starter / starting problem
 

Hey guys, I could use some help. I am having problems with starting my 86 GXL. I went to the mall and when I was going to leave the car would not start. The battery is fine, the stereo, lights, etc. all still work. I tightened the connections and tried jumping it just in case, but still nothing. So, i took a bunch of tools and jacked it up in the mall parking lot so I could try to look at the starter. I read a bunch of threads on here, but none of them had my exact problem.

Here is what happens: When I turn the key everything lights up and I have all the battery power, however when I try to start the engine there is just one click and then nothing. If I hold the key in the starting position you can hear almost like a hissing sound from somewhere in the center of the engine bay. I know nothing about starters so I really couldn't figure anything out while I was under the car. So to get the car out of the parking lot I pushed then just compression started it. This got it running so I could bring it back to my house. Now, this is where it gets kinda weird, After it was back at my house I tried starting it about 15 minutes later and it started right up.

That was last night. This morning I tried to start it and it cranked fine, but did not quite turn over, like the battery was too low. So I put the battery charger on it and let it charge up figuring that it would start fine then. But it cranked and cranked, but would turn over, it seemed like it just wouldn't fire or something.

So now I'm really confused. I have no idea what the problem is. ANy of you guys who know about this kind of thing I would really appreciate the help.

I've got two things you can try. The first thing that might be wrong is that the trigger wire has come off the starter. This is a small black connector that slides onto a pole in between the positive and negative terminals. Climb under your car, and make sure that this wire is on tightly - without this, your car won't even turn over. Make sure the other wires are properly connected as well. If that fails, look at your ground strap. Take a set of jumper cables, and attach one end to the negative terminal on the battery, and the other to the engine, (watch the fan and belts) If neither of these do the job, then have your starter tested - rebuilds are cheap. Good Luck!
Nick

It could also be a dead spot on the starter, or a bad solenoid.

The only fix for the deadspot is a new starter,and if its the solenoid, you can try hitting it with a hammer. The vibration sometimes "coaxes" it to trigger.

it could be voltage drop too. if its voltage drop add in a relay into the starter cirucit.

It's one of three things, IMHO, based on your description.

Battery.

Cable to the starter.

Starter.

Start with the easy shit. Check the water level in the battery. It's probably dry. Fill it, charge overnight, give it another go in the morning.

Check the cable, look for any shorts along the way, look for frayed or cut wiring, make sure the nut is tight on the starter (and on the negative cable while you're at it.

Jumpstart the car (or swap batteries if you can find someone with the same type of battery). If it starts right up, I'd bet it's not your starter, you probably have a dead or dying battery/and or alternator.

Finally, pull the starter (it's what, 2 bolts and a nut?), and take it to the parts store and ask them to test it. Most places will do that free. Replace if necessary. I grabbed two out of cars at Pick-n-Pull, 10 bucks each, and had them tested.. Voila! Two good starters :)

PaulC

Thanks for the responses guys. One more thing. If I am trying to start the car now and the engine is rotating but not turning over completely and firing can that still be starter related? Just out of curiosity I pulled out one of the spark plugs and had my friend cranks the engine while it was grounded. There was only one spark right when he turned the key, nothing after that. Any ideas as to how this is related to my starter problem?

You had a bad battery problem before.

In your travels with this car, did you ever hook the battery cables up backwards?
Even for a second?

Have you checked your alternator to see if its good?

The FSM will show you how.

You could take 5 minutes and remove it then take it to a parts store to test it.

be sure to ALWAYS make the guys helping you test the NEW ONE TOO!!!

this verifies he was testing your old one right and that the new one is KNOWN GOOD!

Alright, here's an update.......I checked all the battery connections, they are fine. I swapped in a new battery, still same problem. I looked at all the connections to the starter, they were ok. So, I took the starter off and took it to the parts store to get checked. Sadly, it worked just fine which means I am still baffled as to the problem now. Is it possible that I coincidentaly got another problem at the exact same time? I say this because the engine is turning now, just not firing and starting. Well.....I'm goin back under the car to try to figure something out.

Did you check the starter as I suggested?

It would seem a waste to have gone to the parts store to have the starter checked and not the alternator.

Have you checked all your fuses under the hood and under the dash?

Thos can blow if you spark the cables enough during a
jump start.

The alternator can short out too.

this could suck up all the power in the engine bay.

YOU KNOW I HAVE THE SAME D%$# PROBLEM. I REPLACED STARTER,IGNITION SWITCH,NEGETIVE CABLE TO BATTERY, BATTERY STILL NOTHING SO I KNOW HOW YOU FILL.

OH YA. ALL FUSABLE LINKS & BOARD

OK, I have the same problem with the click when I try to turn it over... sometimes it starts right up, sometimes it takes a few tries.

One day, I jiggled a few wires around to see if that would help. It started to turn the motor over, but it wouldn't start.

I had disconnected a set of wires down below the trailing igniter. Once I got it plugged back in (broken plastic connectors) it started right up.

You might want to check if they came unplugged.

Although, I still have the click problem.

Fikshun

Sniper x, i have a question, you said something about if he had ever connected the battery backwards, i did that when i bought my car and it will not start, i'm pretty stumped, i was curious to what you were getting at
thanks

ugh, connecting the battery backwards is a sure fire way to fry something, perhaps your ECU is toast?

You say your car only sparks once? Is this the only electrical problem you are having/have noticed? So the car turns over fine now, but won't spark? It sounds like you've fried something when the battery got hooked up backwards and it's just been working by some miracle all this time, althought it sounds odd, usually it would've blown out rather quickly.

With all that cranking,
I am afraid you might have flooded your engine pretty good, so forget about starting it even every thing works.
You might have to do the "complex" unflooding procedure if the easy one does not work.

You should make sure you have spark though before doing anything else.

hugues -

yeah try push starting it again to make sure the car is not flooded.
Then take out the starter and get another one for $60 and install it. you shouldn't have any more starting problems.

i had the same problem! and i have already replaced the starter. still same thing

10 years ago I had an 82 that could not start. You turn the key and just hear, "click, click, click". It turned out to be a seloniod.

good luck

ya my is whack like that too... sometimes itll start right up sometimes it'll just go click click.... i've learned to live with it... its not soo bad but better than spending that 500 i dont have trying to find it lol

I have that same problem. I replaced the starter and still nothing but the click.... what I learned to do was loosen the positive cable on your battery, just enough to take it off by hand but tight enough that it wont fall off. Whenever it makes that noise just take off the cable and you should hear a click of some switch resetting and it should start. I found the problem happens most often when it’s hot or when the engine dies.

check the starter relay that might be the problem use a known good part in its place

mine does that, too - 88 base

but usually if it's hot and been sitting for not too long~15-20 mins, or when it's REALLY cold

i tested it with a VAT tester and checked my battery and stuff, my professor says it's just a "bad battery" checked my battery...one cell is weak, and the voltage is erratic...tested once it read 12.6 in the car, tested again like a half hour later it read 10.2 when out of the car

also i was under the hood the other day to check my belts and my alternator belt was A LITTLE loose so i tightened it up

car's been starting just fine for the last few days

i plan on trading the old battery in tomorrow, just in case though