Bad starter or something else?

[kidwiththelaser]

My car is acting up, like usual.

It was cranking over just fine, and then I parked it overnight and took off the valve cover to inspect the head for a completly unrelated problem. And know it doesnt want to even crank over at all, i just charged th battery, so I know thats not the problem. I just cant think of why it will not even crank over all of a sudden, even if I didnt meddle with any of the starting mechanisms, other than the battery.

Symptoms:

-With the key to the cranking position, everything acts normally, (warning lights light up, ECU powers up, fuel pump kicks in, MPI relay clicks on, etc) except the car just wont start.

-2 days ago it was perfectly fine.

Im going to test and see if the starter is getting enough voltage, but I was wondering if there was anythign else that could have possibly gone wrong?

thanks very much

-Charlie

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

When you go to crank the car, do all the lights go dim. That is what happens when a starter goes out.

 

[femmeDSM]

Yeah. ^^^

Also, you said you just charged your battery...
Had you been cranking your car on a low battery for any length of time? This will eat up a starter *fast*. I've seen components literally melted inside the starter from doing this, actually.

Obviously, verify that you have a good connection on the battery, and cables/posts are clean and tight.

Otherwise, yeah, you might be looking at the starter.

 

[kidwiththelaser]

When you go to crank the car, do all the lights go dim. That is what happens when a starter goes out.

Just went out and checked. Nope, all the lights stay just as bright.

 

[kidwiththelaser]

Also, you said you just charged your battery...
Had you been cranking your car on a low battery for any length of time? This will eat up a starter *fast*. I've seen components literally melted inside the starter from doing this, actually.

Well, I have been doing that alot lately. I keep having starting issues, so I keep trying something, and then cranking it for awhile, and then trying something else, and then cranking it over some more. So you think its the starter then?

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

If the car is cranking over and the lights aren't dimming it isn't the starter. It will only be the starter if it isn't cranking at all.

 

[kidwiththelaser]

If the car is cranking over and the lights aren't dimming it isn't the starter. It will only be the starter if it isn't cranking at all.

Its not cranking over anymore though. When I try to crank it over, the lights dont dim at all though. So what else could it be if not the starter?

relay or solenoid?

 

[power=dsm]

check the conections to the starter?


is the car manuel, try a push start to see if it catches and runs!

 

[kidwiththelaser]

check the conections to the starter?


is the car manuel, try a push start to see if it catches and runs!

I checked the connections, I just want to crank it over to get a compression test. Im trying to verify that my valves are bent. Other wise I would have.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

Then you probably have a valve that is sitting up against a pistons and the starter doesn't have enough force to bend the valve so it is just froze there. Can you turn the car over by hand?

 

[kidwiththelaser]

Then you probably have a valve that is sitting up against a pistons and the starter doesn't have enough force to bend the valve so it is just froze there. Can you turn the car over by hand?

Yeah, I can turn it over by hand.

thanks for all the help guys!!

Reputation points will be given out!

 

[kidwiththelaser]

I dont think the valve timing is off.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v234/4thgenlude/?action=view&current=tbelttiming2.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/v234/4thgenlude/?action=view&current=Tbelttiming.jpg

 

[power=dsm]

????? i never said anything about compression!

Try a push start! Put your car in 1gear and get someone to push you,while holding down the clutch and the key is in the on position. When you get some speed pop the clutch and you'll hear the car start. If it doesn't start then you have another problem!

 

[kidwiththelaser]

????? i never said anything about compression!

Try a push start! Put your car in 1gear and get someone to push you,while holding down the clutch and the key is in the on position. When you get some speed pop the clutch and you'll hear the car start. If it doesn't start then you have another problem!

Yeah, I know sorry. Miscomunication.

I think my valves are bent, so I dont want to start it and drive it around. I just want to crank it over for a compression test.

Otherwise I would push start it, theres even a nice little hill by my house to get it rolling.

 

[OSXer]

I was recently having similar problems as well. I'd turn the key and nothing more than lights and the fuel pump kicking on would happen. Then sometimes it'd just magically start, until the other morning that is. I'd suspected the started being on the way out as well during this time, but it was confirmed after I tapped the starter with a hammer and brought it back to life! So, you might want to try giving yours a tap to see if it is seized. I promptly replaced mine that same day as well and haven't had a problem since.

 

[kidwiththelaser]

I was recently having similar problems as well. I'd turn the key and nothing more than lights and the fuel pump kicking on would happen. Then sometimes it'd just magically start, until the other morning that is. I'd suspected the started being on the way out as well during this time, but it was confirmed after I tapped the starter with a hammer and brought it back to life! So, you might want to try giving yours a tap to see if it is seized. I promptly replaced mine that same day as well and haven't had a problem since.

Reputation points for you!!!

I tapped it, and it kicked right in.

thanks soo much, ill replace it if I can get the car running properly.