7 replies to this topic

[850_GLT_owner]

So I was going on my first trip after replacing my bad TCV with the ac delco unit. I was trying to break the car in, after 20 minutes or so I stopped at a gas station and shut the car off. Came back out to start it and there were lights etc, but the starter wouldn't turn over. There was no clicking or cranking from the starter, and the lights stayed on. There were no warning signs before the incident. The battery is less than a year old, but i pulled it out to charge it anyway. It is too dark now to check, but i'm guessing I disturbed a wire/ground near the airbox/battery area since thats all that I disturbed. Is there any resource that shows the ground locations on the car so I can check them all tomorrow?

[heat391]

PNP?

Is your car an auto? If so, the PNP switch is a common cause of this type of issue....Ratchet the shifter back and forth 15+ times, and that sometimes will clean up the contacts enough so that the car will start.....

[tca217]

Also wiggle the ign. switch around some, another one of Volvo's quirks..........................TIM

[850_GLT_owner]

I've done both of those things...I had a friend turn the key last night and it sounded as if the bendix shoots out but won't try to turn the flywheel, so when i turn the key I hear a single click/clunk and thats it, no cranking.. I have an extra starter but i don't want to start throwing parts in on a whim. Do starters fail all of a sudden like that?

[scumcity14]

yes. starters will fail suddenly.If you here the bendix and the starter isn't turning, that's your problem.. Stick a pipe or breaker bar down onto the starter and tap with a hammer while someone turns the key..sometimes this will allow you to start it.

[850maybe]

Make sure your connections are tight on the starter. I went through the same thing and three starters before we figured out it was the connections working loose. Tighten up and see how things go.

[850_GLT_owner]

Ended up being the starter motor...apparently the starter motor just had enough and died. It was off of my early model 93 850, so it had atleast 19 years on it. The warnings were subtle, slower cranking, but now that I have the new starter in it starts faster than it did before. It was a gradual decline. I guess it was just a coincidence that I installed the delco BCS right before this happened.

So in closing, my car wouldn't start, heard a single click when turning the key, no cranking of the motor what so ever. Tested the battery, checked the grounds that I could find(next to/below the battery tray, another one farther down that can be traced with the battery tray out) made sure all the connections to the battery/starter were good...ended up being the starter motor going bad on me.

[the commissar!]

Dang...Mine did this last night! One good solid clunk of the bendix and nothing...good power at ignition box.

It is still sitting in some lady's yard...I'll have to try the pipe trick before I have her towed home...

I guess I can't complain about a starter motor lasting over 300,000 miles and 14+ years

What is the replacement part of choice?