New battery, turn the key and one good click...then nothing?

[Sporttracguy]

1970 911E with mfi

A few weeks ago I started the car up for the first time in about a year, she purred to life and ran great.

Today, I put a new battery in her to chase down some blinker issues and figured I would start her up and let her run for a while. I put the key in, let the fuel pump do its thing for a few seconds and then when I turned the key I got a good strong click from the starter and then nothing....Tried it again and got one strong click from the starter and then nothing again....

I went to the engine to check things out and there was some fuel leaking where the fuel filter connects to the back of the air filter housing (for the cold start process) but nothing else to note?

Help me out, does this sound like a starter problem?

Thanks

[cornernfool]

I would start were I worked last. Check the battery cables closely, especially the body end of the ground cable.

[porwolf]

I would measure the voltage at the starter motor and at the battery. If during starting action the voltage drops dramatically at the starter motor but stays at about 12 Volt at the battery then you have a cable problem. If you can detect any voltage at the ground connection of the starter motor you have a ground cable problem. If the battery voltage measured at the battery posts drops dramatically under 12 Volt during staring operations you have a bad or empty battery.

[DRACO A5OG]

Originally Posted by porwolf

I would measure the voltage at the starter motor and at the battery. If during starting action the voltage drops dramatically at the starter motor but stays at about 12 Volt at the battery then you have a cable problem. If you can detect any voltage at the ground connection of the starter motor you have a ground cable problem. If the battery voltage measured at the battery posts drops dramatically under 12 Volt during staring operations you have a bad or empty battery.

+1, not for nothing but what is the voltage of the new battery?

Also, check the connects are not fractured.

Then try tapping on the starter, get under her safely and use a long stick and hammer.

[Sporttracguy]

Brand new red top that has been re charged completely... I'll check the ground strap tomorrow... I can only hope it's that simple.

[michael lang]

Originally Posted by DRACO A5OG

try tapping on the starter

That's what I'd be trying next. From your description, it sounds like the starter motor might be your next project.

[Sporttracguy]

Update:
Cleaned the tranny ground and re installed.

Fresh charge on the red top with new terminal bolts.

Banged on the starter motor.

Still a good noise from the fuel pump, good strong initial click from the starter and then nothing..... Does someone need to be turning the key when I bang on the starter?

It's looking like the starter is the culprit but Im still open to other possibilities.

Thanks

[dad911]

New low for Optima Batteries?

[eolson]

Every case is different, but I just went through this exact set of symptoms and ended up needing a new starter. We have a great automotive electrical rebuilder locally so I took it there and he found it to have a bad armature. That causes the starter to get stuck in one position and even a fully charged battery doesn't produce enough power to spin it free. Banging it with a broom handle "frees" it up again, but I needed the peace of mind, which I why I pulled it out. I ended up getting a remanufactured Bosch that I just put in this afternoon, all good now!

[pete3799]

Can you turn the motor over by hand?
If not pull the plugs out and see if it spins.

[Sporttracguy]

Originally Posted by pete3799

Can you turn the motor over by hand?
If not pull the plugs out and see if it spins.

I put the car in 5th and pushed it a little, thinking this would rock the starter. The fan moved freely when the car moved...

[al lkosmal]

Check the ground strap to the tranny that runs from a ground point/lug near the tranny mount and the tranny. This is often the culprit. To check this I use my jumper cables to make a continuous ground from the battery to the tranny by clamping one end to the ground lug that the minus terminal of the battery goes to and the other end to a tranny rib. If that makes it fire up....you have a ground issue between those two points.....usually the strap. Be careful while doing this, so that you do not short ground to power etc.......


regards,
Al

[Sporttracguy]

Thanks for the tip Al, tried it and no luck.

Ordered a new starter, 44 year old car, it's probably not a bad idea to replace the thing anyways. Lets hope that fixes my problem.

[911s55]

Try your old battery if you still have it. Ground strap from battery to body, and maybe a jump start, could be a bad new battery with not enough amperage, or...........

BTW how is the battery mounted in your 1970?

I'm in Tacoma with a '71

David

[dad911]

Really wouldn't surprise me if it's the battery. How do you know it's charged? And do you have a voltmeter?

If so, measure the voltage across the terminals when you try to start.

[pors1968]

Clean ground cable batt to the body.

[Sporttracguy]

Battery reads 12.9V at the terminal....rated for 1000 crank amps

911s55-
At the moment its just floating where the 44 year old spare used to be. It used to be stuffed in the drivers side battery pocket. I think the end game is to mount it in the smugglers box but for now I think im just going to do the cutting board trick and mount it just in front of the fuse box....

[911s55]

Check your cables on the positive side of the battery, the wire harness that runs to the rear, there could be corrosion at this point and make sure all the harness leads are intact at the terminal contact, they can and will break there especially with a lot of fiddling about, heavy batteries banging around in and out etc.

[DRACO A5OG]

If you have AAA road side service, they will come and give you a read out.

Once you remove the starter test it to make sure it is the culprit.