Car will not crank - V8

[Deuce]

Battery is an AC Delco from 6-12 months ago. I'll be surprised if it has died (wipers work fine, and internal lighting doesn't dull).
Good tip on the reverse lights and NSS.
Starter motor is quick and easy to remove and test if I have no joy with the NSS.

Had the starter apart a few years back and brushes looked fine. It hasn't done many km's or starts since (weekender life)

 

[losh1971]

I tore mine down when it played up. It really didn't survive, brushes looked they still should have worked but the dismantle and reassemble was its last horahh.

 

[gtrboyy]

Check it's got a good 13v at batery.
Lock/unlock & that security light is not flashing...checking fault codes won't hurt either.

Still nothing put 12v to purple starter wire on small plug near battery.....if clicks,give starter & solenoid a love tap.
If don't like it that way use long wire to spade on solenoid & touch it to battery positive...if only clicks starter issue but if it cranks issue is elsewhere like inhibitor or wiring or vats.

 

[the_boozer]

find the starter relay and touch the two terminals that goto pins 30 & 87 together and see if the starter wants to turn the motor over?

 

[Deuce]

So, wiggled wires under ashtray. No change. Checked a few fuses, swapped start and horn relays, wiggled purple starter solenoid wire, and shuffled o2 wiring away from solenoid (doesn't look warn through or anything) hit the key and it cranks/starts. And horn still works (so rules out relays as issues)

So inconclusive, but my guess would be the old hard and stiff starter wiring. So i guess I wait until the issue comes again and see what happens.

 

[losh1971]

If it's an old starter motor the solenoid posts can become loose, Sometimes they can be repaired with JB Weld or Araldite.

 

[Deuce]

If it's an old starter motor the solenoid posts can become loose, Sometimes they can be repaired with JB Weld or Araldite.

I'll put starter motor overhaul on my to do list. (I just need to finish building my truck first.)

 

[losh1971]

Might just be an issue with the switch wire on the solenoid. I know I had to fit a new female crimp lug to mine when I replaced the starter because the wire was no longer tight.

 

[Immortality]

Mine has already been repaired once by someone before me. Wire was soldered onto the broken terminal on the solenoid and wire extended.

 

[BlackVXGTS]

From VS Commodore Issues (supports other members' posts re solenoid/wiring):

Starting Problems - As the battery, battery harness and starter motor age, cranking speeds can be greatly reduced. The most common issue (besides the battery) is the starter motor solenoid. The solenoid has a bakerlite insulator where the cable poles connect, and through age and heat, the bakerlite insulator becomes loose. They cannot be tightened, as they are crimped into the solenoid housing. A new solenoid/starter motor is usually required. Even after a new starter motor has been fitted, some cars still experience slow cranking speeds when the engine is warm. The main cause of this has been traced to excessive current draw from the battery harness (thanks to heat, and a once poorly operating starter). Once the battery harness has been replaced cranking speed is improved.