Startup problems

[Jeremy4601]

Tahoe is ‘02, 4WD, 5.3, almost 300k miles (all mine ). Been running great with zero issues. Yesterday… took the kiddo to a birthday party, went to leave and when I turned the key… “click”. Nothing else.

Took the battery out and went to have it tested. It passed with flying colors (as expected because gauge was showing good voltage and had ample power everywhere - lights etc). Given that we were in a semi secluded parking lot at 9pm, I had her towed home to start investigating. Haven’t dug in just yet. Hoping to get a few ideas here first, as my knowledge of these things is not that great.

Haven’t had the slightest bit of “attitude” from the starter so I wouldn’t think that’s an issue. One thing I did notice is that when I turn the key on… I’m not picking up any kinda noise/hum from the fuel pump. Is that still a thing to even look for?

 

[rockola1971]

Fuel pump isnt keep your engine from turning over. Check battery wires at ground and starter solenoid for loose or corrosion.

 

[Scottydoggs]

starters go "click" when they are bad. try hitting the body of the starter with a hammer a few times while someone holds the key to crank. if she fires up get a new starter, the hammer blows are a temp fix.

 

[rockola1971]

starters go "click" when they are bad. try hitting the body of the starter with a hammer a few times while someone holds the key to crank. if she fires up get a new starter, the hammer blows are a temp fix.

Another culprit to the "click" could also just be a burnt solenoid. For those that dont know, a solenoid is literally just a high current relay shaped like a can. The 2 contacts inside it get burnt over time and get caked with carbon which is nonconductive. Sometimes running the key back and forth from engine crank on to off will bounce the contacts in the solenoid just enough to knock off some of the carbon and cause a good electrical connection which allows the starter to start spinning the engine over. Electrically the 2 contacts within the solenoid, one is connected to the that big terminal lug red cable (which is a direct connection to battery positive) and the other contact is connected to one side of your starter motor. So the solenoid is literally an on and off switch for the starter which is controlled by the S (switched) terminal on your solenoid (small post). That S terminal is looking for a 12v + which comes from your ignition switch. Starter and solenoid are grounded off the engine for the 12v negative. So the S terminal is one side of an electromagnet (coil) and the other side connects to ground. When that S terminal gets 12v the coil of the solenoid becomes energized and a magnetic field is created and that field sucks a metal rod inward. That rod pivots with an arm which just so happens to knock the bendix gear outward directy underneath the ring gear on your flywheel. At the same time the rod being sucked inward actuates the 2 high current contacts (approximately 650-800 Amps!) against each other and 12v+ is fed directly to your starter windings (motor) and it starts spinning the engine over via the starter gear which is meshed with the ring gear on your flywheel.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Another culprit to the "click" could also just be a burnt solenoid. For those that dont know, a solenoid is literally just a high current relay shaped like a can. The 2 contacts inside it get burnt over time and get caked with carbon which is nonconductive. Sometimes running the key back and forth from engine crank on to off will bounce the contacts in the solenoid just enough to knock off some of the carbon and cause a good electrical connection which allows the starter to start spinning the engine over. Electrically the 2 contacts within the solenoid, one is connected to the that big terminal lug red cable (which is a direct connection to battery positive) and the other contact is connected to one side of your starter motor. So the solenoid is literally an on and off switch for the starter which is controlled by the S (switched) terminal on your solenoid (small post). That S terminal is looking for a 12v + which comes from your ignition switch. Starter and solenoid are grounded off the engine for the 12v negative. So the S terminal is one side of an electromagnet (coil) and the other side connects to ground. When that S terminal gets 12v the coil of the solenoid becomes energized and a magnetic field is created and that field sucks a metal rod inward. That rod pivots with an arm which just so happens to knock the bendix gear outward directy underneath the ring gear on your flywheel. At the same time the rod being sucked inward actuates the 2 high current contacts (approximately 650-800 Amps!) against each other and 12v+ is fed directly to your starter windings (motor) and it starts spinning the engine over via the starter gear which is meshed with the ring gear on your flywheel.

Very good description of the process! Perhaps, should be bookmarked and posted as a separate informational thread.

 

[Jeremy4601]

Thanks for the much appreciated input. While doing some research I found a video about starter location/replacement that indicated there was a wire running from the starter to an oil level sensor that would need to be disconnected. This rang a bell in my mind as for the last couple months I have been regularly notified on the dash to “check engine oil level”. Now, she does burn a little bit of oil but nothing noteworthy. At its worse, I’ve had had to add a half a quart when checking the oil level after the notification. I check oil with almost every fill up so it’s kept up with pretty good.

So, now I’m wondering, if the oil level sensor is faulty and indicating a low oil level could that connection be disabling my starter?