Intermittent starting issue - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

67-LS1 · 06-08-2021, 11:06 PM

Sometimes when I try to start my car I just get a clicking. Just like a dead battery. But if I turn the key over and over, eventually it will catch and start. Spins like crazy.
I’ve checked the battery cables, grounds, etc but still the same thing.
Any ideas?

AlanRubin · 06-09-2021, 01:20 AM

More then likely, it's the starter, signs of it starting to go bad, usually the solenoid,
which is built into the starter.

67-LS1 · 06-11-2021, 06:14 PM

Crap. Well I guess I’ll change the starter. Maybe the parts store can check it first.

xstuntman · 06-12-2021, 10:13 PM

Could be a bad relay or solenoid, loose wiring or low voltage. Even a weak FOB battery could cause it.
If the above check out adding extra grounds to the alternator starter and ECU might help. These cars have a rediculous amount of grounding going on.

67-LS1 · 06-13-2021, 12:29 AM

Thanks. I hope to get my brothers 65 Mustang off my lift tomorrow and check this out. Hopefully it’s something easy like a loose wire.
PI’ve got ground straps on three corners of the block, two to the body and one to the frame. and the forth corner is the ground cable to the battery.

AlanRubin · 07-02-2021, 03:25 AM

A weak FOB battery has nothing to do with the starter, and won't cause anything
but the doors not to unlock or lock. The starter grounds through the metal housing
where it bolts to the car. Adding grounds will do nothing for the starter. Where
do you people come up with this crap? Weak FOB battery? Come on!!! Only if
it has REMOTE START, and the car didn't get the signal because of the weak
battery... This guy said nothing about remote start, and said he checked all the
grounds, which there are TWO MAIN grounds.

The starter has TWO connections, and TWO BOLTS, and that's it. I just did mine,
and it was easy. These cars are known for starter issues.

When it SPINS like crazy, that means the starting gear was not thrown out to catch
the teeth on the flywheel.

Also, you do not even need to HOLD the key in the start position to crank the
engine. All you do, is turn to start and release, and the electronics to the rest. It
will crank on it's own, and stop when the car starts, or stop after 5-6 seconds if there
is a no-start. If the starter motor is stuck, it clicks ONCE, then after 5-6 seconds it
clicks again when the solenoid is released.

The starter has the solenoid ON the unit, so all you have is a relay that sends power
to the solenoid. TWO wires, that one, and battery power from the jumper post. The
starter is always 12V Hot, and engages when the solenoid is latched.

The FOB doesn't even NEED a battery to start the car. The transponder is powered
INDUCTIVELY at the ignition cylinder. You have no idea how the system works, and
you don't have any right to offer help when everything you wrote was incorrect!
If the car doesn't read the key, the LOCK light comes on, and you won't even
GET a click. If you don't know how the system works, you should READ, and
KEEP reading.

67-LS1 · 07-02-2021, 08:23 AM

I ended up replacing the starter. I could not imagine what else it could have been.
This engine is not in a Camaro. It’s from a 2013 Camaro but it’s in my 66 Chevelle, so I don’t have a key FOB or remote starting. I have an old style key that you do have to keep turned to keep cranking.
When I said spin like crazy I meant the engine would spin and start so it wasn’t the bendix. When it didn’t start it sounded exactly like the click of a dead battery.
Anyway, thanks for the inputs but (fingers crossed) it’s now working.
I did notice on the new starter that there is a flat pad on the top thats painted green like for a ground screw. The old one had the same pad but no green paint. There had never been a screw in it so it was never grounded in the Camaro donor car either. It might have been for another application???
And it was a bitch to get the starter out because of my motor mounts. I clearly did not leave enough room between the starter and the mounts I built to get the starter out. My bad.

xstuntman · 07-02-2021, 11:33 AM

Alan,
Its typical of many cars to not start with a dead or weak FOB battery. Also adding grounds is a common practice and has been used often here on Camaro5. We are hear to help each other but you just come off as angry.
Forget the Metamucil maybe?
Have a great day BTW.

67-LS1 · 07-03-2021, 07:34 PM

Well, It wasn’t the starter… We went for a drive to the coast today and stopped at 8-10 different places and three times it just clicked. I kept trying and it eventually starts.
My wife thought the clicking was from the key area, not under the car, so I’m going to change out the ignition switch just to be sure. Cheap insurance and I’ve never changed it before so it could very well be original 55 year old switch.
If that doesn’t cure it I’m at a loss.

Pagliaro · 07-06-2021, 06:40 PM

This happened to me in my camaro and it was the starter. Odd it wasn't for you.

67-LS1 · 07-07-2021, 10:34 AM

I now think it’s my neutral safety switch.
I had to cut my own shifter detent plate to make the stock Chevelle shifter work with the 6L50 transmission. The NSS was replaced when I put it in (because I broke the old one) so I’m checking the throw to make sure it’s aligned.
There is some adjustment in the switch. But I have to pull my custom console which requires pulling the passenger seat and the back seat bottom so a minor PITA.

67-LS1 · 07-09-2021, 06:03 PM

That was it! Neutral safety switch. The linkage is not as tight as it should be and was pushing slightly sideways on the switch.
I’m going to look at reconfiguring then whole mess.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

06-08-2021, 11:06 PM	#1
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Intermittent starting issue Sometimes when I try to start my car I just get a clicking. Just like a dead battery. But if I turn the key over and over, eventually it will catch and start. Spins like crazy. I’ve checked the battery cables, grounds, etc but still the same thing. Any ideas? __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

06-11-2021, 06:14 PM	#3
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Crap. Well I guess I’ll change the starter. Maybe the parts store can check it first. __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

06-12-2021, 10:13 PM	#4
xstuntman Drives: 2012 Victory Red LFX Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: west central Texas Posts: 1,310	Could be a bad relay or solenoid, loose wiring or low voltage. Even a weak FOB battery could cause it. If the above check out adding extra grounds to the alternator starter and ECU might help. These cars have a rediculous amount of grounding going on. __________________ 2018 SS wheels, red Heritage grille, actual driving lights, ZL1 strut tower brace, GM Performance billet aluminum fuel door, front grille Bowtie delete, painted red rotors and calipers, 1/4 window American Flags, splash guards, AEM dry panel air filter.

06-13-2021, 12:29 AM	#5
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Thanks. I hope to get my brothers 65 Mustang off my lift tomorrow and check this out. Hopefully it’s something easy like a loose wire. PI’ve got ground straps on three corners of the block, two to the body and one to the frame. and the forth corner is the ground cable to the battery. __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

07-02-2021, 08:23 AM	#7
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	I ended up replacing the starter. I could not imagine what else it could have been. This engine is not in a Camaro. It’s from a 2013 Camaro but it’s in my 66 Chevelle, so I don’t have a key FOB or remote starting. I have an old style key that you do have to keep turned to keep cranking. When I said spin like crazy I meant the engine would spin and start so it wasn’t the bendix. When it didn’t start it sounded exactly like the click of a dead battery. Anyway, thanks for the inputs but (fingers crossed) it’s now working. I did notice on the new starter that there is a flat pad on the top thats painted green like for a ground screw. The old one had the same pad but no green paint. There had never been a screw in it so it was never grounded in the Camaro donor car either. It might have been for another application??? And it was a bitch to get the starter out because of my motor mounts. I clearly did not leave enough room between the starter and the mounts I built to get the starter out. My bad. __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

06-09-2021, 01:20 AM	#2
AlanRubin Banned Drives: 2010 LS Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Pgh Posts: 411	More then likely, it's the starter, signs of it starting to go bad, usually the solenoid, which is built into the starter.

07-02-2021, 03:25 AM	#6
AlanRubin Banned Drives: 2010 LS Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Pgh Posts: 411	A weak FOB battery has nothing to do with the starter, and won't cause anything but the doors not to unlock or lock. The starter grounds through the metal housing where it bolts to the car. Adding grounds will do nothing for the starter. Where do you people come up with this crap? Weak FOB battery? Come on!!! Only if it has REMOTE START, and the car didn't get the signal because of the weak battery... This guy said nothing about remote start, and said he checked all the grounds, which there are TWO MAIN grounds. The starter has TWO connections, and TWO BOLTS, and that's it. I just did mine, and it was easy. These cars are known for starter issues. When it SPINS like crazy, that means the starting gear was not thrown out to catch the teeth on the flywheel. Also, you do not even need to HOLD the key in the start position to crank the engine. All you do, is turn to start and release, and the electronics to the rest. It will crank on it's own, and stop when the car starts, or stop after 5-6 seconds if there is a no-start. If the starter motor is stuck, it clicks ONCE, then after 5-6 seconds it clicks again when the solenoid is released. The starter has the solenoid ON the unit, so all you have is a relay that sends power to the solenoid. TWO wires, that one, and battery power from the jumper post. The starter is always 12V Hot, and engages when the solenoid is latched. The FOB doesn't even NEED a battery to start the car. The transponder is powered INDUCTIVELY at the ignition cylinder. You have no idea how the system works, and you don't have any right to offer help when everything you wrote was incorrect! If the car doesn't read the key, the LOCK light comes on, and you won't even GET a click. If you don't know how the system works, you should READ, and KEEP reading.

07-02-2021, 11:33 AM	#8
xstuntman Drives: 2012 Victory Red LFX Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: west central Texas Posts: 1,310	Alan, Its typical of many cars to not start with a dead or weak FOB battery. Also adding grounds is a common practice and has been used often here on Camaro5. We are hear to help each other but you just come off as angry. Forget the Metamucil maybe? Have a great day BTW. __________________ 2018 SS wheels, red Heritage grille, actual driving lights, ZL1 strut tower brace, GM Performance billet aluminum fuel door, front grille Bowtie delete, painted red rotors and calipers, 1/4 window American Flags, splash guards, AEM dry panel air filter.

07-03-2021, 07:34 PM	#9
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Well, It wasn’t the starter… We went for a drive to the coast today and stopped at 8-10 different places and three times it just clicked. I kept trying and it eventually starts. My wife thought the clicking was from the key area, not under the car, so I’m going to change out the ignition switch just to be sure. Cheap insurance and I’ve never changed it before so it could very well be original 55 year old switch. If that doesn’t cure it I’m at a loss. __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

07-06-2021, 06:40 PM	#10
Pagliaro RIP Betsy ( Vitara ) Drives: '11 SGM 1LT/RS Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 1,178	This happened to me in my camaro and it was the starter. Odd it wasn't for you. __________________ First retrofitted 2014 mylink.

07-07-2021, 10:34 AM	#11
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	I now think it’s my neutral safety switch. I had to cut my own shifter detent plate to make the stock Chevelle shifter work with the 6L50 transmission. The NSS was replaced when I put it in (because I broke the old one) so I’m checking the throw to make sure it’s aligned. There is some adjustment in the switch. But I have to pull my custom console which requires pulling the passenger seat and the back seat bottom so a minor PITA. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

07-09-2021, 06:03 PM	#12
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	That was it! Neutral safety switch. The linkage is not as tight as it should be and was pushing slightly sideways on the switch. I’m going to look at reconfiguring then whole mess. Thanks for all the suggestions. __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.