'01 slow cranking
hipkid33
11-21-2005, 08:10 PM
Hello all! First time poster, frequent browser. I own a 2001 3.4 Impala with 51000 miles on it that was purchased used with 36000 miles from a GM (Cadillac) dealer. It has an aftermarket remote starter and aftermarket cruise control that the previous owner installed when I bought the car. The installation looks pretty good (I'm no pro, but I can tell a botched job when I see one). I've had no problems with either aftermarket system. Up until now, the car has been flawless. I also purchased an extended warranty that covers all but routine maintenance.
Here's the problem. Within the last couple of days it has been starting really slow (kind of like when you would leave your lights on overnight and drain the battery). No wierd clicks or sounds at all, just really slow, you could even hear when it would reach a compression stroke that the starter was really working. It has not once failed to start. Once it was started, everyting was great. Car ran fine, no lights or warnings of any sort. It would make no difference if the engine was warm or not, or the duration between starts. My first thought was the battery. Found out it was the original, so I decided to buy a new one. I thought that with the battery 5 years old and living in the Northeast with winter fast approaching that at the very least, it would be a good investment. No deal. Problem still exists. I'm keeping the new battery though. I think I can rule out the alternator because this has been going on for a few days and I have driven the car several hundred miles with lights, radio, heat, etc...going. I would think that even the best battery would be dead by now. So I'm looking for suggestions. Could it be the starter? A short? I have noticed that there appears to be a lot of oil on the starter, I attributed that to the oil filter being right there. Maybe it is shorting out? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Chad
Here's the problem. Within the last couple of days it has been starting really slow (kind of like when you would leave your lights on overnight and drain the battery). No wierd clicks or sounds at all, just really slow, you could even hear when it would reach a compression stroke that the starter was really working. It has not once failed to start. Once it was started, everyting was great. Car ran fine, no lights or warnings of any sort. It would make no difference if the engine was warm or not, or the duration between starts. My first thought was the battery. Found out it was the original, so I decided to buy a new one. I thought that with the battery 5 years old and living in the Northeast with winter fast approaching that at the very least, it would be a good investment. No deal. Problem still exists. I'm keeping the new battery though. I think I can rule out the alternator because this has been going on for a few days and I have driven the car several hundred miles with lights, radio, heat, etc...going. I would think that even the best battery would be dead by now. So I'm looking for suggestions. Could it be the starter? A short? I have noticed that there appears to be a lot of oil on the starter, I attributed that to the oil filter being right there. Maybe it is shorting out? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Chad
1995JimmyLT
07-05-2007, 10:34 AM
Oil on the starter? That's definitely not good. Just because the filter is near it doesn't mean oil should leak on anything. You might have a leak somewhere, or maybe who ever is doing your oil changes is not cleaning up the mess they make. Is it dripping any oil on the ground when it's parked?
As far as you changing your battery, you should have first simply measured the voltage coming from it to get an idea if it was actually low or get it load tested before replacing it. Either way, batteries are not too expensive, but from my experience I find the original batteries tend to last the longest and you don't want to change things based on a feeling it might be bad.
Anyhow, considering you said it cranks really slow, I'd say it probably is the starter. Usually starters don't go instantly. Often they will crank slower than normal (but still start the engine) just before they die. From what you've described, it sounds like that is what is happening. The starters on Impalas are relatively inexpensive, so it shouldn't be a big deal, if you decided to go this route. Hope that helps.
As far as you changing your battery, you should have first simply measured the voltage coming from it to get an idea if it was actually low or get it load tested before replacing it. Either way, batteries are not too expensive, but from my experience I find the original batteries tend to last the longest and you don't want to change things based on a feeling it might be bad.
Anyhow, considering you said it cranks really slow, I'd say it probably is the starter. Usually starters don't go instantly. Often they will crank slower than normal (but still start the engine) just before they die. From what you've described, it sounds like that is what is happening. The starters on Impalas are relatively inexpensive, so it shouldn't be a big deal, if you decided to go this route. Hope that helps.
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