Stupid f'n starter

[endlessMyk]

So I go out to my car and turn the key and get nothing. Well, that's a lie. All my stuff came on (stereo, gauges, windows worked, etc...) but it would not click over or anything. *Now this really sucks because it's sitting at my job in the parking lot. I searched for a "How-To" Article on installing a starter (I've never done that) and couldn't fin one, so if any of you can do a write-up or point me to a link for a how to install a new starter, that would be awesome.

I know its a stupid question, but please don't close my thread....

 

[gstowner]

Are you sure its the starter. You might want to make sure before you buy one. Anyway this is how you change them.

1. Remove the battery and battery tray.

2. Detach the speedometer cable connector from the transaxle.

3. Detach all the electrical connected to the starter.

4. Remove the starter mounting bolts and take the starter off.

5. Put a new starter in and hook everything back up.

Help this helps.

 

[endlessMyk]

The only way to really check it would be taking it somewhere like AutoZone and having them test it I presume?

 

[IHeartTurbo]

Did you atleast try jumping it first? If it doesn't do anything when you turn the key you only have a few possibilities.

1. Battery is dead.
2. Battery terminals are corroded so much that no electricity can flow.
3. Ground wire(s) corroded/cut/loose.
4. Power wire to starter corroded/cut/loose.
5. Ground wire on starter (do ours have one? I can't remember) corroded/cut/loose.
6. Ignition wires cut/loose/corroded.
7. Starter internal malfunction.
8. Starter armarture bent not allowing gear to contact flywheel.


We can eliminate 6 because you said you lights etc. turn on. But the battery could still be too dead to turn the starter and still have enough power to power your interior. Test the easy stuff first.

 

[huafist]

Yeah, definitely check the battery terminals and have the battery checked before you waste money on a starter. If your battery terminals are (or have been in the past) corroded, you can still get power to run interior lights and stuff, but not be able to carry enough current to fire the starter off. Same with the failing battery. You can still have 12V at the battery but it not be capable of producing the current needed to start the car.

 

[endlessMyk]

Thanks guys, my friend and I are going up now (10pm) to take a look at it and see what needs to be done. So, am I correct in concluding I won't have to jack my car up to get to the starter? Another friend said I very well might... (94 Talon)

Another thing, the past couple days its just felt like it's taken more and more to get it started.

 

[huafist]

Thanks guys, my friend and I are going up now (10pm) to take a look at it and see what needs to be done. So, am I correct in concluding I won't have to jack my car up to get to the starter? Another friend said I very well might... (94 Talon)

Another thing, the past couple days its just felt like it's taken more and more to get it started.

No, you don't have to jack the car up to get to the starter, it's on the back side of the block & tranny. The two 14mm bolts that hold it on are facing towards the battery. If you remove the intake piping, battery, & battery tray, you can get to it no problem.

 

[IHeartTurbo]

I guarantee it's not your starter. I don't know why your jumping to that conclusion so soon.

 

[Lzybum06]

I guarantee it's not your starter. I don't know why your jumping to that conclusion so soon.

I used to have a 89 Camaro which I had to change the starter about every 6 months and it turned out it was because the ignition wires weren't connecting properly. So it could just be a short in the wiring. Also I would have autozone or some place run a test on it, normally takes about 5 minutes and is free at least around here.

 

[endlessMyk]

1:13am... update....
Tried jumping the car, nothing. Pop-started it and got it home. Turn it off, tried turning it back on, nothing. Go to the store, get back, it starts right up. Try this a couple times, continues to start. Let it sit for an hour, still starts... I love having a DSM. We'll see what it does at 8:30am...

 

[huafist]

My bet is still on the battery terminals being bad.

 

[endlessMyk]

So after 1 successful start on me this morning, it crapped out again. This would lead me to believe it's not the starter? I took some pics of th eterminals and such, but I'm at work now and won't be able to post them until 9-ish...

If it's not fixed by Saturday, any of you DSMers in West PA wanna come swear at my car with me?

 

[huafist]

Terminals are cheap, just replace them. They can APPEAR to be ok, but not be.

 

[endlessMyk]

So here's pics of the battery out and the terminals, the area i'm pointing at is the direction i'll be finding the starter in, correct? My CD Manual is MIA.
Here are pics

 

[endlessMyk]

So for all those that went with bad terminals.... nope.
Replaced those this morning and first try i hear a grinding followed by no start. So I'll be pulling off the starter probably tomorrow and going to get it tested. Whoo-Hoo!

 

[DSMvroom]

Yeah, definitely check the battery terminals and have the battery checked before you waste money on a starter. If your battery terminals are (or have been in the past) corroded, you can still get power to run interior lights and stuff, but not be able to carry enough current to fire the starter off. Same with the failing battery. You can still have 12V at the battery but it not be capable of producing the current needed to start the car.

reading 12V at the terminal means the battery needs to be replaced.

An acceptable value should be somewhere around 14v at the terminal

 

[endlessMyk]

Ugh...
Rain owns my ass. I STILL don't have the starter off, having loacting probs (too many f'n hoses in the way) and then it started pouring on me...

Well, braved the wetness, got the 14mm bolts off, disconnected the one wire, but couldn't find my deepwell to disconnect the other. So I'm hoping tomorrow I can get a break in the rain after I hit Advance and get it the rest of the way out, take it to be tested and buy a new one. Good times...

Time for a Yuengling.

 

[4g63swap]

it may be the nutreal/clutch switch that keeps the car from starting in a gear. mine had the same problem the cable just needs to be adjusted.

I would give that a try also

4g63swap

 

[huafist]

reading 12V at the terminal means the battery needs to be replaced.

An acceptable value should be somewhere around 14v at the terminal

You're assuming the car is running and the alternator is sending charge to the battery - in this case its' not. You can't get 14V directly out of a 12V battery

 

[endlessMyk]

SNow now owns my ass....

Yes, here in lovely West Pa it decided to dump snow on us... tested the battery, ok. Still having probs getting the one terminal off the starter, my deepwell is too long and causing more probs, can't find my flixible ratchet thing, Maybe I'll just go to bed and try to do it tomorrow.

 

[DSMvroom]

You're assuming the car is running and the alternator is sending charge to the battery - in this case its' not. You can't get 14V directly out of a 12V battery

go outside, with the car off, using a multimeter, check the voltage on the battery. Mine reads 14.6v

what does yours read? I bet 10 bucks it reads ~14v

 

[endlessMyk]

Got the new starter in this morning and it started right up.

Those things are a bi*** to manuever in there.

 

[elementalwindx]

Any idea if its 2 14mm bolts for a 95 gst (2g) also? or is there more work involved like there usually is with a 2g?

 

[FORMONTOYA]

Any idea if its 2 14mm bolts for a 95 gst (2g) also? or is there more work involved like there usually is with a 2g?

2 bolts and the wiring on a 98. can't remember but 14mm sounds about right.

jim

 

[CHItown90gst]

hmm sounds like i had the same problem. I had just changed the starter and like a month later i turned the key and nothing. Funny thing is that everytime it did we had to push start it and it would always start so i knew something was wierd. So i stuck my hand in there and found a loose wire and i told a buddy of mine to start crankin while i was moving the wire around the starter until i heard it crank. hope it helps