I'm trying to get to the starter to tap it so i can see if this will help it to start, but I dont even know where to look or what to use. Can you help me?

Dont tap starters. They use to have windings on the case inside the starter. They have been replaced with ceramic magnets which will crack if struck with a hammer. Have the system tested before you tap anything as you could have a battery or connection issue. Dont add a starter to the mix

If a jump from the other car didnt work then you probably have a bad starter/solenoid.
you used to be able to tap on a starter with a hammer a couple times but I dont know if you can with cars these days.
first thing you should do is have your battery tested, then starter/solenoid tested.

sounds like your starter has gone out on you. if you have nice bright lights and know its not a battery problem. try tapping on your starter with a big hammer[no kidding] while somebody trys to start it. [ this goes without saying but make sure its in park] starter should be on passenger side and just by giving it a few taps with something will sometimes work to get the truck started so you can move it to a place where you can work on it further.. but if there is no clicking sound when you try to start it and you have a good battery it sounds like a starter. if you dont know what the starter looks like its on the bottom passanger side located off the side of the motor about the size of a softball around and maby 6 too 8 inches long. this dont always work but sometimes you get lucky i have had to do this several times myself. and it will work a few times, but know that you need to get a starter soon who wants to crawel under a truck just to get it going [not me]..also youtube has a wide variety of videos that may help you.. i hope this helps you..

By your description, it sounds like the starter motor is not working proper. You can tap on the starter with a hammer sometimes to at least make the starter work. Make sure the truck wont run over you,but hold the key in the start position while tapping starter with a hammer. If the starter works ,then the starter needs to be replaced. If it doesnt work, then you will need to remove starter and have it tested before you replace it.. Let me know if that helps

suggest a bad starter or a bad connection to starter, sometimes you can tap on the starter with a hammer and get it to start one last time.make sure cars in park with emergancy brake on!! have some hold key over in start position and you tap on starter with hammer to see if it even clicks, sometimes they will either click or even start, depaending on how bad the colenoind is on the starter. be very careful when tapping as not to cross out and hit the positive cable on the starter. hope this helps!!

may work may not...on older cars when the starter went bad and the car wouldn't start you could tap the starter with a long screwdriver or hammer lightly and the solenoid would engage and start the car but you need to get it home or to shop cause it wouldn't work again..if you try this and the starter engages then the starter needs to be replaced if you haven't already tried..if the lights are flashing when you try to start the vehicle then o would say its prob a malfunctioning alarm system..try to diengage it by pulling fuse for alarm..don't know if you can though..check the starter...good luck

the clicks are a signature of a bad battery, since your is new, it probally is not bad, i would try to jump the car with cables, even though your battery is new, you dont know how long is sat ont he shelf before you took it home, may be weak, 1 good jump to get the motor going and the alternator will charge it right up so wont have to so it again....

the only other thing is the starting system left to look at if that dont work is the starter, try banging on it a little with a hammer, not to hard though, as someone turns the key, this will sometime free up a locked up solinoid.


Good Luck

make sure your battery is fully charged,make sure the battery connections are good and tight,check wires on the starter also.if that dont help .pull the starter off and take it to a local parts store,they can check the starter..you can try to have someone turn the key to start it while you tap the side of the starter with a hammer.(light tap or two}

try to start it while someone taps the starter firmly with a hammer. if it tries to turn over or starts.... replace the starter.

The car seems to have functioning parts but it is probably a wiring issue - have you done a heater core replacement or anything under the dash/hood in a while (other than "tapping on the starter" <-- which you shouldnt do by the way)

what year is it??

if it is a 1990 the car has a plug undone under the driver side steering column on the "security" and "ignition" wiring circuit - read your FSM (factory service manual) and diagnose the problem. it is definately a short somewhere!