My engine will not crank over why?

You have a bad or corroded battery cable connection.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/everything-goes-dead-when-engine-is-cranked

Be careful that the positive cable doesn't touch anything metal. This guide can help as well


https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

Please run down these guides and report back.

I had this problem and had to get a starter cost me $134.00

So on Friday I stopped to get gas and when I got back into my car it would not crank. I made sure the gear was in park and tried again and it did crank. On yesterday I pulled off from the redlight and it started to skip per se like twice and then it stopped. Today I stopped to get my mail and when I got back in my car it would not crank. WHat could be the problem. The batter is fine. The car just had an oil change on Friday. It has one half tank of gas in it. Could it be the transmission?

Make sure the battery connections are clean and tight.
Have the battery and charging system checked for free at any autoparts stores.

If all is good, (battery connections, charging system), then the problem is probably in the ignition switch.

car sat about 3 months started up fine run and died had battery recharged took out srarter had it tested and fine hooked up starter put battery in connected pos tryed to connect neg car was turning over without key in car

check the positive on the starter as you may have tightened it in the wrong direction touching the terminal on the solenoid to activate the starter

Roy

Engine Mechanical problem
2003 Pontiac Grand Prix 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 166000 killometers

tried to start my car last night sounded like it was going to turn over but wouldnt start, tried this several times but eventually the starter noise stopped and it would just "click" when attempting to turn over.... jump started it and it turned over and started....but was hesitant.....turned off after letting it idol for a bit, restarted it and it started but was hesitant again, few hour later tried it and it started but again was hesitant.... this morning went to try to start it and no start again, again will at 1st sound like it will turn over but eventually wont even turn over, just click...please help! was told may be battery, started, selinoid or alternator?

Welcome to the forum, I'd take the battery off and have it charged. Also, check battery connections. With the vehicle running, have the charging system tested. The battery needs a full charge before you can diagnose anything.

thanks for your prompt response to my inquiry, I will check these out tonight,

but I also wanted to mention that the lights, radio, heat everything works when I turn my key over..... even after it doesnt crank anymore and just clicks...

also sometimes when I start my car it will idle up & down a few times before idle'n normal....and a few months ago my check engine light came on I took to the dealer$hip & they said something about wanting to do a smoke test to determine if there is a problem, with a seal or valve leaking??? i dont know exactly... but they reset the check engine light & it hasnt come back on.....
I didnt know if this would also be a factor to the same problem i'm having with it not starting?

Thanks!!!!!!

Also, watch the headlites or some other lite, when you turn key to start. The lites should react if there is a load on the starter circuit.

When I try to crank the car, it doesn't turn over and makes a loud clicking noise, kind of like a dead battery but not like one I've ever heard. So I install a new starter and that doesn't work. So I lean towards the battery or alternator. I replace the old battery with a brand new one and that didn't make a difference either. Now I'm stuck and out of ideas.

I'm more of a dinosaur vehicle guy, old jeeps and fords are my thing

.............other than a possible anti-theft thing going on (which i don't know if yours has this feature or not)

If that's not the case..........this is the problem i see all of the time....in any vehicle....new or old..............see my link and the pics at the bottom of it

Http://www.2carpros.com/questions/1996-chevrolet-tahoe-wont-start-sounds-dead-battery-jumpbox-get-same-reults

Return back to this post......bearing good news!!!

The medic

the clicking noise you describe sounds to me like the starter.... i understand you just replaced it.... 1st thing, turn the engine over by putting a socket and ratchet on the crank pulley... verify the engine isnt seized.... then double check the tightness of your battery cable to the starter.... have the battery tested and verify its good.... let me know the results....

i know you changed the battery, but still have it tested.... ive seen new batterys that were no good....

@CJ MEDEVAC: I am almost positive that it is the anti theft system. But I am not sure where to look or where to start or what to look for to fix this problem. I had issues with it a while back with the security...supposedly, I was using the wrong key and it locked down. Lol. After weighing out all my options, I figured that's gotta be what it is! So..what should I do to get started on this Anti-Theft Project?!
@madmike1732: I will give this a try but I'm pretty sure the engine isnt seized because when I try to crank it, I can clearly see (it lift and go back to starting position) the pulley move. So I figured if the engine had shut down, then none of that would move at all...Right?!

Not real up on this kinda thing.....i'm sorta carbureted

I did a "question search" at the bottom of the page....stuck in your car and anti-theft....this was one of my hits

Http://www.2carpros.com/questions/pontiac-grand-prix-2000-pontiac-grand-prix-anti-theft

i hope the other feller's info is correct in the link

Lemme know if that helps you

The medic

if the pulleys move, the engine isnt seized.... i just recommended to check so we know were not dealing with a deal horse.... usually a security issue with make the security, or anti-theft light flash in dash.

please help i have a 2000 grand prix and when i go to start it will turn over but it will not stay running unless i keep my foot on the gas as soon as i let off it dies my friend looked at it and he said it might be the idle air control but we replaced that and and its still doing the same thing

Do you have a check engine light?

it hasnt been on

Start by checking fuel pressure with mechanical gauge.

Did you have a recent backfire?

My engine light was on for quite awhile. The guy at autozone said I could drive it for awhile w/ the light on but this part needed to be replaced. So I drove it until it left me stranded on the side of the road (I realize the errors of my ways...). Anyway, my first incident was my car dying while I was on an exit ramp of the highway. I had it towed to a shop and they said they couldn't find a problem. I took the car back and it started the trun over, die...turn over...die, turn over...die. Then I took it to the shop I usually go to and they replaced this manifold intake part.

The car ran great for a week and then...it turn over, sputter die, turn over, sputter die. I was scared to death I needed a new fuel pump after just spending almost $500.00 on this job! Went back to the same shop, and they told me the part they used was faulty and they replaced my part again. Since this is the shop I normally go to I don't request to see old parts, etc. I have a problem and they fix it...usually. So then, once again, about a week went by and the car would turn over, die...turn over...die (no sputtering this time). I went back to my shop and they said this time it was a bad connection and I should be good now.

One problem...I'm not good. Friday night I'm driving home and when I started my car the dashboard lights got really dim and then lit up bright twice...but the car didn't die. I knew what was going to happen but I wasn't far from home so I drove. And sure enough as I'm coasting thru and intersection, the car died on me. I got it to turn back over for me, but it did the same thing again while driving (not braking this time).

If I take it to the same shop, this will be the fourth time for the same problem. I'm to the point where I don't want to take it there now because I feel like this isn't the actual problem. I just want my car to work again. Any ideas on what is really going on? Is this part really that difficult to replace? Will my car ever work again? Or should I just bury it now and let it RIP??? Please help!! And thank you in advance for your help!

sounds like to me that your alternator is bad if your car keeps dying because its not charging

I doubt it would be the alternator...a cars battery runs off the charge an alternator gives it. Once the battery has completely lost it's charge, it will not restart if the alternator is not correctly functioning. Have you tried starting the car with the throttle pressed in? If so, and the car stays started, it is because you are creating a false idle...have your IAC checked...especially if you are creating a code...your intake manifold should have nothing to do with your car staying started so I also advise a new mechanic for future repairs

Hi, I have a 2001 Pontiac grand prix gt 3.8L apprx117000. It recently started overheating and then it all of a sudden stopped running we thought it was a bad crank sensor so we took it to the mechanic and he replaced the sensor and fuel reg. it ran fine for about 1 hr and all of a sudden white smoke started coming out of the tailpipe and now the enigine won't crank. Can someone please help me?

White smoke is usually an indication of burning coolant. This are common for bad intake manifolds.
Hopefully the motor is okay. Take a breaker bar and a socket that fits on the crank pulley nut and try turning over by hand. If it doesn't move, pull the spark plugs and do it again.
It may have a hydrolic lock situation where coolant enters the combustion chamber cylinder and fills with coolant. The coolant doesn't compress and the reults is what is happening. However, turning the motor over by hand may shed some light on that.

could it be bad gaskets?

It might be head gaskets, but really doubt it. These have a plastic intake that fails near a cooling port as it can't handle the heat.

The hydrolic lock up is classic symptom on this one.
Do as I said above to confirm the lock up.

DO NOT TRY TO START THIS AGAIN UNTIL YOU KNOW :!: OR you may end up twisted internal parts if it hasn't already happened. 50/50 chance you'll need an engine at this point as it is now.