1995 Buick Park Ave. Ultra...cannot Find Starter!!!

[alakey]

Car will NOT start!!! Single mother, needs help on this ASAP! My car will click, but won't start. They tested the battery and they said it was low but has power. Car has been dying sporatically and the longest it has taken to turn back on is a couple of minutes.

PLEASE HELP!!!

[imidazol97]

Originally Posted by alakey

Car will NOT start!!! Single mother, needs help on this ASAP! My car will click, but won't start. They tested the battery and they said it was low but has power. Car has been dying sporatically and the longest it has taken to turn back on is a couple of minutes.

PLEASE HELP!!!

I just changed my starter on a 1998 leSabre today. It finally died last night with little obvious warning. But usually a problem is the battery voltage is low when the starter calls for current due to the high amperage drain. In other words you have to know your battery is good before going to the starter.

My car has about 140K miles on it. The neighbor has worked on many 3800s and GMs through his years and said it usually is 200K miles for a starter to go bad. Mine was early because the car had lots of short trips early in its life.

The battery is #1. Does it start when the battery is jumped with another battery increasing the voltage above the 8 volts or minimum?

The cables can be corroded. from the battery to the starter and to the ground point on the motor down by the starter.

The solenoid clicks you said. Do the lights dim when that happens indicating a high drop in voltage?

[Alibi]

No-start problems are not always the starter. First, get your battery fully charged. Second, inspect your battery terminals for obvious corrosion. Remove corrosion with a metal brush and then coat it with a bit of di-electric grease.

Assuming all this checks good, you'll need to remove the alternator (Dissconnect battery (8mm), remove belt by loosening the tensioner (18mm), then remove the two mounting bolts (13mm), an electrical connector, and a battery cable bolt (7 or 8 MM, don't remember)). Take the alternator to an autozone or an O'reily or similar and have it tested (free).

If that tests good, then it is time to worry about the starter.