Car not starting issues

[monaro57]

I'm beginning to wonder if my starter motor might be on the way out. I have been having some issues on and off with the car not wanting or struggling to kick over, generally once it is warm but there have been a few cold start occasions.

Turning the key sometimes there's no response, then it might try to crank, a short crank before it then stops, try to crank then stop etc.. sometimes it will start and then others it might take a bit to get going.

I'm fairly sure it's not the battery as it would be getting progressively worse, the car would have troubles starting all the time. The other thing I might check is the spark plugs. Other than that I'm not sure what it is, problem is if I take it to a workshop damn thing probably won't do it.

So any ideas of what else it could be?
What are the characterisitcs of a dud starter motor?

Cheers

[VTR8Clubby]

My guess would be the battery especially if it mainly happens when hot. Just go to a battery shop and get them to test it before you start looking elsewhere. It will cost you nothing and takes a couple of minutes.

[MYT_05]

Very interesting my friend. One question, have you done any engine work, like cam/heads/stroker etc.

My car was 100% when it was stock. When I went and did the cam/heads and all the other gear, once it was hot, it was hard to turn over, sometimes it just didn't seem like it wanted to go at all, one time it didn't...

I spoke with my engine builder saying I would just go an buy a new battery and he said no, I questioned this and he said one of the most common issues over his many years he has found with drag cars and just performance cars in general is the earth lead. The earth lead in the LS1's is not that big, and when we made up a new quality big one, problem solved.

Now I am not saying this is your issue, but it was mine, I have a very good battery, the same I bought new when we did the conversion and there was no way that this was rooted. My auto electrician said he would normally test the battery (obviously) and then look at the earth.

Good luck mate.

[monaro57]

Maybe I'll get the battery checked again, had it looked at 3 months ago and it was reading ok. MYT_05 I had a cam package done about 18 months ago, if it's an earth problem then I wonder why I didn't have these issues back then, it has just started happening in the last few weeks.

[SHANESVZSS]

maybe be along shot but how about fuel pump?

[davus]

WHen it stops cranking, does it feel like it stop because its too much effort (like a labouring stop), or is it more of electrical "click" stop?

We use to have a ford bronco (sorry) that was really bad for this. Once it got hot, it was almost impossible to start. Not from an electrical problem, but the starter just didnt have the gonads to turn to motor (old starter, cammed engine etc). A high torque start fixed that problem. So, depending on the symptoms of yours, it could be the starter, but having said that, typically a starter that is knackered will either throw and work, or not throw at all and just sit there clicking when you hit the key. I havent heard of many starters that throw, and the just poop themselves halfway through a start?

If you had the battery checked three months ago, becuase of the same probme, its unlikely to be the battery, unless of course the poeple testing your battery missed something. I assume the alternator is charging properly?

My order of troubleshooting would be.

1) Test the battery again (even try and swap a battery with someone to test the theory)
2) Check all the connections on the starter are tight and clean. Perhaps crack them and redo them to be sure?
3) Check the earth lead. From memory last time i got an earth lead it cost like $50 or so? (i could be wrong there)

If all of those fail, youd kind have to point your finger at the starter i think?

Dave

[bush_basha]

my starter on my car was rooted, sometimes it would start it no probs, other times it would made a massive clunk sound and jam in the fly wheel, so id have to put it in second and rock it back and forths. i took the starter motor out and put a new one on, tho while taking it off i broke off a terminal off the back, so i think that it was brittle inside and that was my problem.

[monaro57]

Thanks for the feedback, I've got a few things to check now.
I turn the key it will start to crank, before the engine kicks over properly it stops cranking and feels/sounds like it's because it is too much effort or to hard to crank. No clicking sounds. It will continue to slowly try crank, sometimes it will start and others it may take a bit longer or a few turns of the key. Other times it will start fine, so go figure.

[Big_Valven]

Seriously, for the $120 odd bucks, get a new battery. Everyone always thinks it's not the battery, and in the end out of frustration they try a new one and their problems disappear.
Battery problems manifest themselves in many ways and tests often don't pick it up.
You said you had the batt checked 3 months ago... I've seen batteries die in that time even if they've been treated nice.
Fickle monsters are they.

[OPTIMUS]

Get a 10$ multimeter read the voltage on startup, while its idling and cold should be 14v+ while charging off the alternator and shouldnt dip below about 11v on startup. Cold should read mid 13s.

My battery died couple months ago and i knew it was coming and also tell tale sign is ABS flashing briefly on startup.

[bush_basha]

as Big V and others have said, it sounds excatly like a battery problem, where it'll crank the slow up, as the starter will just not do that. maybe the battery is rooted thats why its mostly while warm, but also try and check all the connections are tight,, theres a 10mm nut (i think its 10mm) on the back of the starter and a connection, make sure there on tight.