Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
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HOMESERVICE MANUALSCHEVROLET1971CHEVELLE BASE, 2D CONVERTIBLE, 5.0L ENG, ENG CD CCC, NOT AVAILABLE TRANSREPAIR AND DIAGNOSIS (SINGLE PAGE)GENERAL INFORMATIONBASIC TROUBLE SHOOTINGBASIC TROUBLE SHOOTING - GENERAL INFORMATIONACCESSORIES & ELECTRICALSTARTER TROUBLE SHOOTING
1971 Chevrolet Chevelle Base, 2D Convertible, 5.0L Eng, Eng CD CCC, Not Available Trans
Starter Trouble Shooting
1971 Chevrolet Chevelle Base, 2D Convertible, 5.0L Eng, Eng CD CCC, Not Available TransSECTION Starter Trouble Shooting
NOTE:
This is GENERAL
information. This article is not intended to be specific to any unique situation or individual vehicle configuration. The purpose of this Trouble Shooting information is to provide a list of common causes to problem symptoms. For model-specific Trouble Shooting, refer to SUBJECT, DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available in the section(s) you are accessing.
BASIC STARTER TROUBLE SHOOTING CHART
| CONDITION & POSSIBLE CAUSE | CORRECTION | |
|---|---|---|
| Starter Fails to Operate | ||
| Dead battery or bad connections between starter and battery | Check battery charge and all wires and connections to starter | |
| Ignition switch faulty or misadjusted | Adjust or replace ignition switch | |
| Open circuit between starter switch ignition terminal on starter relay | Check and repair wires and connections as necessary | |
| Starter relay or starter defective | See Testing in STARTER article | |
| Open solenoid pull-in wire | Testing in STARTER article | |
| Starter Does Not Operate and Headlights Dim | ||
| Weak battery or dead cell | Charge or replace battery as necessary | |
| Loose or corroded battery connections | Check that battery connections are clean and tight | |
| Internal ground in starter windings | See Testing in STARTER article | |
| Grounded starter fields | See Testing in STARTERS | |
| Armature rubbing on pole | See STARTER article shoes | |
| Starter Turns but Engine Does Not Rotate | ||
| Starter clutch slipping | See STARTER article | |
| Broken clutch housing | See STARTER article | |
| Pinion shaft rusted or dry | See STARTER article | |
| Engine basic timing incorrect | See Ignition Timing in TUNE-UP article | |
| Broken teeth on engine flywheel | Replace flywheel and check for starter pinion gear damage | |
| Starter Will Not Crank Engine | ||
| Faulty overrunning clutch | See STARTER article | |
| Broken clutch housing | See STARTER article | |
| Broken flywheel teeth | Replace flywheel and check for starter pinion gear damage | |
| Armature shaft sheared or reduction gear teeth stripped | See STARTER article | |
| Weak battery | Charge or replace battery as necessary | |
| Faulty solenoid | See On-Vehicle Tests in STARTER article | |
| Poor grounds | Check all ground connections for tight and clean connections | |
| Ignition switch faulty or misadjusted | Adjust or replace ignition switch as necessary | |
| Starter Cranks Engine Slowly | ||
| Battery weak or defective | Charge or replace battery as necessary | |
| Engine overheated | See ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM article | |
| Engine oil too heavy | Check that proper viscosity oil is used | |
| Poor battery-to-starter connections | Check that all between battery and starter are clean and tight | |
| Current draw too low or too high | See Bench Tests in STARTER article | |
| Bent armature, loose pole shoes screws or worn bearing | See STARTER article | |
| Burned solenoid contacts | Replace solenoid | |
| Faulty starter | Replace starter | |
| Starter Engages Engine Only Momentarily | ||
| Engine timing too far advanced | See Ignition Timing in TUNE-UP article | |
| Overrunning clutch not engaging properly | Replace overrunning clutch. See STARTER article | |
| Broken starter clutch | See STARTER article | |
| Broken teeth on engine flywheel | Replace flywheel and check starter pinion gear for damage | |
| Weak drive assembly thrust spring | See STARTER article | |
| Weak hold-in coil | See Bench Tests in STARTER article | |
| Starter Drive Will Not Engage | ||
| Defective point assembly | See Testing in STARTER article | |
| Poor point assembly ground | See Testing in STARTER article | |
| Defective pull-in coil | Replace starter solenoid | |
| Starter Relay Does Not Close | ||
| Dead battery | Charge or replace battery as necessary | |
| Faulty wiring | Check all wiring and connections leading to relay | |
| Neutral safety switch faulty | Replace neutral safety switch | |
| Starter relay faulty | Replace starter relay | |
| Starter Drive Will Not Disengage | ||
| Starter motor loose on mountings | Tighten starter attach bolts | |
| Worn drive end bushing | See STARTER article | |
| Damaged engine flywheel teeth | Replace flywheel and starter pinion gear for damage | |
| Drive yolk return spring broken or missing | Replace return spring | |
| Faulty ignition switch | Replace ignition switch | |
| Insufficient clearance between winding leads to solenoid terminal and main contact in solenoid | Replace starter solenoid | |
| Starter clutch not disengaging | Replace starter clutch | |
| Ignition starter switch | Replace ignition switch contacts sticking | |
| Starter Relay Operates but Solenoid Does Not | ||
| Faulty solenoid switch, switch connections or relay | Check all wiring between relay and solenoid or replace relay or solenoid as necessary | |
| Broken lead or loose soldered connections | Repair wire or wire connections as necessary | |
| Solenoid Plunger Vibrates When Switch is Engaged | ||
| Weak battery | Charge or replace battery as necessary | |
| Solenoid contacts corroded | Clean contacts or replace solenoid | |
| Faulty wiring | Check all wiring leading to solenoid | |
| Broken connections inside switch cover | Repair connections or replace solenoid | |
| Open hold-in wire | solenoid | |
| Low Current Draw | ||
| Worn brushes or weak brush springs | Replace brushes or brush springs as necessary | |
| High Pitched Whine During Cranking Before Engine Fires but Engine Fires and Cranks Normally | ||
| Distance too great between starter pinion and flywheel | Align starter or check that correct starter and flywheel are being used | |
| High Pitched Whine After Engine Fires With Key released. Engine Fires and Cranks Normally | ||
| Distance too small between starter pinion and flywheel | Flywheel runout contributes to the intermittent nature | |
RENDER: 1.0x
NO RELATED
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.