'94 C280 won't start/crank, help?
 

Hi All,

I tried starting my car and it cranked once. On the second+ tries, it stopped cranking and only exhibits a 'whizzing' sound as if the starter isn't engaging the engine... I'm thinking the starter is dead, do you agree? Any help would be appreciated...

Regards,

I would check battery voltage first.

Battery voltage
 

I measured it at 12.46 VDC w/o the ignition ON... Any other thoughts?

By the way, I can't seem to locate the starter... which side is it on and is it accessed from underneath?

If the starter is spinning , but the bendix is not engaging, then the bendix clutch assembly is suspect. Sometimes they are just full of crap.

The starter can not spin unless the solinoid is pulled in for the buss bar to feed the motor from the battery, So , the noise you hear is the starter motor spinning without the benix drive engaging.
Bendix is the most likely diagnosis.

thanks...
 

Is the bendix and/or solenoid part of the starter? I need to find the starter and inspect her...

thanks for your reply....

Bendix is the flywheel drive mechanism mounted on the shaft of the starter motor..it is actually its own assembly and can be repalced w/o replacing the starter..so can the starter solinoid. But for practical purposes, rebuilt starters come with both a new solinoid and Bendix drive as a unit...so most shops just replace the whole unit.
It is on the lower/right side of the motor...You may want to jumper from another battery...sometimes the extra boost will free up a stuck bendix drive.
Short cycling with the key....waiting each time for the starter to come to a complete stop.

thanks again...
 

Thanks for the help. It's time to get dirty and get under there... thanks so much for taking the time to help me with this....

Best Regards,

Post any results ..................

will do

starter...
 

Is this it? (looking from the passenger side)

NO


It is at the rear of the engine...........where the tranny bell-housing meets the engine

i found it, but the upper bolt looks impossible to get to.... any advice?

You have to use two long extensions and come in from the back side on that one...a 20" and a 6".........

access help
 

A Dalton,

I looked under there again tonight and don't see how to access with the extensions. It appears the tranny and other things are on the way to get a straight-through access. Please advise...

thanks,

You can sneek in there with long extensions from the right side of the tranny..