Hope I spelled that correctly....

A couple of weeks ago the car would not start, then no issues for 8-10 starts, then again it would not start. (Horn works, lights, work, interior lighting, etc. all seem fine) I checked and tightened both battery terminals, checked the battery ground to the frame, (was tight), then the starter hot lead and the engine block to the frame were tightened. Today, 5-6 statrs, then it would not start; 2 hours later started fine.

Should I recheck the grounds, this time including the engine block?

Thanks

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Did you clean the connections at the battery terminals? Sometimes all looks fine but a corrosive layer between the posts and the cable ends could cause something like this.

More info preeeze!!
"No start", as in it would not turn over, or as in it turns over, but does not fire off?
If it is the no turn over, my money is on the starter solenoid. The contact inside of the solenoid for the battery cable(main power) will burn out over time, and cause an intermittent no crank issue. Sometimes you can dis-assemble the solenoid, and loosen the nut that holds the contact bolt in. From there, you can simply turn the bolt 180deg. and reassemble. This gives the solenoid a new contact spot , and they'll work fine...assuming that is the problem to start with.
Or...you could just replace the solenoid, and be dome with it.


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Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Joel is right, and solenoid problems often temporarily go away after cooling off for a while, which reinforces what he said.

Larry

By intermittent I meant the engine will not turn over.... I will remove and clean the terminals as suggested, (but they did look clean), but I'm betting on the solenoid as I hadn't thought of that.

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You can turn the bolt I'm talking about without actually dis-assembling the solenoid. My previous post suggested that, it appears.
With the starter off, look at the center, large stud that the battery cable connects to. Loosen the nut that is on there(usually a 5/8"). With the nut backed off, you can push the stud into the solenoid a ways, and then you can turn it 180 deg., and then tighten the nut back up. IF that was the problem with your no-start, this will fix it.
I've got some starters at the house....I might be able to get some pics of this procedure later this eve. I usually dis-assemble the solenoid just to see IF that stud is worn enough to cause the problem, but that's just me.
What happens with this particular stud, is that every time you hit the starter switch, the solenoid engages, and it "whacks" up against this stud, which transfers 12v power to the starter motor to spin it. When the solenoid hit the stud, it makes a big arc, like a welder. Eventually, it simply wears to a point that the solenoid just won't make full contact all the time.

It's worth a shot, anyway, imo.


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanks Joel... and since the starter has to come off anyway I may as well give it a shot

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The soleniod end is like a big washer. As a thirfty young man I found that you can lightly sand the stud to remove any pitting and flip over the soleniod end to the udder side or sand it down and go again.

The downside is that the pitting comes back around fairly quickly again. (Maybe a couple more years dependant on how often ya drive the ol girl.)

For the money a new solenoid is an inexpensive and trouble free fix. Unless ya don't mind ta carry a long screwdrive wit ya. Unlike Ghostbusters sometimes a little crossing of the arc can be a good thing to bring the beast ta life....

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Tux... haven't done that since high school when I had my first car, a 55 chevy. It was park on a hill or cross it over.

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LOL..... It was tuff not having mooch $$$ when we were young. Heck I can remember using old cans on the exhaust as well as the your hill trick.

Somethings do get better with age!

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OK, I went with the new solenoid option, piece of cake to change; now if I can just get the !@# starter back on. Spent an hour or so today attempting to line up the bolts without any luck.

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...seems I am about a half bolt hole out of alignment, (with the front bracket loosley attached). Started on the outside and moved to the inside since the line of sight is better.

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Did you get it back on?

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Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

nope, have not been back to the garage yet

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The engine block will have two bolt patterns for the starter, but the outside bolt hole is the same. For sure, start the outside bolt first, then the inner bolt. The starters can have a couple of different bolt patterns...either straight across, or diagonal, but still, the outer bolt will be in the same position.

Those things get heavy after about 30 seconds, don't they?


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Got the starter back on... I went mechanical on the thing, used a floor jack. Thanks to all for the help; the car is starting as it should.

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