97 Chevy Express 1500 with the 5.7. This began when my van wouldn’t start about a month ago. Ended up being the starter, had no problems again until last week. Before that started, it did take a little while to fire up, the starter fixed that and it would fire right up after. I tried a lot of different things. It seems as if it doesn’t have spark at the moment, and it usually doesn’t crank. If it does, it’s for about a half a second. Before that it would try cranking and then make a grinding noise sometimes. The starter I put on ended up snapping while I was trying to start it. I put a new one on yesterday, then it started the first time. Second time didn’t start. Today I replaced the crankshaft position sensor, it started 2 times. Now it’s back to not starting. It tried cranking at first, now it doesn’t at all, the starter just whines. I’ve replaced the plugs/wires. Cleaned up most of the grounds. The flywheel looks a bit wore but the teeth are in tact. I don’t understand why it’s grinding when it does and why it only would start a couple times then just stop. Could it be a cam sensor maybe? I’m stumped. Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

Update- now it’s cranking for about a half a second. The starter will engage, then it stops spinning yet stays engaged. Now there’s a crack on this starter as well. This will be my 4th one because of this. I got it at autozone so I’m going to try to just return it and buy a different one from somewhere else. Also one of the starter bolts seems slightly bent. Today I cleaned up the cap/rotor. Checked/cleaned connections wherever I could. Still nothing. I’m going to buy a cap and rotor tomorrow and probably a cam sensor cause I have no idea what the hell the deal is. How could 3 starters break within 3 weeks. I need to fix this tomorrow or long story short I’ll lose everything. At that point, the van will go up in flames and I might just start liking ford vans.

 

Run the OBD II codes and bring them here. We will all try to help you if we think that we can do so. Did you space your starter motor properly at all?

 

Unfortunately theres no codes. I mean it’s a good thing but not in situations like this, haha. Thank you though I appreciate the reply. From what I’m aware of the starter is placed properly. That’s what I was suspecting at first also, so I made sure there was a 1/8th gap on this one which it was with no shims still. Also the gauges bounce around when I try starting it also, if that helps at all. I hit it with starting fluid as well, still nothing, so it seems like there’s no spark at the moment. After changing that sensor, it seems to have changed. All it did was grinded before that, and now it atleast started that one time and seems to grind less frequent the occasional times it does crank.