Engine Problems--Please Help

[jessicaizi]

I have a 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass and a night ago everything with the car was PERFECT. I drove a 1000 mile trip to move down to VA, and didn't have any problems. The next day, I drove the car for about a half an hour and didn't have any problems, either.

This morning, I get up to go to work, and go to start the car, and everything works on the car (lights, radio, etc...) but the engine only makes a 'clicking' sound when I go to start it. There is NO other sound beside the clicking.

The clicking sounds like it is coming from the dash, so at first I thought perhaps it was a fuse; but, that seems too easy.

I had a 1991 Cutlass in the past and it had alternator problems, but I could actually start the car then and it would stall out. I did not have any of the same symptoms with this, the car just decided to not start this morning.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

[GTP Dad]

Welcome to AF! There are several possibilities. There is a relay under the dash that sends power to the starter this could have gone bad. Another is that the Battery has gone bad and does not have the voltage to start the car even though the other accessories work. Try jumping the car to see what happens. Another is a bad wire to the starter. Finally, does you car have a security system aka Passlock system? If so this could be the problem.

[theragtopguy]

Originally Posted by jessicaizi

I have a 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass and a night ago everything with the car was PERFECT. I drove a 1000 mile trip to move down to VA, and didn't have any problems. The next day, I drove the car for about a half an hour and didn't have any problems, either.

This morning, I get up to go to work, and go to start the car, and everything works on the car (lights, radio, etc...) but the engine only makes a 'clicking' sound when I go to start it. There is NO other sound beside the clicking.

The clicking sounds like it is coming from the dash, so at first I thought perhaps it was a fuse; but, that seems too easy.

I had a 1991 Cutlass in the past and it had alternator problems, but I could actually start the car then and it would stall out. I did not have any of the same symptoms with this, the car just decided to not start this morning.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

Try crawling under the car and giving the starter a whack with a hammer. What happens is the carbon brushes inside the starter will hang up as they start to wear out preventing the starting circuit from being completed. If this is your problem, you will need a new starter or to get the one you have rebuilt, that's what I do because I don't trust those shitty rebuilt ones you get from Pep Boys or whatever. Find a good shop that rebuilds them and 'git 'er done!'

Hope this helps.