Note: Before diagnosing the starter, make sure the battery is fully charged.
1. If the starter does not rotate when the key is turned to the third position, make sure the gear lever is in the neutral position.
2. Check that the cables from the battery to the starter and starter solenoid are secure.
3. If the starter rotates, but the engine does not, the overrunning clutch slips: replace the starter.
4. If the solenoid turns on (clicking sound), but the starter does not rotate, the internal contacts of the solenoid may have burned out, or there is a sticking in the engine.
5. If the solenoid activation is not heard, either a bad battery, or a solenoid defect, or an open solenoid activation circuit.
6. To test the solenoid, connect its small electrical output to the positive of the battery. If the starter works, then the problem is in the lock or in the wiring.
7. If the starter does not work, remove and repair the solenoid.
8. If the engine is turned abnormally slowly by the starter, check the contamination of the battery and the tightness of the connection of the contacts. If everything is in order, there is too thick oil or partial sticking in the engine.
9. Start the engine and warm it up to operating temperature. Disconnect the center wire of the distributor and ground it to "mass".
10. Connect a voltmeter to the battery terminals (observe polarity).
11. Spin the engine (no more than 15 sec. at once!) and read the voltmeter reading. At normal engine speed and voltmeter readings of more than 9 volts, everything is in order with the starter. If the voltmeter reads more than 9 volts, but the rotation of the engine is slow, there is a problem with the engine. If the voltage recorded by the voltmeter is less than 9 volts with a slow rotation of the engine, there are problems with the starter, the battery is discharged, bad contacts, burnt contacts of the solenoid.