BriansDC4

First of all, i have an auto 94LS.
Lately I've had trouble starting my car. When i sometimes turn the key, the car would not start at all. It sounds exactly like if you have the car in D1-D4 or R position and try to turn the key, it just clicks. After a couple tries, sometimes it would SLOWLY turn over, but not enough to start it, then if i try a couple more times, it will start like there was nothing wrong. No starter grind at all, and no signs that the battery died. The battery was a yr old, so i doubt it had trouble holding charge, but i had it tested anyways, and it was fine. Then I did a real basic alternator test, but checking the voltage on the battery terminals while the car was on, and i got 14V right there. I've even tried disconnecting my amp in case of faulty wiring on my part which might possibly be draining battery power, but no difference there. So far i've narrowed my possible problem down to the starter, but im not totally sure. Any suggestions??

311

Sounds like your starter to me, try banging on it with a broom stick or something for a temporary fix, but most likely it will need to be replaced.

SC94DB8

Same thing happened to me. When I would try to start it, and it would just click. On the 9th or 10th try it would start right up. I dealt with it for a while, and finally installed a new starter. Problem solved.

StickyWhiteRice

yeah ditto, except i waited till it took like 100 tries to start then finally decided it was time to replace. its prolly your starter. oreder one form your local auto parts store and it shouldnt be much more that $100 with a trade in.

Chris

Make sure battery connections are tight, as well as the wire to the starter motor.

jabroni95gsr

i picked up a starter for my car in Sept (did the same thing) for $25 at a junkyard. then had it installed (didn't know how to do it) for $75. not bad. its been perfect since

BriansDC4

thanks alot!
first thing im prolly gona do before getting a new starter is check the wire to the starter. ive made sure the battery connections were tight when i pulled it to check if it was holding charge.

DYNOmike

You can replace the contacts in the starter. this is what wears out.

DC2_Jspec

I had the same exact problem in my car. After messing with it for a few minutes, I found that one of the wires going to the starter wasn't making a great connection. So I just fixed the connection and it starts everytime.

deMad10

yeah, check all connections...

If you still have the problem, then pull the starter and take it in and have it tested...

I had to replace my starter last winter, but it was doing something different then what you described...

PnX-R

Here's a quick and simple test that you can do since you said that it was clicking..

Check Voltage at the B Terminal on the Starter while cranking. Next check the Voltage at the M Terminal on the Starter while cranking..

Voltage at the B Terminal should've been somewhere like 11V or so.. And the M Terminal should've gave you a reading close to the B Terminal's reading. If not, then your problem is in the Solenoid. And what's causing the problem would have to be a burnt Plunger Disc.

That would explain why you'd get a click from the Starter and sometimes a slow crank. Because the Solenoid isn't letting enough current flow to the Starter to getting it running..

Good Luck..

GSRaCeRbOI

hey PNX-R you replied to one of my A/C threads a while back and had great advice.. since we're on the subject of starters/wierd starting.. I was wondering if you could shed some light on my problem...

every now and then (out of the blue) my car will start up wierd..

lets say normally it goes crank - crank - crank ..then fires right up and everything is normal..

well once out of the blue (maybe once in 30-50 starts) I'll go crank - crank - crank - then pause for a few seconds while I'm holding the key and thinking wtf? why is there no response.. then all of a sudden w/o further cranking or turning over the motor/starter the motor comes on and drives as runs as normal.. what is causing this pause?

I've checked all the battery terminal connections, checked the battery posts for corrosion (there was none), the starter contacts look OK.. the ground strap on the battery and motor look OK... it ONLY happense maybe once in every 30-50 starts... can you shed some lighton this? I've thought it was my starter going out.. but its been working flawlessly... I've checked the connections thinkingi ts a loose connection but everything looks good.. so I'm lost as to what it is...

PnX-R

Crank crank crank and then pause and then it fires up..

During the pause, are you holding the key in the Start position??

Does it crank over fast or slow??

Did you perform the test I wrote above??


-- fast crank could mean either the brushes are worn out or your problem is not in the starter circuit and could be something else like ignition or fuel..

-- slow crank means you're not getting enough current to flow to the starter. your problem should be in the starter solenoid

good luck

questions??.. shoot..
---- note----
Before diagnosing Starting Problems, always prove the Battery to be Good first..


[Modified by PnX-R, 6:51 AM 11/16/2002]