1G Help! Starter pulling constant power from the battery

['93Talon]

Over the last couple of weeks I have been getting signs that either the starter or the battery was on the way out the door. It would turn over slowly a few times, then would crank up and drive fine.

Just tonight, the car would not start or turn over so I figured a dead battery.

When we tried to jump it off the positive connector actually overheated and shattered. I replaced the connector and figured out why that happened. As soon as I hook the battery back up, the starter begins to turn....

I am ok mechanically, but electrical stuff is still over my head. Some ideas thrown my way have been bad starter solenoid or relay, or possibly the ignition switch. How do I figure out and fix whatever just started happening?

My car is a 1993 Talon 1.8L 5sp with <150K miles.

Thanks!

here is an update. the battery was bad and the solenoid got stuck in the starter. Put in another battery, and it started right up just fine but now it seems as though there is a rod knock... you tell me

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[Spoolin4Ever]

Hello, 93 and welcome to the DSMtuners and to DSM ownership!

I also used to own a 1.8 DSM, I will attempt to help you.

I listened and I am not sure if it is rod knock or not. However, often engines have a little bit, and still drive for quite a while.

How does it run? Makes good enough power? Do you have to add oil? If so, how often?

Idles fine?

That sound could possibly be the lifters. My 1.8 was not loud like that when I first bought it, but right after the first oil change, it was. I then figured out the previous owner must have put something in it to quite it down.

THere is a couple ways to quite them:

1. Replace, about $100 in parts/tools. Medium difficulty and involves working on the head of the engine.

2. Clean them; put a 1/2 to 1 quart of Marvel Mysery Oil in your engine. Drive it for one tank of gas (don't drive it too hard because the oil is thinned down a bit), then change the oil. Repaet until they are quite. Only problem is they usually get louder later. But if you do this and it works you know it's not rod knock, and that is good to know.

3. OR Thicken the oil a bit to quite them down , ad some Lucas Oil Stabilizer to your oil, about 1/2 to 1 quart (add it when you normally ad oil, do not overfill please). Drive with that in there about a week, and see if it is quiter.

If it makes good enough power and runs good, you may not need to worry about it. Just make sure and keep oil in it, keep antifreeze and the other fluids up. Pretty reliable car if not abused.

Over the last couple of weeks I have been getting signs that either the starter or the battery was on the way out the door. It would turn over slowly a few times, then would crank up and drive fine. Just tonight, the car would not start or turn over so I figured a dead battery. When we tried to jump it off the positive connector actually overheated and shattered. I replaced the connector and figured out why that happened. As soon as I hook the battery back up, the starter begins to turn.... I am ok mechanically, but electrical stuff is still over my head. Some ideas thrown my way have been bad starter solenoid or relay, or possibly the ignition switch. How do I figure out and fix whatever just started happening?

My car is a 1993 Talon 1.8L 5sp with <150K miles.

Thanks!

here is an update. the battery was bad and the solenoid got stuck in the starter. put in another battery, and it started right up just fine. but now it seems as though there is a rod knock... you tell me

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[jason91dsm]

That does not sound loud enough not deep enought to be rod knock. It sounds like its top end check to make sure a rocker arm did not go bad or come completely off alignment.