hel! bus won't turn over

[Sapling]

hello I'm new here

I have a 2007 bluebird all American with a rear engine.
I try to start her up every couple weeks and this time around all it gives me is a click from, I think, one of the starter solenoids in the electrical box under the driver window.

it has given me no problems before, I have half a year ago removed all of the emergency exits so I know it's not an interlock issue with this emergency exit. However the back hatch buzzer and electrical box have recently been removed.

Another weird thing started, when I turn on the bus to let the gauges sweep and glow plugs warm up there is a constant clicking from on top of the engine, it does not stop clicking until the wait to start button on the dash shuts off, which leads me to believe it might be the glow plug solenoid.

I'm getting great voltage from my batteries and I've cleaned the connection in Terminal points. Don't really know what to try next.thanks

[HamSkoolie]

Voltage is a basic indication of battery state of charge. CURRENT (AMPS) and voltage are required to start. You likely have batteries that are not sufficiently charged to start the rig or they are unable to deliver the required CURRENT.
If you can hear the solenoid on the starter clicking or measure voltage getting to the solenoid when the key is turned to start then you have either dead batteries or a bad starter/starter solenoid.

[Dbacks2k4]

What engine? Am I interpreting you correct that when you turn the key you don't hear the starter trying to turn over the engine?

The buzzing noise coming from the top part of the engine may just be the fuel injectors doing their thing before you start the engine (my mechanic explained it to me once but for the life of me I can't recall what exactly they're doing).

The click in the electrical panel on the solenoid is pretty normal, when you turn the key on it passes power to those (usually there's 2) solenoids that powers your accessories. One of them is usually tied to the "noise kill" switch to shut off noise-making accessories for RR crossings. Or are you saying you hear the click down there when you turn the key to the "start" position?

Either way, first thing check to make sure your batteries are fully charged. Then make sure all your battery connections are tight and none of the lugs are loose.

[HamSkoolie]

When the engine does turn over, that's describing that the engine didn't turn over.....ie it didn't rotate with the starter when the key was engaged. It's pretty simple.


Retired ASE certified mechanic

[WIbluebird]

Is your dash board lighting up? (i.e gauges sweeping, all the dash lights flashing)

[HamSkoolie]

Originally Posted by HamSkoolie

When the engine does turn over, that's describing that the engine didn't turn over.....ie it didn't rotate with the starter when the key was engaged. It's pretty simple.

Retired ASE certified mechanic

"When the engine DOESN'T turn over, that's describing. . . " damn auto correct

[Sapling]

Originally Posted by HamSkoolie

Voltage is a basic indication of battery state of charge. CURRENT (AMPS) and voltage are required to start. You likely have batteries that are not sufficiently charged to start the rig or they are unable to deliver the required CURRENT.
If you can hear the solenoid on the starter clicking or measure voltage getting to the solenoid when the key is turned to start then you have either dead batteries or a bad starter/starter solenoid.

Yeah, just to make sure I had proper amperage I hooked it up to my truck, same thing. The batteries are only a year old but it sounds like maybe a good next step would be checking the starter solenoid.

[Sapling]

Originally Posted by Dbacks2k4

What engine? Am I interpreting you correct that when you turn the key you don't hear the starter trying to turn over the engine?

The buzzing noise coming from the top part of the engine may just be the fuel injectors doing their thing before you start the engine (my mechanic explained it to me once but for the life of me I can't recall what exactly they're doing).

The click in the electrical panel on the solenoid is pretty normal, when you turn the key on it passes power to those (usually there's 2) solenoids that powers your accessories. One of them is usually tied to the "noise kill" switch to shut off noise-making accessories for RR crossings. Or are you saying you hear the click down there when you turn the key to the "start" position?

Either way, first thing check to make sure your batteries are fully charged. Then make sure all your battery connections are tight and none of the lugs are loose.

Correct, the starter doesn't do anything. It would be a relieving thought if it was just the injectors, I guess I've never listened for it because it has always started right up.

The clicking sounds like those two solenoid tubes, interesting to hear about the noise Killswitch, I was wondering why there was two of them.

I've checked the batteries, cleaned the terminals and tightened everything up thanks!

[Sapling]

Originally Posted by WIbluebird

Is your dash board lighting up? (i.e gauges sweeping, all the dash lights flashing)

everything lights up and goes through the normal sequence for start up. Everything works great until the key is turned.

[Sapling]

Originally Posted by HamSkoolie

"When the engine DOESN'T turn over, that's describing. . . " damn auto correct

Oh yes, auto correct strikes again. Quite the common occasion.