How Does a Starter Work?

A car's starter is an integral part of a vehicle's engine. If the starter is not working properly or does not have enough power supplied to it; the vehicle's engine will not turn over and begin running. A sufficiently charged battery is important to the operation of the starter.

How Does a Starter Work?

The starter is engaged as soon as the key is turned in the ignition. Electricity is sent from the battery to the starter, which then turns the flywheel within the starter. The flywheel engages the crankshaft of the vehicle's engine; when this happens the spark plugs ignite the fuel/air mixture and the engine begins generating it's own power. At that time, the starter is no longer needed to help power the engine and disengages.

Because of the amount of power needed to start an engine, repetitive starts can drain a vehicle's battery. This can happen if the engine is having mechanical problems. Likewise, if the battery is not fully charged, the starter will not receive enough power necessary to start the engine.