[ENELOKZ]

Hello so I am posting this with High Hope's that someone could lead me in the right direction of fixing this issue so my 78 Phoenix has the 5.7L engine in it and It was running great till one day I go to start it and it is sounding how cars sound when there battery is dying and it just wouldnt start then I tried to start it again and this time absolutely nothing happens the light turned on and that's it no Crank no spark nothing at all I replaced the starter , alternator, battery , checked for a blown fuse and found nothing at all the engine is not sieezed was driving great just the day before when I had the timing adjusted then after that it ran for about 3 more days and that is it can someone please let me know if theres any other possible solution to my issue oh yea so before I replaced the starter a mechanic told me after looking at it that there is no power getting to the starter for it to do its job so that's why I replaced the starter and now even with the new starter wiring it straight to the battery wont get it to kick but b4 installing it we tested it and it was fine help me please and thank u

 

[BogiesAnnex1]

Well if it won’t crank then either there is no electrical power being applied or coming from to the starter’s solenoid. Of there was a coolant leak into a cylinder and the engine is hydraulically locked.

Starting with the first, the process is the key switch in the start position would send battery power to energize the solenoid. If this power is getting there the solenoid moves an armature that engages a heavy duty contactor switch that connects that big fat battery cable that bolts on the outside of the solenoid to the windings of the starter motor; at the same time it moves the starter’s pinion gear into mesh with the flywheel/flex plate gear. If these actions are successful then the starter motor cranks the engine. This is an electrical test to see if the solenoid is activating, which you should hear, and whether the contactor’s contacts are in good enough condition to move current into the motor, these get burnt and corroded across time and fail to make an electrical connection. The other possibility is the rebuilt starter is faulty, that happens a lot.

If the engine is hydraulically locked from a coolant leak although everything in the prior paragraph may be happening but the starter isn’t powerful enough to push past the hydraulic lock of more coolant being in a cylinder than there is space to push a piston passed TDC. You should be able to test for this by pulling the engine around by putting a wrench on the damper bolt and turning the crankshaft in the clockwise direction as you would see it from the front.

A third possibility on as old engine is the timing set is so far out that it won’t start, but it should turn on the starter as the low lift cam in these engines won’t open the valves far enough to catch a piston and stop crank rotation so this at least right now is not on my expectations list.

I think the first order of business is to see if the crankshaft can be rotated, if yes then start checking wiring and electrical power to the solenoid on top the starter.

Bogie