When operating the starter circuit, the technician hears spinning but the engine does not turn. The cause might be

• A. The starter motor is seized
• B. The starter drive is defective
• C. Low battery voltage
• D. Faulty spark plugs

Answer: (B)

When you hear the starter motor spinning but the engine isn’t turning, the problem is how the starter engages the engine. The starter drive gear (the mechanism that pushes the gear into mesh with the flywheel) may be defective or not engaging properly. If the drive isn’t meshing with the flywheel, the motor can spin without turning the engine, so the engine stays stationary. A seized starter would stop the motor from spinning altogether, and low battery voltage would typically cause weak or no cranking rather than normal motor spin. Faulty spark plugs affect ignition, not the starter’s ability to rotate the engine.