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My starting is getting worse. I've checked the battery cables, and they're fine, but it is still intermittent at best.
If the car has been running long enough to get to a normal engine temperature, then it normally starts just fine if I try within a few hours. Also, yesterday as an example, if it's a relatively warm day it will start just fine when I normally go to pick it up (after being parked for 10 hours).
That is no longer a guarantee, though, as it hasn't started twice now in the afternoons over the last couple of weeks, and only started once in the morning (the rest of the time I have to pop the clutch).
When I turn the key, all I hear is a clicking sound (not dissimilar to the click you hear when you turn on the OD, just a little louder, almost sounds like a spark), but no "chug chug chug". Then right after, when I put it back into the "on" portion, it sounds like air letting out of somewhere (not saying air is, that's just the sound).
Point - could it be the starter? I recall when I owned a Nissan once that the starter went out, but I don't recall it having this same issue. Of course, that car would have the same problems with starting, but 90% of the time would start fine for me, just never started for my ex-wife. Odd.
If it is likely the starter...where the heck is the starter in this engine? I've looked and looked, and can't seem to locate it (and by looked I mean opened the hood and couldn't readily point it out).
Thanks!
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Howdy,
...where the heck is the starter in this engine? I've looked and looked, and can't seem to locate it...
It is absolutely essential that you identify the parts of your car if you intend to work on it. Get a Haynes manual to help. Use what you can identify to locate what you cannot. For instance, you know the starter uses the battery to start the car; follow the cables from the battery. One goes down and connects to ground. The other goes directly to the starter. There are other, smaller wires leaving the battery posts, you can identify those later. Right now you need to know whether the starter has a good connection to the battery.
Before you get too far into it, check the cables at the battery for corrosion or maybe loose.
--
Mr. Shannon DeWolfe -- I've taken to using mister because my name misleads folks on the WWW. I am a 52 year old fat man.
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Also, if you have a lot of keys on your Volvo key ring, it can wreak havoc on the ignition switch. Usually the first symptom is a stalled starter. The next time it happens, push upwards on the ignition key as you turn, does it start right away??? if yes, your ignition switch is shot (just the back electrical half), easy to change for under $50.
jorrell
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92 245 250K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!
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Okay, so it wasn't the key issue, and I hooked up to another battery via jumper cables and it still didn't start. I've got an email in to Daisywagen to verify that they also think it's the starter, and to get a quote, and am also going to get a manual and see if my sister's b/f can get to it (he thinks he can, I was able to locate it). Thanks a lot for your ideas!
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posted by
someone claiming to be Lawrence
on
Sat May 3 15:40 CST 2008 [ RELATED]
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corrosion in your battery cables can stop the flow of electricity. Hooking another battery up doesnt necessarily prove anything. If the corrosion is great enough it will stop current flow, regardless.
Changing your starter can be relatively expensive and trying. The job is very doable but you need to have some skills.
Check all the small stuff first. All cable connections(especially at the battery and starter, dont forget the ground as well as positive side.
Hearing a click can just mean that there isnt enough current getting through to turn the starter. Or it could mean a bad starter. Be certain that it is the starter before you spend the money and go through the trouble of changing it.
At a minimum give your battery posts and the inside of the cable where it connects to the post a good clean .
Good luck
LS.
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Okay, I checked the cables, and they seem fine. I swapped the battery, no go. But this is where it gets fun...
I swapped the starter, and there's a new sound! (unfortunately, it's not the sound of a cranking and starting engine).
It now makes a rapid succession of clicks, as opposed to the just one that it was making before. We double checked and made sure everything was hooked up the way they were supposed to be, and it's in very tight, but still no start.
...I'm at a loss. I have no idea at this point what it could be. Ideas?
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posted by
someone claiming to be Marten
on
Mon May 12 05:32 CST 2008 [ RELATED]
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Mookie, how did you get the starter out. I've used an impact hammer w/ 18mm on the lower bolt, plus heat, plus PB Balster. Won't budge. Upper bolt is just about inaccessible, but I tried an 18mm ratcheting box w/ the swivel and it seems like it wants to round the head. Short of dropping the 5 speed tranny mount, a can't see how to get it off, so to speak.
Marten
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I held a 3/4 wrench (I know, it's bad to use standard on metric) on the bolt towards the front of the car, and the person who was helping me used a 3/4 socket (and occasionally a hammer) on the one right under the tranny for the bottom one.
The top one was a bit trickier - we had to just use straight wrenches because we couldn't get a socket into the rear side bolt thingy, but between the two of us we managed to pry it loose and get it out. After that it was super easy, he unhooked it from above, and I pulled the starter out from below.
-->M
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posted by
someone claiming to be Marten
on
Mon May 12 05:51 CST 2008 [ RELATED]
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Mine might be different. My 91 has bolts only, the starter 'chassis' is threaded, so there's nothing to back off against. I couldn't believe that I couldn't gun the bottom one off.
Marten
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I have the same car - do you pull the choke out before starting?
I used to have the same problems years ago - with the years i tended the car and I don't have them now. If you have someone reliable with the caurbaurter -
ask his advice.
By improving the car step by step you will soon forget these problems.
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I don't have a choke, mine isn't a Canadian version ;-) No choke, no carb :-)
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