Engine don't start sometimes when it's cold???

[DrLove]

SOmetimes the engine don,t start when it's cold. This morning (my bithday!) the car was not starting..when I turn the key.. just a "click" and nothing... I tought that it was the battery so I open my hood and a guy came to boost me. It was a pickup with 2 batteries! ..and it was not starting!!! After 10 mins of playing witht he key and keeping it at start..then the motor suddently started slowly...

Is it my starter??? gosh thats expensive, I called some mechanics and it's about $230 or $260 for new one and sometimes the same price for a "refurbished". I called 1 guy who offer to rebuilt it for $125 but I need to remove the starter by myself! Im not able to do this by myself,but a garage offered me to remove and put it again,and I coul go with my girlfriend's car at the industry who rebuilt it..they do it in less than 2 hours.

My friends at work are "almost" sure that it's the starter..the selenoid is not moving..

So I would like to know your idea about my huge problem!

thanks guys!!

[unbalancedwood]

kidna same with me, starter replaced @ 93k

[DrLove]

My car is 110K

[woa_its_j3ff]

could be that. i had a similar issue. twice. but it wasnt the starter. one time when i drove my car to toyota, (some sales guys thought it was an acura ), and i parked to check out some cars at their dealership, when i got back and turned the key, same thing happened, no chime, no crank, no start... i popped the hood and just moved the NEGATIVE terminal on the battery... nothing, then i moved the POSITIVE terminal on the battery, then before starting it i pulled my key out (prolly shoulda done that first), then i started it.. woohoo cranked over..
same thing happened the second time the incident came around. i probably need just a new battery clamp for my positive. that thing is nearly corroded. it doesnt move, but it sure hell looks Fd up.. all dark n sh!t.

hope you get your problem resolved soon!

[DrLove]

Thansk for the infos.. Im gonna buy a contact cleaner spray and spray the contacts where the starter is. I will also clean the battery contacts.

Maybe it's just a contact problem..Im gonna try this before to spend near $300 for maybe no reason.

I will give u updates about this!

[DaTwUnKrAziEpInOy]

How old is your battery ?? I had the same problem when I tried to jump start my car it wouldn't turn over, so I bought a new battery and it turned on with no problem.

[DrLove]

Yesterday my car was still not starting..when I took my girlfriend's car and boot my car with.the engine started on first try!... then I did a little trip to charge the battery... when I was on the idle the car was almost drying..the lights was dimming!!!! Today I went to a store (a kind of "target" but for canada) and the guy told me that it s maybe my alternator!!

Tonight here is snowing..a huge storm ..I was walking of 3 feets of snow to get me car..I took my multimeter and the battery is at 8,2V.. and it s supose to be 12,25V I think...and 14,3V when the car is running.

Tomorrow Im gonna buy a battery and see what happen..Im tired of this problem..I want my Lara back! lol... I bought her a nice chrome trd emblem for christmas so she will be pretty for spring lol.


PS: I don't know how old is the battery, I go the car 3,4 months ago.. but I see the "green" circle that show that the level of juice is good!

[SpeedySolara]

Its probably your starter thats going. My starter went around 118K miles but before it completely gave out, it was hesitating to start. Luckily I had a 5 speed so I push started it until I got a starter the next day lol. Good luck.

[Eye8Pussies]

sounds like the starter solenoid

easiest way is to pick up a new starter

if you go to a starter/alternator shop, you should be able to exchange yours for about 100bucks for a rebuilt one

of course, your problem is that you don't know how to change it yourself, so you'll need somebody to do it for you

[DrLove]

Today I bought a new battery, the engine started like a charm!
My car is still stuck in snow after 12 hours, no sign of the stupid snow tractor! So Im gonna know tomorrow if it was only the battery or the alternator is not giving enough to recharge the battery.

Im gonna give updates soon as I can,

thanks eveybody

[AguinaldoHomes Inc]

i have a 96 corolla that i am planning on restoring and this thing has 204k+ miles and the last two weeks i've been having that clicking-but-no-starting problem...replaced the battery but no cure....finally had to get the starter replaced...replaced @ 204k+...toyotas are amazing!!!!

[DrLove]

Finaly the snow tractor came at night..stupid guy.. so I did a little trip to test the car..and all seems to be ok for now... the battery is between 12,7V and 13,3V and goes to 14,7 or 15V when the car is over 2000RPM... it seems ok...

Also I did the test to unplug the nagative from the battery when the engine is on..and the car don't stop..the lights become less powerfull but the car is still running..the battery saler told me to do this test to see if the alternator is ok.. the alternator makes the job..but the headlights was dimming a lot..

Im still not 100% sure that it was the battery but for now all is working fine..I will see this week if the battery sar to fail again..then I will change the alternator.

[DrLove]

Today the car is still working fine.. So Im 90% sure that the problem was only the battery. Im happy the car is working fine again.

thanks for you helps guys!

[DrLove]

UPDATES:

Yesterday I bought a new starter for the car. The new battery was helping but the car started to "clic" again when I try to start it, between 3 to 12 try before to start!..

It cost me $350, I know that it's higher then if I did it myself, to refurbish a starter it cost between 65 to 125 bucks. But I don,t have the tools, the talent and it's winter here! lol...

I keeped my old starter and sold it to a store where they refurbish starters and alternator, he gave me $30, that's ok!..

Now the car start like a brand new Solara Now another problem, my horn doesn't work! I guess the car wash at - 12 C killed it. (I know they're is 2 horns, one were not working I think since I bought the car, I hear the "clic" (yes another clic ) when I push the horn, so the relay is working, they sell horn for 25 bucks each! too expensive,Im gonna try in a scrapyard. Or Ebay? I'm gonna search..