay clicks, but the starter does not turn, while the lamps on the dashboard go out, the battery is the culprit;
- when a series of clicks occurs, while the lamps also noticeably dim - then, as in the previous case, the battery is to blame;
- if nothing happens at all, then the battery is also probably discharged - you need to check it with other loads (for example, turn on the headlights).
If the battery is the cause, then it would seem that everything is simple - just charge it (or) and you can hit the road. But not everything is so elementary, because the unexplained reason that caused the result in the form of an unsuccessful launch will cause the same result again. Therefore, it is worth figuring out what the battery is discharged from.
Everything is elementary if the light was simply left on somewhere, or another consumer. But if everything was turned off, then you need to check the quality, as well as the health of the battery itself.
Switching
Switching the starter is simple - plus the battery is screwed to the solenoid relay, minus on the case, and a small wire from a typical relay controlled by the ignition switch is suitable for starting.
Relay
If, when the ignition is turned on, the relay clicks, but the starter does not turn (and the solenoid relay also does not work), then the reason may be in the relay itself or the control cable. You can accurately set it in a fairly simple way - you need to apply “+” power to the control terminal of the starter (where the cable of the smallest cross section is connected, shown by an arrow in the photo).
If the starter starts to “turn”, then the reason is in the wiring, relay or ignition switch.
Note. Before checking, you must make sure that the car's gearbox is in neutral, otherwise the car may start moving.
By the way - if the trip is urgent, then in this way you can start the engine. It is enough just to turn on the ignition and manually (by supplying positive power to the control terminal) start the engine.
Bad contacts
If the starter clicks, but does not turn and, at the same time, extraneous sounds occur (as an option, it clicks, then it does not click) - it is necessary to check all connections, especially the power cable.
The point here is that when starting the engine, the starter consumes a fairly large amount from the battery - about 200 amperes. If the contact is insufficient somewhere, then out of the required 200, only 10 can “get” it, which is enough for the operation of the solenoid relay, but not enough to start. In the same case, a series of "clicks" can occur.
It is necessary to check all connections (including battery terminals), clean the contact pads from oxides, lubricate them with a special one and tighten with the recommended torque.
Starter malfunctions
Usually this kind cannot be eliminated without dismantling the assembly. But you can, relatively accurately, find out the reason. Consider the electrical part of the starter, which includes:
- windings;
- brush knot;
- solenoid relay.
Consider them in descending order of the probability of failure.
Solenoid relay
So, if the starter clicks once, but does not turn, you should check the solenoid relay. To do this, you can try to start the starter bypassing its switching. There are three terminals on the retractor relay - two of them are the largest (one input from the battery, the second output to the starter itself) and one small control one.
You will need a suitable tool - a screwdriver or a wrench, which can securely close two large terminals (in the photo with an arrow) for a short period of time, while it is necessary that the selected tool does not touch the body (any metal parts under the hood).
If, when the terminals are closed, the starter starts to rotate (possibly with a bang), then the solenoid relay is to blame.
Note. Do not start the engine in this way, because. Starter drive gear does not engage.
The point here is that inside the relay, the contact pads were simply “burnt”, and a dielectric layer of metal oxides formed on them. Given the high operating current, the contacts can “burn out” in one start attempt.
There are two solutions - you can disassemble the relay and clean the contacts, or replace it. The second option is much better, because. such repairs will last longer. This is due to the fact that in production the contact pads are covered with a special layer of non-ferrous metal alloy (including "noble"), which reduces electrical erosion and the likelihood of oxidation. Having cleaned them, this layer will be absent, therefore such a relay will not work for a long time.
brush knot
If it came to checking the brushes, then you can’t do without dismantling and disassembling the starter. It is during disassembly that the wear of the brushes will be immediately visible. Indirectly, this can be established by a long period of operation, because. the resource of the brush assembly is quite large.
It is worth noting that in some design options, if the brushes fail, the retractor relay may also not work. Those. if the retractor does not “click”, and the starter does not start to “straight”, then the brushes may well be to blame.
windings
A faulty winding can give off their color and smell. Naturally, this will become apparent when disassembling the starter, and, in many cases, it will be easier and more reliable (and sometimes cheaper) to replace it entirely. In general, the symptoms are similar to a malfunction of the brush assembly.
Many drivers have encountered such an unpleasant situation when the starter does not want to turn the engine and start the car. And it's not about the battery, because even attempts to move the power unit are not made. Just a kind of click is heard and nothing else happens. In such a situation, you have to start the car from the pusher or come up with other ways to start the engine.
If the starter clicks but does not turn, there are several types of car breakdowns that you should pay attention to. This problem will have to be solved immediately after it occurs, because further movement is possible only with a working starter. Especially when it comes to large cars, which cannot be started from a pusher.
The starter makes a few characteristic clicks, but does not turn the engine
The first option for the development of the situation in this case will be the occurrence of several successive clicks. If you listen closer to the unit, you can understand that these clicks are emitted by a traction relay. This means that the starter takes an electric charge, but the current only reaches the traction motor, without passing to the engine spin-up mechanism itself.
Such manifestations are perceived by drivers as a discharged battery. The lack of charge in the battery would allow one or two lazy cranks of the starter, so this problem is excluded in this case. It is better to pay attention to the following possible problems:
- the traction relay is faulty, which does not supply voltage to the starter itself;
- relay contacts with the main part of the starter are too loose;
- poor mass from the starter to the engine body;
- loose contact on other terminals associated with the starter.
Remember that the correct operation of the device is ensured only by the full operability of the vehicle's electrical system. One small contact violation is enough, and the starter will click, but not twist. Therefore, first of all, if such a problem occurs, check all connections and contacts in the starter. This will help you completely fix the problem or force the starter to spin up and start the engine once and drive to the diagnostic center.
The starter makes one powerful click and does not turn the engine
In such a situation, the list of problems is reduced solely to the starter itself. Again we confirm the fact that the charge supply reaches the starter, because the relay clicks. The failure of the relay itself is excluded, because some kind of malfunction blocks the normal operation of the device.
One powerful click and no further action from the starter may be the cause of an unstable charge supplied to the device. Try restarting the engine several times at 15-20 second intervals. You may be able to start the engine. If this does not happen, it is worth investigating such possible problems:
- the starter bendex is faulty, it is jammed and does not allow the entire device to turn;
- the retractor is broken and does not regulate the operation of the starter;
- breakage of the main winding of the starter or a short circuit inside it;
- starter brushes or bushings are extremely worn out and require immediate replacement.
In any situation, you need to contact specialists to fix the problem. If you have a similar problem, but the car continues to start on the second, third or fifth attempt, you still need to fix this problem. Otherwise, one day the starter will stop working and force you to look for alternative ways to start the engine.
Do not rush to buy a new starter if you encounter such a problem. It is likely that the old device can serve for a long time. You just need to carry out a quality service and check all the electrical parts of this module.
How to fix a starter problem?
Correction of any problem associated with such an important element of the car, it is better to entrust only specialists. They guarantee high-quality diagnostics and will be able to find a problem in your starter, which will lead to a real elimination of all problems. If you cannot start the car in another way, you need to do the following:
- dismantle the starter with wires from the car;
- deliver the device to a professional service station;
- describe to the service staff the behavior of the starter;
- ask for the repair to be done as soon as possible.
Then you need to check the performance of the starter even at the service, bring the device back to the car and mount it in the right place. So you can get a working car as quickly as possible and not lose a few days to repair the starter.
Video:
Summing up
If the starter clicks but does not turn, you have several options for solving the problem. First you need to check all the contacts visible from the outside and make several attempts to start the engine. It is also necessary to try to install the mass on the car body.
If this does not help, you should call specialists to repair the starter or take the device to a service center. With the help of such actions, you can return the car to working condition. Have you ever had similar problems with the starter, and how did you get out of them?
One of the main components of the ignition system is the starter. If problems arise in the operation of this mechanism, the car owner may encounter difficulty in starting the engine or inability to start it in principle. For what reasons, what to do in such cases? The answers to these and other questions are given below.
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Why won't the starter turn?
For what reasons the starter may not work, why can't you start the engine? As practice shows, most often the reason why a node on a diesel or gasoline engine can be “silent” is the lack of power to the device. There is a possibility that such a problem is due to a lack of power in the on-board network of the machine, respectively, the unit may not start due to a dead battery. In the event that the battery is completely discharged, this will lead to the fact that the node simply cannot start (the author of the video on the principle of the starter is Mikhail Nesterov).
If you are faced with such a problem that when you turn the key in the ignition switch, you cannot start the engine, then first you should diagnose the battery performance. Most often, the discharge problem occurs in the cold season, due to frost, the electrolyte freezes in the system. It is also possible that the reason lies in the disconnection of the terminals or their oxidation.
In this case, there is no need to panic, the problem can be solved as follows:
- first of all, disconnect the battery and remove the terminals from the terminals of the device;
- using an iron construction or toothbrush (you can also use fine-grained sandpaper), clean the leads to the devices, as well as the terminals;
- further, check the presence of electrolyte in the battery banks - to do this, unscrew the caps and make sure that the liquid completely covers all the banks without exception, add distillate to the system if necessary;
- then the battery charge is checked, this will require a voltmeter or multimeter, if necessary, recharge the battery;
- after that, check the integrity of the wires in the area from the battery to the starter mechanism;
- if everything is normal, then reinstall the terminals and securely fix them.
Photo gallery "Main malfunctions of the mechanism"
1. Blown windings of the mechanism 
2. Mechanical damage to the solenoid relay
If there is no voltage in the on-board network, then when you try to start the power unit, a strong click may be heard. If the minimum charge remains in the battery, then by turning the key in the ignition switch, the engine crankshaft will scroll weakly several times. If the problem is with the voltage, then the battery needs to be charged, there are no other options.
Now directly about the malfunctions of the mechanism, according to which it may not grasp and respond to the turn of the key:
- Failure of the relay or damage to the control wire. It is necessary to diagnose these elements, if necessary, replace the failed components.
- Lack of contact, in particular, it is necessary to diagnose the connection of the power wire. When the motor is turned on, a high current is supplied to the starter assembly, which is approximately 200 amperes. In the event that the contact is too weak, then instead of 200 amperes, only 10 or so can flow to the mechanism. And this, in turn, will be enough to click the retractor relay, but this will not be enough to start the internal combustion engine. In this case, it is recommended to diagnose all connections, if necessary, clean all contact surfaces.
- Malfunctions in the operation of the solenoid relay, such a malfunction is also accompanied by clicks at startup. The device can turn on directly if you want to solve the problem, in particular, bypassing switching. There are three outputs on the solenoid relay, two of them are large, one is the input from the battery, and the second goes to the mechanism itself. In this case, you need to try to close these terminals, for this you can use a jumper, a wrench or a screwdriver. Please note that the tool with which you will close should in no case touch the car body, that is, any metal components located in the engine compartment.
In the event that, as a result, the mechanism began to work, even with a bang, the reason lies precisely in the relay, it must be replaced. It is impossible to start the motor using this method, since the drive gear of the mechanism will not be able to engage with the flywheel. As for the retractor relay, the reason is most likely related to the burning of the contact surfaces, a dielectric layer of metal oxides could form on them. The problem of such a plan is solved by cleaning the contacts or replacing the relay, the second option being more preferable. - The next reason why the unit may turn off and not supply the voltage necessary to start the motor may be the wear of the brushes. If the reason is the operability of the brush assembly, then the mechanism will in any case have to be removed and disassembled. If the brushes are worn out, then after disassembly you will see it immediately. It must be borne in mind that, depending on the design features of the device, when the brushes are worn out, the relay may also not work, that is, it may not click.
- In addition, the inoperability of the mechanism may also be due to the failure of the windings, as evidenced by the characteristic smell, as well as the color of the elements. Of course, it is possible to determine the malfunction of these components as a result of removing and disassembling the mechanism. Sometimes it is impractical to change the windings, but it is better to replace the entire assembly. All starter elements usually wear out evenly, so if you replace one of the parts, then most likely you will have to change others in the near future (the author of the video is the Garage 91 Gomel channel).
How to get out of the situation and start the engine?
Location of terminals for shorting the starter directly
What to do if you cannot start the engine due to a malfunction of the starter assembly?
There are several ways to solve this problem:
- Replace or repair the mechanism. The repair procedure consists in dismantling the device and replacing the failed components. To accomplish this task, you need to know where the node is located in your car. When dismantling, you can see all the failed parts and change them for new ones. As we have already said, it would be more expedient to completely replace the entire mechanism than to repair it.
- If you need to go urgently, but the engine does not start, then as an option, you can try to start it from the pusher. The essence of this method is to push the vehicle until it can develop the optimal speed at which the starter mechanism will work. As a rule, it is enough to disperse the car up to 20-30 km / h, while it is desirable to set the second or third gear and turn on the ignition. When the car accelerates, jump into the passenger compartment of the car, depress the clutch and, releasing it, press the gas. If you did everything right, the engine will start. Please note that this method should never be used on cars with automatic transmissions, as this can lead to failure of the box.
- As mentioned above, you can try to close the mechanism directly. To do this, you will need to close the appropriate terminals on the device, and put the gear lever in neutral.
- Similar to the pusher method is the towing method. The only difference is that instead of pushing the car manually, another car will be used to pull your car on a cable. The principle of implementation is similar.
For a modern person, a vehicle has long been no longer a luxury, but an ordinary means of transportation. And quite often when driving, various problems can occur. Therefore, car owners should know at least some of the nuances in the operation of the car, and, sometimes, be able to fix problems on their own. Everyone knows that the main unit of the engine starting system is the starter. To start the engine, it must spin its shaft to the speed. However, it is not uncommon that the starter clicks, but does not turn. And there are a lot of reasons for this, which every motorist should be aware of if such a problem arises on the road.
The starter is a complex mechanical unit. Without it, any vehicle will be an ordinary pile of iron, and with its poor-quality work, any car always starts up for a long time. But, before moving on to the reasons for the poor performance of the starter, you need to know what it consists of:
- Spring ring.
- Guide bushing.
- Drive mechanism housing.
- Spring.
- Leading coupling.
- Cone.
- Pin.
- Rusk.
- Driven ratchet with gear.
- eccentric flange.
- Thrust washer.
- Drive mechanism.
- Lever arm.
- Core.
- Relay housing.
- Traction relay winding.
- contact disk.
- contact bolt.
- Brush.
- Collector.
- Frame.
- Anchor.
- Winding.
- Lid.
On some models of modern cars, starters are equipped with a remote control, the main parts of which are a drive mechanism, an electromagnetic traction field, and a DC electric motor.
Starter solenoid relay, why is it not working
There are a number of signs of a malfunctioning retractor relay:
- Sterter is generally silent.
- The starter spins idly and buzzes, but does not scroll the engine.
- The clutch with the flywheel does not include bendix, crunches and the motor does not turn.
- The solenoid relay trips, but the motor does not spin.
Checking the solenoid relay is very simple. It is necessary to apply voltage from the battery to the control terminal of the relay (the wire is easy to distinguish, it is the thinnest). If the engine spins, then the problem is in the solenoid relay. Perhaps the nickels of the contacts were burnt. To fix the problem, you need to remove the relay and clean the pennies. However, it should be borne in mind that this relay will not last long, since a layer was applied to the contact pads at the factory, which resisted electrical erosion. Now there is no layer, so it is not known when the burning of the contacts will occur again.
The starter clicks but does not turn, check the battery
Often the cause of this problem is a discharged or weakly charged battery. Checking if the battery is charged is quite simple. It is necessary to remove the negative terminal and measure the voltage. If it is less than nine volts, then the battery is really the culprit of the problem and needs to be charged. However, after charging the battery, you need to think about the reasons that led to its complete discharge, since it is not a fact that tomorrow it will also not be discharged.
The starter does not turn, but clicks, we check the mass of the body with the motor
The mass of the body with the engine is also worth checking. If it is incorrect, you must use another "ground" wire and try again to start the engine.
The starter does not turn, we check the mass of the engine
To check the mass of the motor, you will need "crocodiles" for lighting. They must be connected at one end to the engine, and the other - to the minus of the battery. The connection point must be thoroughly cleaned. Then, we start the engine, if the vehicle starts up more easily, and the voltage has increased, this indicates that it is necessary to clean the mass.
The starter does not turn, check the contacts of the traction relay
If the starter does not turn, it is imperative to pay attention to the contacts of the traction relay. In some cases, they may burn out. But if everything is in order with them, then, most likely, there is a malfunction of the mechanism itself and it is necessary to either completely disassemble the starter or replace it.
The starter clicks, but does not turn, the starter itself may be damaged
The following breakdowns can occur in the starter itself:
- Deformation or breakage of the plug in the bendix wire.
- Short circuit or break in one of the starter windings.
- Strong wear of brushes and bushings.
- Burnout of the power wire connecting the starter windings and the traction relay.
If there are problems with the starter, you should not delay the repair, as there is a risk of "stall" right in the middle of the road. It is worth noting that each specific case of difficult starting a vehicle is individual. The most common causes of this malfunction are collected above.