# Starter clicks once. No start. Don t try to **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** chevrolet, engines\ **Created:** [August 21, 2021, 12:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858 "2021-08-21T00:08:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chrisluvkarin2013_176799)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 12:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/1 "2021-08-21T00:08:25Z")
New starter. New alt. Battery hot. Connections good. Please Don t say bad motor ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/2 "2021-08-21T00:12:03Z")
Put a breaker bar/socket on the crank bolt and see you can tun the engine over by hand. Tester ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/3 "2021-08-21T00:12:23Z")
> [@chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](#): > > Battery hot the battery should not be hot. if you meant not a new battery then get it check out. if you did mean battery is hot then something is stopping the engine from turning the engine over and over heating the battery. but since you said not to say the motor…I wont. lol ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/4 "2021-08-21T00:16:23Z")
Measure the voltage at the start terminal on the starter solenoid when the key is in “start”? It should be 10 -12 volts. For more help here good idea to tell us the make/model/year and anything recently done that might affect cranking. If it was cranking and starting ok recently, a “bad motor” diagnosis is highly unlikely. It is usually a bad starter motor or starter motor solenoid that causes clicks, provided the battery is good. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/5 "2021-08-21T00:17:48Z")
do as Tester said. take the plugs out to make it easier to turn, if it will. ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/6 "2021-08-21T02:17:40Z")
I’m going to be a bit less than literal and assume “hot” means your battery has plenty of juice. If you’ve confirmed this, great. If not, please do, as @George_San_Jose1 suggested. Check the connections to make sure they’re clean and tight. If your battery is indeed good and everything else checks out, parts do, in fact, fail and your starter may be bad. ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 3:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/7 "2021-08-21T03:05:33Z")
What kind of car is this? How old? I also second the advice to put a breaker bar on the crankshaft pulley and see of the motor will turn by hand. If not, I would remove the accessory belts one-at-a-time and try again. I have heard stories about people who bought used cars for very little money, which were believed to have a locked-up engine, and then discovered that it was actually a locked-up A/C compressor, or other accessory preventing the engine from turning. ---
**Author:** ![chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chrisluvkarin2013_176799)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/8 "2021-08-21T20:57:17Z")
Voltage on battery is 12. I tried turning the motor by hand with a big ratchet. No breaker bar though. Would turn with a ratchet. If it is the motor it gave absolutely no advance warning. No knocking. Was running perfect until it just suddenly stopped on highway. Not overheating oil levels good. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/9 "2021-08-21T21:01:23Z")
> [@chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](#): > > Voltage on battery is 12. The battery only has a 40% state of charge. Charge the battery and then see if it starts. Tester ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/10 "2021-08-21T21:03:45Z")
yes volts too low. I have also seen a new starter that was defective ---
**Author:** ![chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chrisluvkarin2013_176799)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/11 "2021-08-21T21:04:31Z")
I even tried yesterday with booster cables attached. Truckd had full power ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/12 "2021-08-21T21:07:56Z")
The donor vehicle may have to idle for 10 minutes before the battery will turn the engine over. Tester ---
**Author:** ![chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chrisluvkarin2013_176799)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 9:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/13 "2021-08-21T21:10:46Z")
Donor vehicle had just returned from 100 mile trip. But Im going to go hook it up again and let it stay connected for a bit and see what happens ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/14 "2021-08-21T21:13:11Z")
What year/model is this Chevy? Tester ---
**Author:** ![chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chrisluvkarin2013_176799)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/15 "2021-08-21T22:20:18Z")
08 avalanche ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/16 "2021-08-21T23:14:04Z")
did you put in a brand new starter or like a autozone or pepboys rebuilt starter? ---
**Author:** ![chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@chrisluvkarin2013\_176799](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chrisluvkarin2013_176799)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/17 "2021-08-21T23:15:55Z")
Yes rebuilt. Auto zone. But i had it tested before I bought it. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 11:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starter-clicks-once-no-start-don-t-try-to/178858/18 "2021-08-21T23:25:32Z")
it might work on the bench but might not have enough torque to turn over your motor. sometimes they just change out the defective part and everything else is old. even though it says all new parts. if you hook another car battery up and let it run for 10-15 minutes and it does the same thing then go exchange the starter. and make sure all your connections are clean and tight. my son has had a starter from autozone that just clicked. he returned it and exchanged it for a new not rebuilt starter and it worked.