I have an 85 SS that was running fine up until I took on a year long restoration to the interior and audio.

Today I tried to start it up after over a year and it spun the flywheel a few teeth and then started clicking. The fan spun less than a quarter turn too. It will repeat that each time I try to start it.

Battery: Contacts are cleaned up and tight. 12.5V+ on the multimeter. I have also connected two other batteries via jumper cables and nothing changes.

Solenoid: I checked the 12V constant and it is getting a good connection to the battery. I tried to jump the 12V contact to the IGN contact. The first time I did this it seemed to engage the starter quickly up until I jumped from the spark. LOL. After that, when I jumped the contacts it just sparked and didn't seem to produce anything at the starter.

Starter: I have tapped the starter and the solenoid but nothing additional happened.

Again, when I try to start it with the key, it spins the flywheel and fan just a little. The car hasn't been started for over a year. I've read a thousand threads, posts, etc... I'm hoping there is something obvious I am missing. HELP.

 

Try turning the engine over a few times from the crank pulley clockwise by hand if it turns with good resistance try cranking it with the key. Sounds like the engine is partially seized. Give it 2 complete spins by hand or more and try that first,

 

Definitely try this first. If the car was around any moisture it could be the issue.

 

Even though you have 12.5v you may not have enough amperage to operate the starter. Using an extra battery with a set of jumper cables won't help much because the resistance of the cables is going to absorb the majority of amperage the battery can provide. Pull the battery and have it charged. While the battery is charging pull the spark plugs and (using a straw) pour about 1 tbsp of oil into each of the cylinders. Let that sit for about an hour, then turn the engine over by hand as previously suggested. Reinstall the charged battery, disconnect the power wire from the coil and turn the engine over with the starter for a few seconds. Reinstall the spark plugs, the coil power wire, open the throttle by hand, dump a couple tbsp of gas into the carb, then start the car.

 

maybe the feul pump is gone? my car wasn't started for a few yhears and that was the issue and it was outside in mass and had 153k on it 159k no prob lol