Cobra_R

When i turn the key to start the car like i normally would, the idiot lights will come on along with various other electronics and stuff but the car wont rotate, nothin happens when i turn the key and i just replaced the battery a couple months ago so i dont think thats the problem. i was thinkin it might be the starter or the alternator. what do u guys think?
thx

rs_1101

what year is the car?

jarred

can anyone say, carbon locked?

kiwi

it might be grounds or bad alternator. try jiggling your battery terminal/grounds around.

by the way, what does your battery voltage as read when your key is in start position?

88t2romad

can you turn the motor manually?? i beleive its a 19mm socker that goes over the bolt to turn the motor, if you can turn it over with little/no problem that would exclude it being carbon locked.

rcefstsfecr

do a compression test then determine if your engine will ever run it it's current state.

WAYNE88N/A

Ahh, just beat on the starter a couple of times with a hammer or large screwdriver and try it again...

Has the starter been cranking slower and slower over the past couple of weeks?

Do the warning lights on the panel dim when the key is turned to start?

Does the voltmeter fall any?

Cobra_R

havent checked the voltemeter yet, but it was reading like 14 earlier today before this happened. havent tried manually turning the engine on, had a compression check the other day and it was perfect. yea the lights dim when i turn the key to start. havent noticed the starter cranking slower over the past week, but i think it might have.

WAYNE88N/A

Yeah, give it a couple of love taps, then, to see if it helps...

Starters are just like anything else with brushes in 'em- definite life limit, and they usually give you some clues that they're fixing to crap out on you...

Cobra_R

lol, where is the starter, cuz i had to call a tow truck to get me home and the tow truck driver was looking for the starter, and he said he couldnt find it.

jhammons01

Most likely starter. But you should be able to grab a pulley and turn the motor by hand. If not by hand then move to the 19mm 'socker'.......but it's hard to reach as it is under the fan. If you don't like that then pull the dust cover off where your clutch master cylinder is and turn the flywheel with a long screwdriver. IF none of these work....then you think the worst may have happened.

Cobra_R

the worst being...

cezonetheillest

carbon lock.


i would just say that it was the starter too. have you tried to push start it? also the hammer thing works the best i had to do it for a few months before.

Cobra_R

no havent push started it yet, what carbon lock?

jhammons01

Carbon lock is when a big chunk of Carbon falls off your rotor and gets wedged in between the Rotor and housing not allowing the motor to spin anymore until you remove it.

Bob_The_Normal

Stop scarin' the newb... it's not carbon lock, his starter is dead lol.

--Gary

(no offense with the newb thing heh)

jhammons01

not trying to scare him LOL. I am trying to get him to look elsewhere other than a rebuild. I think it's the starter as well.

Besides He's been on the boards for a year longer than us!!

Bob_The_Normal

Haha! But we are teh postwh0rez. ;D

--Gary

Cobra_R

ok so like i dont know if this means i need a new starter or not, but i went to go start the car just to see if it woould start, and it started, with no hesitation or anything. it started as if it had never had a problem. should i replace my starter or...?

JamesBong

Check the connections to the starter. it might be a loose connection causing an intermittant problem. It could also be signs of your starter solonoid going bad.

Cobra_R

k, could it also have been the rain, cuz it rained here the day it happened and the day before, could the rain have gotten into it and like done something to it and now that its dry it works or something like that?

AllTheTime

Not to hijack but...

Not to sound like an idiot, but I have had a very similar problem and on our cars, where is the solenoid? When I turn my key I get three very quick clicks that seem to be coming from this lil black box on the passenger side near the firewall. I opened it up, and found 2 relays, so I'm in the process of replacing those to see if that fixes my problem.

I have had my starter checked numerous times and everywhere says its ok. However, it does turn slower at first when it does decide to turn.

jhammons01

Loose connections for both of you. Cobra, The connection could be in your ignition switch. See if you can get it to do it again then jump the solenoid with a screwdriver and see if tries to turn the motor over. If so then you have an ignition switch problem.

Allthetime, the solenoid is on the starter. jump it and see if the starter turns the motor. there will be a crack and a sizzle and a spark becuase of the jump but do't be scared even though I **** my pants everytime I do this stunt.