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University is 5 hours away, but I was thinking of visiting this weekend anyway.
Last time I visited, she complained of sluggish cranking. Battery terminals looked clean, but I cleaned them shiny anyway. Connections on alternator and starter looked clean and felt tight, but I cleaned spade connection on alternator. After the cleaning, it charged at 13.4 volts (slightly higher than before) and after 10 minutes driving, it cranked normally until today.
Today it cranked fine, drove 1 mile to grocery store. Parked 15 min. Click. Headlights appear to be normal brightness.
She said it has done this before, but then cranked and started fine 5 minutes later. Dead spot in starter? Failed contacts in solenoid?
245,000 miles on car. Starter and alternator are original. Brushes replaced in alternator at around 140,000 mi. Battery is a two-year-old Die-Hard - highest CCA I could get in that Group.
Interestingly, when it was cranking sluggishly, I put a voltmeter on it while cranking, and it only pulled down to around 11.5 volts, which would make me think I had a corroded cable, if the cable didn't look like new.
Today she called a tow to pull the car to her house. This was the first time the car has ever been towed.
I have zero faith that I can find parts (other than a battery) for the car in that town on the weekend, so I need to take what I need.
Rebuilt Bosch starter is $115. Solenoid does not appear to be sold separately.
I'm thinking that a new Bosch voltage regulator w/brushes for $30 is probably not a bad idea in this situation.
Am I missing anything? The fact that she reports a click indicates that the ignition switch is probably OK, right?
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