How To Test A Starter Without Having To Touch The starter.

WARNING: it seems there is one out of 1.6 million people who don't know how to watch a video and pay attention to it. this video AS STATED IN THE VIDEO does not tell you if your starter is bad. If your starter doesn't crank using this method then you have a problem with the battery, connections or the starter. The ONLY thing this video is for is to give you a simple way to tell you if your starter is good. If your starter works doing this method then your starter is good. If it doesn't work then you need to diagnose the starter In whatever way you like. also if doing this test procedure on a vehicle with a MANUAL transmission you MUST ensure the vehicle is in NUTURAL before jumping the starter relay. If you dont the vehicle will lurch forward and could even start and drive away on you.

How to test your starter without having to access the actual starter. sometimes starters are hard to get to so i like to test it from the relay. if the starter works by doing this check then you know the circuitry to the starter and the starter is good to go allowing you to focus on the easier to access stuff right away. This method work with most vehicles however the starter relay if equiped varies vehicle to vehicle, in this case im working on a 1999 GMC Sierra 1500 with a 4.3 ltr engine.

[EGGINFOOLS]

This is why as a man I've moved from being in the trenches and working on cars to conveyors to many a maintenance position to now an engineer. I've never forgotten my roots and will always trust a man with greasy hands. Nice video man.

[myetreasures]

Thanks a million! Bought the starter $200+ but caught this video before installing it. I was stuck at a shopping center and had called for a tow. With your help I fixed it in minutes. Turns out it was the relay itself! The "work from here back" was perfect for me. I returned the starter, replaced the relay, cancelled the tow! I was home way before the tow truck could have got to me and I had more money in my pocket and more time for yard work!

It's already been said, but You Da Man!

[jeramypotts]

Saved me about $500! The starter alone was almost $300. I did the jump wire and nothing so pulled out the starter and a plug had worked it’s way loose. Clips were broken off. Plugged it back in and reinstalled did the jump wire again and fired up. Great video man! It’s my daughter’s 2011 Hyundai and I was nervous as hell figured I’d have to go get a loan to fix it. Ty!

[David-tdpo]

This video just saved me from being STRANDED! I literally used a paper clip because it was all i had and it STARTED RIGHT UP!! Will take it to the shop once back in town. 🙏🏽🙏🏽

[chabbsmc]

You may not wear a cape, sir, but im my books, youre a hero. Thank you for this short, precise, yet golden information.

[JusticeAlways]

Bridging the relay contact to energize the starter solenoid that then energizes the starter motor....excellent idea.
This is the only YT video I could find explaining this.
👍

[dougtaylor]

Thanks for the tip. I was about to buy a starter, but when I put in the jumper wire the starter turned fine. Changed the relay and it’s back up and running. $20 for a relay vs $200 for a starter, not to mention all the frustrating labor and grease. And it still wouldn’t have worked till I changed the relay. I’m a new subscriber.

[TonicofSonic]

To whoever it helps. If you do this test and the starter seems very weak or unable to crank, try removing the accessory belt and repeat the test. Anything siezed up on the belt path will make you believe the starter is bad when it is in fact not.

[StandingGoatsRescue]

Great info brother, thank you for educating us (especially those like myself that are completely ignorant when it comes to mechanical work), this is priceless information!
A TRUE blue collar deep rooted man!
It’s rare to find people these days that will go out of their way to put helpful DIY videos for the less educated, your a blessing to more than you may realize!

[levialston]

I have forgotten so much about working on cars that this simple test brought back memories

[CrocodileMundi]

This is one of the most concise and informative automotive self-help videos I've ever come across. I can't say how much I appreciate you taking the time to point out this extremely easy starter test. I was able to verify that the starter still works in my 1998 Toyota Avalon.

The only thing I would point out for others checking out this video is that the '98 Avalon's relay doesn't give much space for using a large diameter wire as the test wire since it uses thin metal blades like a wall socket plug in a building. The circuit paths are printed on the top of the Denso-manufactured relay, so you may need to clean it off, and it doesn't show the full switch (i.e. the line meant to indicate the switch that ought to be electromagnetically activated when the key is turned in the ignition), so just find the open/close path diagram. Additionally, the '98 Avalon relay is purple (top) and white (bottom) colored, located in the front most relay/fuse box under the hood on driver side, with a snap-fit connection that you'll need to pry open with something long and thin (e.g., a putty knife). For the '98 Avalon relay connections, 1/2 is the ignition path and 3/5 is the starter path instead of 85/86 and 30/87 shown in this video. I managed to cram a 14 or 16 gauge wire into the 3 and 5 connections just barely enough to engage the starter, so I would go with something thinner for the test in the future.

Thanks again for the awesome video!

[joshkelley]

good to see us old motor heads helping each other out.

[forrestgumpv]

I changed the ignition switch before seeing your video with no fix. Checked the starter using your method and no start. Now changing the starter. Thanks !!

[mygoogleemail]

You sir are an angel. You just saved me 4hrs of my Saturday.

Now I'm free to spend my time doing what my wife

[ronmichaelgaray]

As others have said, this vid is informative however I think it's a pure test for the starter relay. This is tremendous for anyone who's relay went bad. For those that are having "jumper wire' concerns there is an alternative to test your relay. This fella is working on a Ford Explorer and the blower motor relay is the same identical one and it sits above the starter relay. Turn the key to the ON position and see if your blower motor works by turning both the fan and the airflow dials on. If it works, swap the relays and see if your starter works. Also, you can match the writing on the covers of any similar (size and color) relays that you find together in your fuse box. As long as they are identical you have a swap match.
More than likely this approach applies to all or many makes and models but it definitely works with Ford Explorers. Just refer to your owners manual or Google what the starter relay looks like in your vehicle and have a look in the fuse box inside the engine compartment which is generally next to your battery.

[vessietaylor]

MAN... I LOVE YOU!
You made perfect sense. Married a great mechanic. He couldn't explain crap but could make anything run. Don't have him anymore so came here. So glad I did.
Why mechanics don't want others to know about the little things is a wonder to me.
I'm going to do this in the morning. Might comment back to the wonders I find under that hood.
THANKS.

[lebelly]

Our 2001 GMC Sierra stopped turning over, and we used this method to test it. There was only clicking noises once we put the wires in there. Thanks! We figured it was the starter, but this most likely confirms it. Our battery is solid, connections on battery are solid, so we will replace the starter asap. I'll edit our post once we do that to see if that was the case. Thanks again for this little trick. My hubs went under the car to try to arc the starter before I found your video, and he had not seen this method before even though he is pretty solid with car knowledge!

[ronaldroberts]

This is the most helpful video I've seen in a long time, and I've been doing half of my troubleshooting and repair for many years. Thank you. I've told young adults the first step is to turn on the head-lights to see if they are bright or dim. Even with dim headlights, if you hear a clicking at the starter, the solenoid is actuating halfway, but not all the way (this video is a vital step). The top five starting problems are typically mutually exclusive, so it will rarely be two of those problems at the same time. Awesome tip, thanks!

[agiannetto]

Bro. I was a little hesitant with your explanation but the content is SPOT ON and i found that my starter was only working intermitently.  The first few times i plugged in the wire i got spark from the plugs but no starter turn-over.  After gently tapping on the starter and checking the plugs to it i tried the wire jumper again and it cranked like a champ.  Now i'll just replace the starter instead of spending hours chasing other stuff.  Well-done and THANK YOU.

[kevinrayner]

Congrats on your patience answering the same questions over and over again for YEARS!