Hi, my 98 Regal LS starts fine in the morning (1st start) but when I stop it and try starting again 75 % of the time it won't start, lights go on, radio works as do windows, fuel pump OK. When I manually turn my engine, it starts again. Any ideas? Anything I can repair or change?

Thanks

Welcome to AF. Doesn't crank or cranks but will not fire. What is manually turn ther engine mean? 3.8 or 3.1?

Does not crank at all, brand new starter. By manually I mean, we go under the hood, grab the two lower wheels (where the belt is) and turn them clockwise, then I get back in the car, turn the key and it starts! We have tried everything from changing the starter to having a new key made, this manual turning is the only thing that works ( great when hubby or sons around, not so when I'm alone!!!). It's a 3.8 supercharged

When it won't crank do you have 12v at the solenoid starter wire from the ign. If not suspect trans neutral switch or wiring between the ign sw and starter. I assume the security lite does not stay on during this event. Good grounds on the engine and battery cables also.

if starter is spinnin but engine not turning over could be missing some teeth on the flywheel

Hi,

Checked the voltage, not quite 12v. Saturday around 5 p.m. the car stopped completely, even when we turned the crank shaft it would not start. Tried boosting, starter started making a clicking sound, so got a mechanic to change it, same problem, clicking sound, not enough power to start. checked wires from battery to starter, 11.93 to 12.03 volts (directly at starter), now it cranks like crazy but the engine still won't go!! Smells gas, of course, will wait a few hours and try it again. My question: Are we missing something, battery was fully charged today, we know starter is working fine, alternator is good also, can faulty wires be giving us this kind of trouble? :banghead:

You went from a clicking only starter to now it cranks, how? Now it cranks, no start, correct? Got spark at the plugs?

It's trying to start, we can here a boum boum ( as if spark was not able to ignite) The problem is everytime we try to start, it cranks put the injector fluds the sparkplugs(fuel injection). We let it rest all night, did not smell gas this morning, tried starting, makes the effort just won't run.

Battery was disconnected for over 24 hours (saturday 5 p.m. to monday 8:30 a.m.), is there something that might need resetting?

Thanks for any ideas...

A quick update, it finally started around 10 this morning, very wabbly (like it's not running on all pistons), white and blue smoke coming out of the pipe, smells like sulfur under the hood and the Service Engine light stays on. Got an appointment with the dealer for Thursday morning, but they said to tow it in as prestone might be getting in the engine!!! Lucky me.

Well...got the verdict from the GM dealer who investigated the problem, guess what...the head gasket blew (probably monday when we finally got it started, the cost to repair $1710 taxe included plus $361 for a new starter as they say it's in pieces ( a private mechanic who tested it monday morning told me is was fine)! Unbelievable, going from a wire problem to this!!
Not sure what the decision will be, I'm giving myself the night to think it over.