How to Diagnose Cure a Clicking Starter N （如何诊断和治愈点击起动 N）.pdf

HOW TO DIAGNOSE AND CURE A CLICKING STARTER By Paul Weissler You twist the ignition key to start your engine, and instead of the syncopated whirling of a cranking starter and crankshaft, you hear a click or a series of chatter like clicks. The engine that started every day for so long is not going to start today. Time to hitch a ride to work. If its a weekend, you get the chance to find out why your vehicle has died and fix the problem before Monday morning. That clicking noise is from either the starter solenoid or the relay. The solenoid is part of the starter. Typically it has a terminal for a thick power feed wire from the battery, and a thinner terminal for the current supply wire to a switching mechanism in the solenoid. The relay is a remotely mounted switching device between starter and battery that controls either the thick power feed or the thinner electrical feed to the solenoids switch terminal. The first step (although at this point it doesnt tell you the root cause) is to find out where the click is coming from. If you have a helper turn the ignition key to start, youll be able to trace the underhood click. If it comes from the starter, your problem is in the solenoid. Ford and Chrysler products usually have a relay in the circuit. If the solenoid isnt the source of the click, tracing the sound should take you to the relay on those models. Even after you know what part is clicking, begin your real diagnosis at the battery. If the battery top has an eye indicator (actually a battery hydrometer that indicates the state of charge), recharge if the indicator is black. If its green, its got a normal charge. If its yellow, get a new battery because the electrolyte is too low. Theres no indicator eye? Connect a voltmeter across the battery terminals (positive lead to positive terminal, negative lead to negative terminal). If the meter reads under 12.4 to 12.5 volts, it