alt or starter ?

[rendertrust]

well today the weather outside was about 70 and sprikling all day, after school i went to start my car and i turned the key and it wasnt long enough for it to start... so i try again but this time makes an ugly noise, i try again and samething happens ... i sit in the car for a few minuted thinking whether i should walk home or call my house from the school ... i decide ill walk home but will try the car one more time ... it worked

my car has refused to start a few times before, but im not sure whether its the alternator or something else because it doesnt happen all the time and im thinking maybe water was the cause or the engine was too cold... either way my dad is looking into getting it another battery, oh by the way my powersteering leaks but i havent put any in there for a few weeks

[freakonaleash1187]

that is your starter. your altenator has nothing to do with starting you car. if it doesn't do it all the time, it doesn't necesarily have to be replaced right away cuz from what i heard, they are really hard to change.

-Jared

[k3smostwanted]

definitely your starter...mine just went out again but im not replacing it for a little while.

as long as the car has power its not your alt. or battery...

usually that grinding noise you heard that you called ugly, that is a sign that the alternator is wearing down and it is only a little while until it will completely fail. eventhough the first time i heard that grinding noise, mine lasted another few months. i just got lucky, pretty much. next thing it will do is sound like it is just spinning, not grinding against anything. then if you wait a coupel seconds and try again it will eventually go back to normal. it can be rebuilt because i am pretty sure it is just the bearings inside the starter motor that wear themselves down. good luck!!!

i think i replaced mine in a couple hours but it was so long ago, i dont remember.

[DeleriousZ]

Originally Posted by k3smostwanted

usually that grinding noise you heard that you called ugly, that is a sign that the alternator is wearing down and it is only a little while until it will completely fail.

lol, you mean starter... got alternator on the mind eh?

[Zgringo]

Right down my alley...just pulled my starter. Very simple. Mine would turn but wouldn't grind or anything, just spin. Pulled it off and the 2 screws holding the nose on it had come loose....so tighen them...reinstall the starter...vowalla...like magic....it works fine. 20 minute job.

Don't forget to disconnect the battery before you start the job.

[Hodo]

Sounds like the Starter is going.... mine has the same problem on cold cold mornings when its been sitting for a long while. But I am not worried about it, it fires up first everytime on anything warmer than 20 degrees. Its colder than that I kinda let the car sit with the key on for a few seconds before I try and turn it over.

Also on the powersteering leak, you NEED to fix that. Your power steering sits right over your alternator. It will leak down onto the alt and kill it. That gets REAL anoying and expensive if its not fixed soon.

Things you need, Starter, Alternator, and Powersteering pump..... while your there do your timeing belt and water pump and throw on a underdrive pulley.

[k3smostwanted]

Originally Posted by DeleriousZ

lol, you mean starter... got alternator on the mind eh?

sorry delerious...got a little confused in there.

and zgringo, sounds like my same exact problem. when i go to start my car i here a quick grind and then spnning. i hope i can just tighten it all back down but then again, i dont really care because i have a 2 year warantee and it only lasted 8 months.

[rendertrust]

so zgringo all i have to do is tighten a screw right, it grinded for like 2 seconds then started just spinning ... i waited a couple minutes then it worked

[k3smostwanted]

Originally Posted by rendertrust

so zgringo all i have to do is tighten a screw right, it grinded for like 2 seconds then started just spinning ... i waited a couple minutes then it worked

take it apart and find out...i just dropped my starter in 15 minutes. i must have been confused with something else when i said a couple hours. real easy and simple!!!