[esmhandyman]

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]

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

 

[esmhandyman]

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[T-Type]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.