mewantsa87gnx Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 So I bought my monte back in May from a college roommate, the beast was fine till it started getting cold (I live in Massachusetts), and now it doesn't like to start. One day I had a doctor's appointment, which I took the Monte to. The car started fine, I got to the appointment, and went in. Approximately an hour later I went outside and...NOTHING, not a turnover, nothing at all from the engine. All that was happening is the dash lights would come on and a light "click" from the starter. So I called AAA, assuming my battery was dead, they came and started jumping my car...still nothing. So then the guy tried starting it and came to the conclusion that it may be the starter. So then he sais that starter's sometimes like to freeze and proceeded to take a hammer, lie down, and pound away at the starter. To my surprise it worked the car started fine and I drove away. It has been fine till today, after last nights snowstorm, the temps fell and I had problems starting at 3am when I was leaving work, same thing as before just that on the secong turn of the key it started, albeit slowly. Well just 40 minutes ago I went out to start it again, and the car is dead. One more intresting thing, after that first no-start episode I took it to the mechanic and he said the same thing, starter. However I was not able to reproduce the problem while at the shop, so from the symptoms he said that the starter is the culprit. However when I told him that sometimes while driving the electrical system in the car would "blink", as in the interior lights, and radio would shut off for a split second. And when the radio would come back on after the split second, all the presets and time were gone as if I disconected the battery. So then he decided to check the battery connections and tightened them saying that they were quite loose. Since that day the car has been fine, leading me to dismiss the starter problem and blaming the loose battery connections for the no-starting problems. To me it sounds like the solenoid is "frozen". So now I am stuck at home with a dead car in my driveway, what do I do next, bang at the starter, tighten the connections, call AAA and tow it to nearest mechanic, or neatly place bomb under car and detonate from safe distance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutlsp Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 i would place a bomb under the car and detonate it from a safe distance i would check the alternator and if it is good check the fusiable link. the starter would be best to have that replaced as a whole unit i never have replaced just the cylinoid on a starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mewantsa87gnx Posted February 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 how would I go about checking the alternator and the fusiable link (??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutlsp Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 use the search function i don't know crap about dohc 3.4s take the alternator out and bench test it at a auto parts store like autozone or some place like that. but don't buy it a new one there take that one to a generator store and get it rebuilt if it is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mewantsa87gnx Posted February 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 anyone have an idea why it started before after the AAA guy hammered it a couple of times? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mewantsa87gnx Posted February 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 Another thing, now with the car dead, when I open the door, the interior light doesn't turn on, would the starter have anything to do with that?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 hmm how good is the battery that you got? check the light bulb first. it could be a bad starter too, they tend to get bitchy when they are dieing and need whacked to work again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bossman429 Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 So let me get this straight....It has left you stranded several times, and people told you it was a bad starter, but you haven't replaced the starter!!! :? A bad starter can be intermittent, from how it sounds yours doesn't work when it's cold outside. If you have all of your lights working, but all you hear is a click, then power is going to the starter, but the starter is gummed up, so it won't turn. By tapping on the starter with a hammer while you are turning the key, you can unstick it, and make it work. You should only do this a few times though, because one whack on the side of the starter can crack the permanent magnets that are on the inside of the starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 Maybe one of the cables on the starter is not on correctly. After all, the positive battery cable does go directly to it. Check your fusible links and fuses, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hosser Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 ok if the batter is bad replace that, if you try jumping it and it doesnt start thats a good sign. if there is nothing wrong with the connection then take your hand and try spinning the serpitine belt it might take a lot of force to move it but it if does move decently easy your set if you cant move it at all then take the belt of and make sure nothing is ceased. my ac compressor locked on me and it wouldnt start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteMonteZZZ Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 I'll assume it's a 95-99 MC. If so, it may be the VATS system kicking in. If the pellet in the ignition key is worn down (metal is smooth w/the plastic around it) then the car will not start. may be something to check into. WMZZZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mewantsa87gnx Posted February 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 wish i knew anything about serviving this piece of junk, i have no clue how to remove the starter or anything, this sucks whitemontezzz, so if my key had the metal "pellet" visible it is a bad key? because the metal pellet is visible but still covered by plastic on 3 sides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mewantsa87gnx Posted February 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 So let me get this straight....It has left you stranded several times, and people told you it was a bad starter, but you haven't replaced the starter!!! :? A bad starter can be intermittent, from how it sounds yours doesn't work when it's cold outside. If you have all of your lights working, but all you hear is a click, then power is going to the starter, but the starter is gummed up, so it won't turn. Well i didnt change the starter because a) i dont have the funds when the mechanic tightened the battery connections it seemed to alleviate the problem. Also the interior lights work sometimes, for example I just went out there a second ago to see if it would start and the interior's didn't work but the headlights and instument panel did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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