Starter motor — check without removal from the car

1. If the starter motor does not rotate at all when the key is turned, make sure the automatic transmission lever is in the Park position. On manual transmission models, the clutch pedal must be depressed.

2. Make sure that the battery is charged, check the cleanliness and reliability of the cables on the battery and on the starter traction relay.

3. If the starter motor turns on when the key is turned, but the crankshaft does not turn, the starter overrunning clutch is jammed. In this case, the starter assembly must be replaced.

4. If, when the key is turned, the starter motor does not rotate, but clicks of the traction relay are heard, then the contacts of the traction relay, the battery and the starter motor are faulty (or hard crankshaft).

5. If, when the starter is turned on, the click emitted by the relay is not heard, then the reasons for the failure may be a battery malfunction, a blown fuse (open circuit), malfunction of the auxiliary starter relay, or the traction relay itself.

6. To check the traction relay, close the terminal for connecting the battery with a jumper (+) and an output for the wire from the ignition key. If the starter motor starts, then the traction relay is OK, and the ignition switch, the auxiliary starter relay, the traction relay switch, or the wiring are faulty.

7. If the starter motor still does not start, then remove the starter assembly with the traction relay for disassembly, inspection and repair.

8. If the starter turns the crankshaft, but at a very low speed, then first check the degree of charge of the battery and the reliability of the connections, the starter will rotate the engine at low speed also in cases where the crankshaft rotates hard or too viscous oil is poured into the engine.

9. Warm up the engine, then disconnect a high-voltage wire of the coil from a cover of the distributor and connect with weight.

10. Connect the voltmeter, turn on the starter and read the steady voltmeter reading. The voltage on the battery at normal crankshaft speed should be about 9 V. If the battery voltage is equal to or greater than 9 V, and the crankshaft speed is low, then the starter motor is faulty. If the voltage is less than 9 V at a low rotation speed, then the probable causes are burning of the contacts of the traction relay, a malfunction of the starter motor, and self-discharge of the battery.