Ok I've been having starting problems forever (since I got the car). At first it would click once or twice then start. Then it started cranking but not turning, giving me a code 16 (fuel injector). At first I thought it was my battery becuase when I would get someone to boost me, it would turn over right away and would start up good for atleast a day. Then it would click, then it was back to the cranking and not turning. I bought a new battery and the problem went away.... for a couple of days, then it happened again, turned and wouldn't crank. I took off the cap and cleaned the connections back to copper hoping that would fix it, but didn't really do much.

I then bought some STP fuel injector cleaner, stuck it in on a 3/4th full tank and the problem went away again. It would start up fine or click once or twice before startup. Well today it was starting up like it would, click once or twice, then I went to school. Got lunch, started fine, went to the GFs house, started fine, then went back to school. At this point it got really hot out and when school was done. I was stuck in the parking lot for a good 30 minutes trying to get the car to start again. It would click and click and click and sometimes crank without turning. Eventually it gave in and I got it to start, I cleaned out the throttle body with some intake cleaner and revved it to 2k rpms for a minute to get it cleaned out while I sprayed into the intake. Although I don't know if this will even do anything, it's worth a try.

Since sometimes it starts up fine, and sometimes it doesn't, seems to be random and the thought of "will it start?" everytime I walk to my car, would that be my main relay? I hear it prime, I hear the click when it's done priming, and it clicks everytime I turn the keys... what do you guys think?

 

bump for a similar problem

 

if you hear it priming its not the relay.

What do you mean by it cranks but does not turn? Do you mean you hear the starter trying but its not cranking???

If thats the case I would go disconnect my battery and clean/scuff the crap out of the polls on the battery and the battery cables. I had a similar problem with my 4runner.

 

Yea I had the same problem recently, where I would have to crank it a few times and it

would click like your talking about. I knew their couldnt be nothing wrong with the

engine being new and all. So I bought a battery and a new ground wire cable(mine was

all corroded) and voila no more clicking Have you used your

battery to pump up your tires with the cig lighter or anything along those lines? That

drained mine I think

 

I had a similar problem. It was the battery cables in my case too.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bmg123 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I had a similar problem. It was the battery cables in my case too.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah I noticed my battery cables are pretty corroded, bent and warped out to the max. Thank god I don't have to shell out $80 for a main relay.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vegaskurt &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
What do you mean by it cranks but does not turn? Do you mean you hear the starter trying but its not cranking???
</TD></TR></TABLE>

For the most part yeah, but once in awhile when it doesn't want to start it'll crank as I have the key turned in and I'll get a CEL while it's cranking (code 16). This is once in awhile though when the car doesn't want to start. I want to eliminate this ever happening again because it's very embarressing.. at school, at the gas station, and the feeling of suspense everytime you walk to your car if it's going to start or not. After I stuck some STP fuel injector cleaner the cranking problem went away and it would just click once or twice and start, but after yesterday I was stuck in the school parking lot clicking or cranking for half an hour. I popped the hood and fiddled with all the cables I could (spark plugs, battery cables, injector plugs, etc) and it eventually started after a couple more attempts. When I got home I cleaned the TB with some intake cleaner stuff. As of now it only clicks once or twice and starts, which is what I'll call the "normal" phase which lasts for a couple of weeks, then one random day it won't want to start and it'll crank and I'll get the CEL again.

Do you guys think the cranking problem is a whole different problem than the clicking? (battery cables) Maybe.. spark plug wires? I mean, it only happens once in awhile and when the car runs it runs good.

I'll get new battery wires tommorrow and see what happens.

 

Bump, happened again today.. clicked for so long at the bank until it finally decided start. God damn it's degrading

Dumb question, where can I get new battery terminal wires? Crappy Tire?