!993 Plymouth Voyager SE Had a radiator hose go out was replaced ran fine until 1 mile from home. tested starter and battery good alternator also good. But Will not start. I get a sound like something spinning. But nothing happens. Any Ideas?
Timing belt. While you are at it replace the water pump.
Okay Timing belt I can see that might need to be replaced. Water Pump?? I do not get that one.
Why would I need to replace the water pump? No over heating problems it is a starting problem.
I am not a manically inclined person. I have had to learn a lot of things over the years. But still my knowledge is limited. But even with the timing belt off or not working right it would at least try to turn over right? Same with water pump. I think? I think it might be something electrical. Or maybe the starter when I put it back in is not reaching the fly wheel. I need a little logic here. I have almost no money. I need some real help please.
I’m not sure I’d think of a timing belt first (you haven’t even said which engine it is so it might have a chain rather than a belt anyway). But FYI - when one does do a timing belt the water pump is normally changed at that time b/c the labor required to do either one is fairly extensive and exactly the same. So it is just a prudent maintenance move.
Anyway…forget about the timing belt and give a better description of what is happening when you turn the key. “I get a sound like something spinning” doesn’t say anything. A child’s top spins. So do helicopter blades. “spinning” does not describe a sound. “I get a sound like something spinning” is also an odd thing to say right before “nothing happens.”
So describe the sound better. My guess without knowing anything is that you have a starter problem in terms of flywheel engagement - as you mention.
It is a 3.3 Engine I got a book on the van so I have a general Idea what you are taking about now. I use to get just one click when I turned the key Now I am getting a weering sound almost like a gyro top spin if you can understand that. The was some type of censer that got broke also I think it is an Oil censer. it is next to the oil filter. The van seem mostly electronic maybe there is a reset switch of some sort? To be honest I have no clue why it will not start.
Reading between the lines I take you took off starter and put 12 volts to it and it spun so you said it was good?
If this is the case I think what is happening is yes it is spinning but when it starts spinning it is suppose to slide into the flywheel gear then motor will turn over.
It spins on a shaft in starter with spiral groves and has a spring behind it to make it go towards flywheel. I think either shaft is gummed up and it will not let gear go towards flywheel or spring is broken,spring gives it the first push to get it going to flywheel.
If this is the case what you hear is gear spinning.
Take starter off and spray shaft that starter gear rides on and see if spring is broke.
You should be able to turn gear and pull it up spiral grove like it would to engauge into flywheel.
Okay now that sound like it could be the problem. Will try it and let you know.is the spring in the starter itself? It seems that it should be. My guess if the spring is broken I will have to replace the starter. I did take it out once took it down to a local auto parts store they are the ones that tested it for me. and Told me it passed there test 3 times. I did not see the test but I all I have is there word for it. I have no reason to not to believe them.
I will take it out again and try what you said. I sometimes wish I knew my way around fixing cars better than I do. But at least I try. I will let you know what I find out.
If you can take out the starter, and put it back in again, you already know much more about fixing cars than most people. I agree with hd72. I think your starter isn’t engaging the flywheel. The whirring sound you hear is the starter spinning around without a load on it.
The spring is behind the starter gear and it gives it a push to go towards the flywheel.
The shaft the gear is on sometimes gets wore or dirty and gear binds up.