CAR WONT CRANK

There are a lot of reasons why a car engine won't start  Let me discuss BASICS of a car engine starting system.

A.  THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE BATTERY
         In the ignition switch, there are wire terminals in it , there  is one MAIN TERMINAL  that came from the positive terminal of the battery thru a fuse box,  and one terminal is delivered  to the ignition coil, one  to the fuse box, and  one to the starter solenoid.
         When you switch to ON POSITION, the terminal for ignition coil carrying a live wire  goes to the ignition coil  , also the terminal for FUSES  goes to the fuse box, that is why your dashboard is lighted for OIL, BATTERY,  and the CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR 
          When you turn forward  your key from the ON POSITION  ,  a live current will be received by the terminal that goes to the STARTER SOLENOID to trigger the starter to rotate .

Let us analyze.

      1. When you switch to ON POSITION,  the  OIL , BATTERY INDICATOR , ENGINE INDICATOR are NOT LIGHTED, the following are the possibilities:
             
                 a. the battery may be totally dead or has zero voltage ( though remote to happen because your battery before it became zero voltage, or totally dead , it will show symptoms that it is becoming weak).
  1.  Try checking the battery cable  connected to the battery post for it may have been removed or detached.. Also check the negative battery cable one end if this is screwed to the body of the car.
  2. check also if the POSITIVE CABLE  wire that goes to the fuse box is  not removed or detached from the fuse box.
  3. get a one foot wire,  put one end to the positive terminal of battery ,  rub the other end to the negative terminal, if there totally no spark , the battery is really dead,  IF THERE IS STRONG SPARK , that means your battery can lit the dashboard , and can crank your starter , even very slow.
 4 if there is no spark, then you can assume that your battery is totally dead.  if you have a voltmeter or a TESTER,  try reading your battery voltage. If no deflection at all then , battery is really dead.
5. take note that even if your battery  was only discharged to due an accessory being left open so long , still your battery should have a voltage reading.
     b. if the battery is proven to have a voltage reading or has a spark, then maybe the wire terminal that goes to the  ignition switch that come from the positive terminal of battery did not reached the IGNITION SWITCH as mentioned  above.( though remote to happen). This time maybe you need to call a mechanic to remove the ignition switch to check the terminal carrying the wire that came from  the battery.  However you can access to it,  normally  an ignition switch has  for each terminal there are letter imprinted to each terminal, like  IGN for ignition coil, ST, to starter solenoid, ACC , to fuse box, and the last one is the one that came from the battery  , maybe coded B or BATT,  or AM.,   use a multi tester, or an ordinary test light or by getting a  two feet wire then put one end to that B terminal and the other end rub to a good ground,  IF THERE IS NO SPARK despite the battery is OK then that wire in that ignition switch is open or cut .

2.  when you turn the key to ON POSITION and the dashboard are lighted ,  it means that the battery is OK or still GOOD.  When you turn the key to the START position the following may happen.

              a.  THE STARTER PRODUCE NO SOUND AT  ALL.  the following are the possible causes.
                              1.  the wire that came from the ignition switch marked  ST  ( for starter) that goes to the starter solenoid  maybe totally cut open. The starter solenoid is a separate unit but attached to the starter, That solenoid has a three terminal, and one of which, a small wire with a socket ( the other two with big wire) came from the ignition switched which may have been cut.  Get a long wire enough to reach the positive battery terminal. .  Detached the small wire  connected to the solenoid which came from the ignition switch.  Switch the key to ON . Attached that long wire to the terminal of the solenoid where you detached the small wire   and the other end of the long wire, have it touched to the positive battery terminal,  IF THE STARTER ROTATES, ( remove that wire immediately) that means the solenoid wire is really cut open. Temporarily , you can use that long wire to start the engine.  The permanent solution is to put a new wire from solenoid to the ignition switch.
              b.  the STARTER RUNS SLOWLY. The following are possible reasons.
                        1. the two battery cable may have some corrosion.  Clean it with water.
                        2.  battery cable is loosely connected.  Tighten it.
                        3. the battery terminal itself is defective or has no conduction anymore. Replace it.
                        4. the battery is already at dying age.  Transfer that battery to another car, if that other  car starter runs faster, then your batter is still OK. That means your starter has a problem.
                        5.  Your starter bushing is worn out , resulting your armature to touch the magnet of the starter.   Remove the starter . Get a booster cable. A booster cable has two wires.  Attached positive terminal of the cable to the positive  of battery  and the negative terminal of the cable to the negative of battery, the other end of negative cable to be clipped to the body of the starter. Now the other end of the positive cable , shall be touched to the wire that goes inside the starter from the solenoid . IF THE STARTER DID NOT OPERATE OR MOVES SLOWER , THEN YOUR STARTER BRUSH OR BUSHING NEEDS REPLACEMENT. IF IT RUNS FASTER , THEN...NEXT. maybe your solenoid contact point is corroded.
                         6. the solenoid contact point is already corroded. To verify.  Get a short wire, attached that wire to the two big terminal of the solenoid. Get a booster cable, clip the positive to the positive terminal of battery , the negative to the negative of battery.   The other end of negative, clip it to the body of the starter, the other end of the positive  of booster cable  touched it any of the two big terminal of the solenoid. IF THE STARTER ROTATES, THEN YOUR SOLENOID CONTACT POINT IS ALREADY CORRODED.
                        7.  an advance timing can also be the reason for a slow engine rotation , especially when the distributor was previously removed.  

         c.  THE STARTER PRODUCES A CLICK SOUND ONLY.
                          1. normally that click sound is caused by the solenoid arm gear touching the ring gear of the flywheel.  that means , your solenoid is functioning well .  The reason for the clicking sound  ONLY is maybe the carbon brush of your starter  has been consumed or too short already  that is why the electric current  delivered by the solenoid to the starter did not reached the armature of the starter. Disassemble the starter and if the carbon brush is already too short , replaced it.
                          2. even a loose battery cable can also be a reason for the clicking sound

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