91 colt new starter just clicks ?

Asked by Battlegoat Nov 08, 2015 at 09:39 PM about the 1991 Dodge Colt 2 Dr GL Hatchback

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My daughter has a 91 colt 1.5 SOHC FI I've
installed NEW  alternator  battery and starter
(starter was bad  everything else was just
preventive maintenance ) when I bench
tested the starter it works fine , I installed it
into the car and it just goes CLUCK every
time you turn the  ignition . So I took it out  
bench tested it again and it works fine I took
it to the part store it checks out fine I re-
installed the starter again and it still does
nothing but click when you turn the ignition !
Any help would  be greatly appreciated .

9 Answers

Did you inspect the ring gear on your fly wheel? If it is all chewed up then your starter won't work right if at all.

Everything looks good I've even gone to the point of hoping the starter up to the BAT. Cable and the other little wire that's in there a hung it from the car by coat hanger not connected to the bell housing And it just goes CLUCK as if the battery is dead , I take it out of the car put it in the bench get the jumper box after it and ZOOM away she runs . I don't know if there is a starter relay switch that might have bought the farm or what all cables are new new battery new alternator plugs wires air cleaner etc etc

I wonder if you have the wrong starter and that the gears cannot mesh. When you test the starter does the gear jump out or just stay in place?

The car was just fine and she called me and needed a jump one day so got her jumped went home installed a new battery and alternator just to be on the safe side the car ran fine for about a week and she said she needed a jumpstart again I went and checked everything seemed fine but when I jumpstarted it would just click like the battery was dead I pulled the starter bench tested the starter and the starter was bad it would just eject the bindex spring but would not turn so I purchased a new starter the new starter worked fine on the bench but when I install it into the car it just clicks

The new starter when not in the car spits the gear and turns then you pull off the power cable and it retracts the gear and stops spinning

It sure sounds like either your ring gear is shot or that you have the wrong starter. That is all I have!

I will take it off and take it back before they ship the old one off and recheck and see if it's the same . Thank you for your help

Problem solved !! When I installed the new starter I punched the ignition start wire (the small wire @the starter)

Pinched (auto correct) pinched the wire between the starter and bell housing . OOPS thank you for the help.

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