98 GMC Sonoma Starter Problems

esmhandyman · 07-18-2008, 09:53 PM

I have a 98 sonoma that will not start. battery is fine but starter clicks once when trying to start. almost seems like something shorted out.
same thing happened last year and had it towed and replaced the starter.
Can anyone recommend a solution - or do I just get another starter.
When I looked at it last year, it seemed difficult at best to replace considering the location under the cross member.

Smaart Aas Saabr · 07-18-2008, 10:11 PM

probably crap battery cables or bad connection to starter or bad connection at battery. Check voltage at the solenoid

esmhandyman · 07-18-2008, 10:23 PM

Thanks for the quick response.

**T-Type** · 07-18-2008, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smaart Aas Saabr

probably crap battery cables or bad connection to starter or bad connection at battery. Check voltage at the solenoid

Agreed. In particular check the battery connections for corrosion. If you see a bunch of greenish white crap where the cables connect to the battery, that's probably your problem.

Triple-X08 · 07-19-2008, 01:00 AM

exactly. check your battery connections, make sure they dont have any corrosion on them. if they are ok, then check the starter for amp draw. make sure it isnt too high.
should see about 150 amps out of it roughly. also you can disconnect the starter wire from the battery to the starter and check resistance in it. may be a solenoid problem or may be a wiring problem, or possible starter. also check your battery make sure it has good amperage on a load test. and check the cold cranking amps of it, make sure voltage is somewhere around 12.5 or so. if it goes down to like 7 volts when cranking then you have a problem.

esmhandyman · 07-20-2008, 03:41 PM

Turns out the solenoid was bad, but changed the whole unit anyway.
This was the hardest starter I've ever done - no wonder I brought it to the shop last year. Had to remove the exhaust to remove the starter? Crazy!
Hope this is not a starter-a-year truck.
It's hard working off the ground on the hottest day of the year

scooter10572 · 07-20-2008, 08:39 PM

I hope you bought a gm starter and not a piece of **** from a parts store or it probably will be a starter a year truck.

slls · 07-21-2008, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esmhandyman

Turns out the solenoid was bad, but changed the whole unit anyway.
This was the hardest starter I've ever done - no wonder I brought it to the shop last year. Had to remove the exhaust to remove the starter? Crazy!
Hope this is not a starter-a-year truck.
It's hard working off the ground on the hottest day of the year

On the 99 2.2 you don't need to touch the exhaust.

07-18-2008, 09:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
esmhandyman Walking Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6	98 GMC Sonoma Starter Problems I have a 98 sonoma that will not start. battery is fine but starter clicks once when trying to start. almost seems like something shorted out. same thing happened last year and had it towed and replaced the starter. Can anyone recommend a solution - or do I just get another starter. When I looked at it last year, it seemed difficult at best to replace considering the location under the cross member.

07-18-2008, 10:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
Smaart Aas Saabr 7.0 Liter LS7 V8 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Montréal, Québec Posts: 8,729	Re: 98 GMC Sonoma Starter Problems probably crap battery cables or bad connection to starter or bad connection at battery. Check voltage at the solenoid __________________ What will destroy our country and us is not the financial crisis but the fact that liberals think the free market is some kind of sect or cult...That’s not what the free market is. The free market is just a measurement, a device to tell us what people are willing to pay for any given thing at any given moment. The free market is a bathroom scale. You may hate what you see when you step on the scale. ‘Jeeze, 230 pounds!’ But you can’t pass a law making yourself weigh 185.

07-18-2008, 10:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
esmhandyman Walking Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6	Re: 98 GMC Sonoma Starter Problems Thanks for the quick response.

07-19-2008, 01:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
Triple-X08 5.3 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Michigan Drives: 2007 Saturn Ion, 83 Camaro Posts: 1,472	Re: 98 GMC Sonoma Starter Problems exactly. check your battery connections, make sure they dont have any corrosion on them. if they are ok, then check the starter for amp draw. make sure it isnt too high. should see about 150 amps out of it roughly. also you can disconnect the starter wire from the battery to the starter and check resistance in it. may be a solenoid problem or may be a wiring problem, or possible starter. also check your battery make sure it has good amperage on a load test. and check the cold cranking amps of it, make sure voltage is somewhere around 12.5 or so. if it goes down to like 7 volts when cranking then you have a problem. __________________ ASE Master Certified Technican current cars in garage- 07 Saturn Ion - daily driver 83 Camaro Z28

07-20-2008, 03:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
esmhandyman Walking Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6	Re: 98 GMC Sonoma Starter Problems Turns out the solenoid was bad, but changed the whole unit anyway. This was the hardest starter I've ever done - no wonder I brought it to the shop last year. Had to remove the exhaust to remove the starter? Crazy! Hope this is not a starter-a-year truck. It's hard working off the ground on the hottest day of the year

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07-20-2008, 08:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
scooter10572 2.2 Liter ECOTEC Join Date: May 2008 Location: pennsylvania Drives: 2009 cobalt ss turbo Posts: 85	Re: 98 GMC Sonoma Starter Problems I hope you bought a gm starter and not a piece of **** from a parts store or it probably will be a starter a year truck.

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