My 1967 firebird will not start.I had the starter and the battery tested and they are fine. help! The carb was just rebuilt. it has a 400 v-8, hitting the starter with a hammer will sometimes help but not always. If the car sits for a while it comes close to starting(it cranks the engine but never really turns over)What am I missing?

Sounds like a bad bendix, replace the starter?

Firebird App. Pontiac Part # Duration @ .050 Degrees Int/Exh Adv Duration Degrees Int/Exh Lobe Center Degrees Int/Exh Lobe Separation Angle Overlap Cam Lift Int/Exh Gross Lift Int/Exh
(1.5:1 Ratio Rocker) Gross Lift Int/Exh
(1.65:1 Ratio Rocker) 1977 TA6.6 549431 274/289 62 .249/.270 .374/.406 .411/.446 1978 TA6.6 10003402 273/289 54 .270/.271 .406/.407 .446/.448 1979 TA6.6 10003402 274/298 55 .249/.270 .374/.406 .411/.446 1967 400, 1968 350, 1973-76 400 w/ AT 9779066(E) OEM 200/210 273/282 106/116 111.25 55 .272/.271 .408/.407 .449/.448 1967-68 400HO w/ MT 9779067(P) OEM 200/213 273/289 113.5 54 .272/.271 .408/.407 .449/.448 1968 400 HO MT & RA-I AT, 1969 350 HO MT, 1969 400 MT, 1970
RA-III MT/AT, 1971-72 455 HO MT 9779068(S)
OEM 212/225 288/302 113/118 116 63 .272/.271 .408/.407 .449/.448 1967 RA MT/AT, 1968 RA-I MT,
(Some 1969 GTO RA-III MT) 9785744 (H)
OEM 224/236 301/313 112/119 115 76 .272/.271 .408/.407 .449/.448 1968-70 RA-II & RA-IV MT/AT 9794041
(T) OEM 230/240 308/320 112/115 114 87 .313/.313 .470/.470 .516/.516 (Stock in RAIV)

check for 2 wires crossed in the firing order --will start and idle ok but plays up when accelerated
check the power valve and the accelerator pump systems in the carby
( new means nothing and back fires destroys power valves)
use lead separators to keep ht leads apart
static btd timing has to be no more than recommended as it will cause problems at rpms.
if you have a points system the point gap and condenser are critical as well

the wire connection on starter came loose.or you bought a crappy rebuilt starter and the silanoid is toast

I have the same problem, but sometimes my 92 Firebird starts ans other times it clicks when I try starting. I had the starter rebuilt and still have the same problem. Checked wires from battery to starter and it's intact. Any suggestions?

Normally I would disconnect battery and pull starter off and take a look at the starter drive, as well as bench test it. If teeth on drive are worn, I'd just replace the starter drive. If they don't appear worn, apply a little white lithium grease to the shaft where drive slides in and out and bench test a few times to work it in so that drive extends out all the way, and retracts as well. Now take a look at the flywheel with a flashlight or similar to be sure teeth haven't worn bad in spots on flywheel as well. You can get someone to rotate engine by hand while you watch flywheel. Any burrs etc found, just run a small triangular file across them to remove burr and reshape slightly to see if that will help. Re-install starter and try it. Sometimes it's smart to get a price quote on just new drive, as well as rebuilt starter, because a complete starter, (rebuilt) may be close to price of drive only, so a rebuilt is usually a smarter choice and no time in labor for replacing drive.

Bummer. Sometimes rebuilt starters are not actually rebuilt, but repaired. this means they fixed the issue, but did not replace bushings, brushes, etc...

try hooking up a wire to the actuater terminal of the starter (usually the small one at 2 o'clock position) and connect test light to it an ground the test light. Run this wire inside the cab so you can see it...When you turn to start, this light should light. Run vehicle until problem happens again and if the light illuminates, the focus is the starter, if it does not, you need to look at the entire circuit. Look carefully at neutral safety switch and connections..

Good battery, good relay. Take out the starter and have it tested. Although the same thing happened to me and the starter tested fine....twice ( after being told it was fine, I cleaned it up and put it back, still no good ) I replaced it anyway and all is good. The auto store felt so bad they gave me a lifetime starter for the price of a rebuilt. The tester doesn't put enough load on the starter to truly test it. Hope that helps.

do you hear the starter click or try to turn the engine. Most likely it is your starter. The contactors wear over the time/the number of starts over the years. You can get a rebuilt starter or buy a new one. If you are up to the challenge you can but repair kits to rebuilt it. It a 300-400 dollar job at the dealer.

The neutral safety switch,and the ignition switch can cause this problem,get a test light and start testing these areas,but start at the ignition wire on the starter to see if the stater is receiving 12 volts on it.Then the neutral safety switch,and then the ignition switch.