Wont Roll Over..

Sparky73 · 05-09-2006

I tried for the first time to start my GT, and at first it rolled over maybe 2 or 3 times, and then just stopped. Now everytime I try to start it alls it does is make a loud click. What does this sound like to you? Think the starter is fried?

Jon

soybean · 05-09-2006

Try tapping lightly on the starter and see if that works. If not pull the starter and check it. It sounds like the Bendix isn't kicking the starter gear in. Hth, Jarrell

simplemind7 · 05-09-2006

battery's dead from the sounds of it, charge it or try another.

baronbors · 05-09-2006

Battery or bad ground?

calvin · 05-09-2006

Im in favor BANGING not tapping but it sounds like the starter. Check all leads and make sure the battery isn't half dead the easiest way would be to try and jump it if it starts with a jump its the battery not the starter.

Sparky73 · 05-09-2006

Brand new battery

. Tore the starter out and took it, along with a few extra's, into NAPA to get them all tested. Not one is working

. Anyone got any idea's or a working starter?

opelnut10 · 05-09-2006

Look in the yellow pages and find a shop that rebuilds starters and give them a call maybe between all the parts you have they can rebuild you a starter or two. Usually they have the equipment to turn or rewind the armature and can rebuild the solenoid. A lot of Bosch parts interchange and they should be able to fix you up with a good starter or two.

soybean · 05-10-2006

Originally Posted by calvin

Im in favor BANGING not tapping but it sounds like the starter.

Well I didn't want to say flail it. I have done that too.

Jarrell

namba209 · 05-10-2006

Originally Posted by Sparky73

Brand new battery . Tore the starter out and took it, along with a few extra's, into NAPA to get them all tested. Not one is working . Anyone got any idea's or a working starter?

Did the NAPA folks try to jumper just the starter motor or not? If the solenoid isn't making good contact inside, all it will do is click and the motor will not turn, although the pinion gear will slide into the flywheel. A quick and dirty way to check the motors is to use jumper cables from a battery, positive to the bottom solenoid connection and negative to anywhere on the assembly to make a good ground, the motor should spin right over if it's good. Then all you have to do is get a good solenoid to make a good starter assembly. HTH.

deaner · 05-10-2006

Starters are easy to rebuild. Most of the time it's just carbon buildup. A good tear apart and cleaning, Maybe brushes if they look worn. Opel starters are very long lived. I've "rebuilt" many by just cleaning them and the contacts.

WannaBOpelOwner · 05-10-2006

dont know if this was mentioned before but have you tried to jump the soleniod or anything of that nature?

73 gt man · 05-10-2006

When my starter on my 73 gave up the ghost I found a lifetime starter at checkers for 79.00 works like a dream. HTH

Sparky73 · 05-10-2006

Well I got a working starter on the car, went and turned the key, and...NOTHING! Same thing as before. On this starter, like every 8-10 times I try and turn the key, I can hear the starter spinning.. but does not ingage. I am really confused on what is going on! The engine rolled over once the first time I tried it, and then it quit... so I figured the starter! Any other idea's??? Please?? Any suggestions would be awesome!

simplemind7 · 05-10-2006

opel + electrical problem = ground

thats my guess

spdkilz02 · 05-10-2006

check ur ground straps on the motor

Sparky73 · 05-10-2006

Check and cleaned all the grounds on the motor. The one from the block to the "body" as well as the cable from the starter to the battey, and from the battery to the body. All seemed alright, but cleaned them good anyway. Like I've said before, the battery is brand new, and from the sounds of it, the starter is getting plenty of power..just the "sound" of the click, it seems to be working plenty hard. I would have liked to have this car running tonight since I have tried everything I could think of.. but I have not gotten anywhere. It just seems really strange that the engine did roll over at first. My last resort is that tonight I sprayed some WD-40 into where the spark plugs go just to hopefully free up the pistons if there is some stickage. Also.. once again, any input would be awesome. I am really lost on this one..

spdkilz02 · 05-11-2006

check and make sure u have power at all 4 of the nuts on the fuse box...i had problem with my one opel there that only the one side had power and not the other side...just had to make a jumper to go across to give it power...

namba209 · 05-11-2006

Jon, you have a good working solenoid from what you said, so the next thing is the electrical contacts inside the solenoid. To check them out, the starter has to be removed, sorry to say. At the top and bottom of the cap on the solenoid, where the battery cable and starter motor connect, inside the cap are a pair of contacts, a very large washer hits those contacts, allowing battery voltage to go to the motor to spin it. You can possibly, rotate the contacts and possibly turn the washer over on the shaft so you have new contact surfaces to allow battery power to the motor. Some solenoids have a spring clip holding the washer on the shaft, allowing you to turn it over. If nothing else, sand it clean of the electrical erosion and the contacts also, and hope for the best. HTH.

Sparky73 · 05-11-2006

I will try the thing with the fuse block first.. its a little easier

Anyways.. so what you all are saying is that chances are because of "corroded contacts" or a bad connection, basically the starter isnt giving enough juice to turn over the old motor? I hope thats all it is.. my worst fear is that from sitting for so long, having the motor roll over that one time, even with fresh fluid's, a piston seized.. Do my symptons sound anything like that could have happened?

baz · 05-11-2006

jon if you have worrys about the engine take the spark plugs out and turn the engine over by hand with a spanner or socket on the front pully (ign off)
if it turns over easy then you should be ok for worrys about pistons
do it for a while or pull the fuel pump and dizzy after marking the positions with tipex of the rotor and use a drill and a long round bar with the end shaped like the drive on the dizzy to spin the oil pump so you get oil pressure in the system (turn the ign on to pos 2 and have some one watch the gauge for the light going out and the needle moving )

this will give the system some lubrication and make the starters life easyer if the engine has stood and the oil has drained back out of the system

Sparky73 · 05-12-2006

Well I missed a day of working just because I havn't been feeling well.. and went back to try some of the things mentioned today. I tried to turn the engine over with a wrench and ran into a problem.. which way does it turn? LOL. I am guessing to the "right" as if you were tightening. Well I tryed it, and was limited on space, but from what I could tell it did not move at all. I even had the spark plugs out. Does this mean basically the engine is seized, or is it just THAT hard to turn? If the engine IS stuck, I may be having a couple opels to sell to earn back some money since I NEED a vehicle to drive SOON.

baz · 05-12-2006

yes it turns clockwise and with no plugs it should spin easy even the alt belt should turn it when you turn the alt

gtopel72 · 05-12-2006

Transmission in neutral ?

Mike Preble · 05-12-2006

Shoot some oil down the cylinders to ensure it is lubed enough to turn. If you have a manual tranny you can rock the car back and forth with it in gear to see if that will free up the pistons. All you are interested in now is determining if the engine will rotate.

Good luck. One step at a time.

Mike

timemachine · 05-13-2006

Your engine is probably not seized, forget that stuff for now. Is that starter motor really turning or just the solenoid clicking? Hook a jumper cable directly from the positive on the battery to where the same cable bolts to the starter. Sounds too easy, but I've seen just as many battery positive cables fail as starters from corrosion inside the connectors.

If that doesn't work and you have an automatic, there is a switch in the shift console that prevents the ignition switch from closing when the car is not in park. You can just short the switch with a screwdriver to test.

05-09-2006	#1 (permalink)
Sparky73 1000 Post Club Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Saginaw, MI Posts: 1,279 Real Name: Jon Provided Answers: 2	Unanswered: Wont Roll Over.. I tried for the first time to start my GT, and at first it rolled over maybe 2 or 3 times, and then just stopped. Now everytime I try to start it alls it does is make a loud click. What does this sound like to you? Think the starter is fried? Jon __________________ Current 1970 GT; Under Construction Previous 1969 GT; Street/Strip Project 1969 GT; White with Black Interior, Automatic 1969 GT; Black Parts Car 1969 GT; White Parts Car 1970 GT; Silver with Red Interior 1971 GT; Orange with Black Interior, Turbo 1972 GT; Red Parts Car 1972 GT; Blue with Black Interior 1973 GT; Pearl Blue with Black interior. Full body kit.

05-09-2006	#2 (permalink)
soybean Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Reidsville N.C. Posts: 2,160	Try tapping lightly on the starter and see if that works. If not pull the starter and check it. It sounds like the Bendix isn't kicking the starter gear in. Hth, Jarrell __________________ You lose your dreams, you lose your mind. (The Rolling Stones)

05-09-2006	#3 (permalink)
simplemind7 Opel GT? Who makes that? Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ayr, Ontario, Canada Posts: 632	battery's dead from the sounds of it, charge it or try another. __________________ Brendan: 72 Manta Rallye 69 GT 72 GT - parts car

05-09-2006	#4 (permalink)
baronbors 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: League City Texas Posts: 1,117	Battery or bad ground? __________________ Texas Opel Preservation Society

05-09-2006	#5 (permalink)
calvin Senior Contributor Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: St Louis, Mo Posts: 653	Im in favor BANGING not tapping but it sounds like the starter. Check all leads and make sure the battery isn't half dead the easiest way would be to try and jump it if it starts with a jump its the battery not the starter. __________________ http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/470044

05-09-2006	#6 (permalink)
Sparky73 1000 Post Club Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Saginaw, MI Posts: 1,279 Real Name: Jon Provided Answers: 2	Brand new battery . Tore the starter out and took it, along with a few extra's, into NAPA to get them all tested. Not one is working . Anyone got any idea's or a working starter? __________________ Current 1970 GT; Under Construction Previous 1969 GT; Street/Strip Project 1969 GT; White with Black Interior, Automatic 1969 GT; Black Parts Car 1969 GT; White Parts Car 1970 GT; Silver with Red Interior 1971 GT; Orange with Black Interior, Turbo 1972 GT; Red Parts Car 1972 GT; Blue with Black Interior 1973 GT; Pearl Blue with Black interior. Full body kit.

05-09-2006	#7 (permalink)
opelnut10 Living in the past Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chesapeake, Virginia Posts: 1,371 Real Name: Lloyd Provided Answers: 2	Starters Look in the yellow pages and find a shop that rebuilds starters and give them a call maybe between all the parts you have they can rebuild you a starter or two. Usually they have the equipment to turn or rewind the armature and can rebuild the solenoid. A lot of Bosch parts interchange and they should be able to fix you up with a good starter or two. Last edited by jordan; 05-10-2006 at 12:57 AM.

05-10-2006	#10 (permalink)
deaner long time Opeler Join Date: May 2006 Location: Fallbrook, Calif. Posts: 298 Provided Answers: 1	Starters are easy to rebuild. Most of the time it's just carbon buildup. A good tear apart and cleaning, Maybe brushes if they look worn. Opel starters are very long lived. I've "rebuilt" many by just cleaning them and the contacts. __________________ 75 MANTA A "2.0 Euro stuff! Fun and Fast "Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car and oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you take the wall with you."

05-10-2006	#11 (permalink)
WannaBOpelOwner The Great Opel Search Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Casey, Illinois Posts: 411	dont know if this was mentioned before but have you tried to jump the soleniod or anything of that nature? __________________ 1998 Sunfire "The Great Opel Search Continues" © of Skyler Shelton "The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work" Mark Twain "Tobmstones Dont Talk Back" Smoke Tires, Not Drugs... http://sportcar.net

05-10-2006	#12 (permalink)
73 gt man Opeler Join Date: May 2005 Location: Gilbert AZ Posts: 86	a new starter When my starter on my 73 gave up the ghost I found a lifetime starter at checkers for 79.00 works like a dream. HTH

05-10-2006	#13 (permalink)
Sparky73 1000 Post Club Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Saginaw, MI Posts: 1,279 Real Name: Jon Provided Answers: 2	Well I got a working starter on the car, went and turned the key, and...NOTHING! Same thing as before. On this starter, like every 8-10 times I try and turn the key, I can hear the starter spinning.. but does not ingage. I am really confused on what is going on! The engine rolled over once the first time I tried it, and then it quit... so I figured the starter! Any other idea's??? Please?? Any suggestions would be awesome! __________________ Current 1970 GT; Under Construction Previous 1969 GT; Street/Strip Project 1969 GT; White with Black Interior, Automatic 1969 GT; Black Parts Car 1969 GT; White Parts Car 1970 GT; Silver with Red Interior 1971 GT; Orange with Black Interior, Turbo 1972 GT; Red Parts Car 1972 GT; Blue with Black Interior 1973 GT; Pearl Blue with Black interior. Full body kit.

05-10-2006	#14 (permalink)
simplemind7 Opel GT? Who makes that? Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ayr, Ontario, Canada Posts: 632	opel + electrical problem = ground thats my guess __________________ Brendan: 72 Manta Rallye 69 GT 72 GT - parts car

05-10-2006	#15 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	check ur ground straps on the motor __________________ Adam

05-10-2006	#16 (permalink)
Sparky73 1000 Post Club Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Saginaw, MI Posts: 1,279 Real Name: Jon Provided Answers: 2	Check and cleaned all the grounds on the motor. The one from the block to the "body" as well as the cable from the starter to the battey, and from the battery to the body. All seemed alright, but cleaned them good anyway. Like I've said before, the battery is brand new, and from the sounds of it, the starter is getting plenty of power..just the "sound" of the click, it seems to be working plenty hard. I would have liked to have this car running tonight since I have tried everything I could think of.. but I have not gotten anywhere. It just seems really strange that the engine did roll over at first. My last resort is that tonight I sprayed some WD-40 into where the spark plugs go just to hopefully free up the pistons if there is some stickage. Also.. once again, any input would be awesome. I am really lost on this one.. __________________ Current 1970 GT; Under Construction Previous 1969 GT; Street/Strip Project 1969 GT; White with Black Interior, Automatic 1969 GT; Black Parts Car 1969 GT; White Parts Car 1970 GT; Silver with Red Interior 1971 GT; Orange with Black Interior, Turbo 1972 GT; Red Parts Car 1972 GT; Blue with Black Interior 1973 GT; Pearl Blue with Black interior. Full body kit.

05-11-2006	#17 (permalink)
spdkilz02 1000 Post Club Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,734	check and make sure u have power at all 4 of the nuts on the fuse box...i had problem with my one opel there that only the one side had power and not the other side...just had to make a jumper to go across to give it power... __________________ Adam

05-11-2006	#18 (permalink)
namba209 6,000 Post Club Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Imperial Beach, CA South of San Diego Posts: 6,054 Provided Answers: 6	Jon, you have a good working solenoid from what you said, so the next thing is the electrical contacts inside the solenoid. To check them out, the starter has to be removed, sorry to say. At the top and bottom of the cap on the solenoid, where the battery cable and starter motor connect, inside the cap are a pair of contacts, a very large washer hits those contacts, allowing battery voltage to go to the motor to spin it. You can possibly, rotate the contacts and possibly turn the washer over on the shaft so you have new contact surfaces to allow battery power to the motor. Some solenoids have a spring clip holding the washer on the shaft, allowing you to turn it over. If nothing else, sand it clean of the electrical erosion and the contacts also, and hope for the best. HTH. __________________ Ron 72 GT 3.4L V-6/T-5/ZF posi - almost done - Just need AC installed. 75 Chevy monza 5.7L/TH350/Auburn 3.08 posi - Next

05-11-2006	#19 (permalink)
Sparky73 1000 Post Club Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Saginaw, MI Posts: 1,279 Real Name: Jon Provided Answers: 2	I will try the thing with the fuse block first.. its a little easier Anyways.. so what you all are saying is that chances are because of "corroded contacts" or a bad connection, basically the starter isnt giving enough juice to turn over the old motor? I hope thats all it is.. my worst fear is that from sitting for so long, having the motor roll over that one time, even with fresh fluid's, a piston seized.. Do my symptons sound anything like that could have happened? __________________ Current 1970 GT; Under Construction Previous 1969 GT; Street/Strip Project 1969 GT; White with Black Interior, Automatic 1969 GT; Black Parts Car 1969 GT; White Parts Car 1970 GT; Silver with Red Interior 1971 GT; Orange with Black Interior, Turbo 1972 GT; Red Parts Car 1972 GT; Blue with Black Interior 1973 GT; Pearl Blue with Black interior. Full body kit.

05-11-2006	#20 (permalink)
baz opel free after 26 years Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: sunderland england Posts: 4,941 Real Name: barry williams Provided Answers: 4	jon if you have worrys about the engine take the spark plugs out and turn the engine over by hand with a spanner or socket on the front pully (ign off) if it turns over easy then you should be ok for worrys about pistons do it for a while or pull the fuel pump and dizzy after marking the positions with tipex of the rotor and use a drill and a long round bar with the end shaped like the drive on the dizzy to spin the oil pump so you get oil pressure in the system (turn the ign on to pos 2 and have some one watch the gauge for the light going out and the needle moving ) this will give the system some lubrication and make the starters life easyer if the engine has stood and the oil has drained back out of the system __________________ Copyright © 2003-2009 barry williams All Rights Reserved save praying to God for sunday today we pray to Nike and run like hell

05-12-2006	#21 (permalink)
Sparky73 1000 Post Club Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Saginaw, MI Posts: 1,279 Real Name: Jon Provided Answers: 2	Well I missed a day of working just because I havn't been feeling well.. and went back to try some of the things mentioned today. I tried to turn the engine over with a wrench and ran into a problem.. which way does it turn? LOL. I am guessing to the "right" as if you were tightening. Well I tryed it, and was limited on space, but from what I could tell it did not move at all. I even had the spark plugs out. Does this mean basically the engine is seized, or is it just THAT hard to turn? If the engine IS stuck, I may be having a couple opels to sell to earn back some money since I NEED a vehicle to drive SOON. __________________ Current 1970 GT; Under Construction Previous 1969 GT; Street/Strip Project 1969 GT; White with Black Interior, Automatic 1969 GT; Black Parts Car 1969 GT; White Parts Car 1970 GT; Silver with Red Interior 1971 GT; Orange with Black Interior, Turbo 1972 GT; Red Parts Car 1972 GT; Blue with Black Interior 1973 GT; Pearl Blue with Black interior. Full body kit.

05-12-2006	#22 (permalink)
baz opel free after 26 years Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: sunderland england Posts: 4,941 Real Name: barry williams Provided Answers: 4	yes it turns clockwise and with no plugs it should spin easy even the alt belt should turn it when you turn the alt __________________ Copyright © 2003-2009 barry williams All Rights Reserved save praying to God for sunday today we pray to Nike and run like hell

05-12-2006	#23 (permalink)
gtopel72 Opeler since '84 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Luray, Va. Posts: 30	Transmission in neutral ?

05-12-2006	#24 (permalink)
Mike Preble Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 368 Provided Answers: 1	Shoot some oil down the cylinders to ensure it is lubed enough to turn. If you have a manual tranny you can rock the car back and forth with it in gear to see if that will free up the pistons. All you are interested in now is determining if the engine will rotate. Good luck. One step at a time. Mike

05-13-2006	#25 (permalink)
timemachine Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Swarthmore, PA Posts: 871 Real Name: Jim Provided Answers: 7	Your engine is probably not seized, forget that stuff for now. Is that starter motor really turning or just the solenoid clicking? Hook a jumper cable directly from the positive on the battery to where the same cable bolts to the starter. Sounds too easy, but I've seen just as many battery positive cables fail as starters from corrosion inside the connectors. If that doesn't work and you have an automatic, there is a switch in the shift console that prevents the ignition switch from closing when the car is not in park. You can just short the switch with a screwdriver to test. __________________ '74 Manta ("Sig") '75 Sportwagon (project) '72 GT (whenever I get to it) Sold or wrecked: '72 Manta Rallye '73 Manta '74 Luxus Last edited by timemachine; 05-13-2006 at 03:38 AM.

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