starter failure advice

[Silver98A4]

I got home on thanksgiving break from school today and I went to start my b5...i hear a clicking and nothing more. Battery doesn't seem dead because im getting power inside of my car. My dad was around who is pretty mechanically inclined and he said it sounds like the pin in the cellunoid(sp?) of the starter isn't working right. He said back in the old days they used to hit it with a hammer and sometimes that would get it working again. Tomorrow morning we are going to jack the car up and have a look. Funny thing is I can home for a weekend about a month ago...car started and ran fine. About a week and a half ago my dad started it for me and everything was fine. Since then it has been sitting, and it has been pretty cold out (Central Jersey climate)...but nothing too bad. From your experience, do you guys think im looking at a whole new starter? Maybe something is just stuck? frozen?

I was really looking forward to coming home and taking her out for a drive...but I guess it will have to wait at least a few days.

[njm23]

Giving it a couple hits may help. I'd say check the connections on it for corrosion too.

[Poopie]

charge your battery. It needs a jump start

[djwimbo]

Most import starters have an external solenoid (Denso style) and that can be repaired separately from replacing the whole starter.

The noise you are hearing, the click, does it only do it once when you try to crank?

If the solenoid is faulty the armature(electric motor) will not turn, and the drive gear will not push out to contact the flywheel/flexplate.

[VagStaR]

Your battery is fine, but hitting it to start is only a temperary fix. It's actually pretty bad for the starter.

[Silver98A4]

before doing anything im going to try and jump start it tomorrow...but i really don't think that's going to solve anything. i've had a dead battery before and this definitely seems different.

the noise is a constant clicking as long as i'm turning the key to try and start it.


thanks for the replies...its interesting someone mentioned it might be an external solenoid that would need to be replaced instead of the whole thing.

i found a starter online for like $150 after taking the core value into consideration...so im hoping even if i take it to my mechanic to fix it wont be anything over a $350ish job

[Poopie]

the noise is a constant clicking as long as i'm turning the key to try and start it.

does it sound like a machine gun?

[Silver98A4]

yeah

[dreVanHalen]

haha. funny this problem just came up for you. The other day I drove to 711, got back in the car and it wouldnt start, tried jumping and everything, still wouldn't start. Turns out, the gasket on my valve cover was bad, leaked oil on the starter, causing it to go out.

hopefully its not the issue for you, often times, lights will still work inside and out, battery just doesnt have enough juice to start the car. hopefully its a battery and it will save you several hundred bucks. But, sounds like its a starter issue. you can get the part yourself for around 2-300 and install, but unless you have a lift, its a PITA the install. Have to take off the bumper, radiator, headlights, and alternator to get to it.

good luck
Dre

[Poopie]

yeah

you just need a new battery or a jump start. trust me

[Silver98A4]

^^^ you were right. went out this morning...turned the key and absolutely nothing happened. jump started the car, let it charge....everything works perfectly now and my volts are strong. this was a real nice way to start the day.

[Toyotatech]

You either left something on to kill the batter or need a new one.The voltage gauge just reads alternator output. I would have the battery tested.

[Poopie]

yeah get your system tested. It should be fine though if you drive it frequently to keep your battery charged.

[Silver98A4]

i have to figure out what is draining my battery...my battery died last winter so I figured it was old and bought a new one...then when i came home from school in the summer it was dead again...it was guaranteed so i took it back for a new one....

now this time it died again...there has to be something wrong here. I have had an amp/subwoofer setup since i bought the car about 3 years ago...so it cant be that. The only thing i can think of is my VVME HID kit that I installed last spring i believe it was. Could the ballasts be draining my battery somehow? My headlights are working fine and all..but other than that I really havent changed anything on the car that would kill the battery. None of my interior lights are on when i close my doors and lock the car...i would have noticed that

[Poopie]

how long did the car sit?

[Silver98A4]

about 2 weeks since the last time it was started

[zrowcool]

something is definitely staying on, check to see that the remote wire for your amp and sub is not seeing any voltage when the car is off, also check to see that the wipers arent on, all the doors are all closed, the interior lights dont stay on when you leave. its most likely going be something small along those lines to drain it over time

[Toyotatech]

Two weeks MAY be enough time for a battery to discharge enough not to start the car. 500-700 milliamp is a normal amount of draw. If you disconnect the battery's negative cable and run a DVOM in series you can test the draw, it can also be done with a test light, if the light output is weak it is normal if the light looks real bright there is too great of a draw. If the draw is excessive pull fuses one by one until you can narrow circuit causing the excessive draw.