My car won't start!!!

[MercuryMason]

ahh!!!

Today I needed to go somewhere far away, I was following someone who needed to get gas, I go and stop in the gas station and turn it off....


Then!!! a few minutes later I go to Restart the car and I get this loud electric motor like sound as I try to crank it, I try and I try but I had to abandon the car there for a few hours and get it towed home.



Any ideas as to what could be causing it, what should I check for?

[Nathan in MI]

Sounds like the starter isn't engaging the ring gear. New starter motor time, more than likely.

[Rizzo]

Yeah the bendex isnt engaging the flywheel...spin spins spin. If you can remove your old starter BEFORE you go get a new one. They will have a core charge, This way you avoid 2 trips and initially spend less.

Thats the saddest picture ever. BUT

Hey at least you got a flatbed and avoided a toasted tranny and gettin your ass dragged all over town.

[gadget73]

Starter died. Pull the old one, last starter I bought was like 35 bucks and had a $75 core charge.

[MercuryMason]

Thanks for the advise!

I'm going to start replacing the starter tomorrow!

[MercuryMason]

oh I forgot to mention, I broke down in a gas station right next door to the gas station was a towing business,it took them only 5-10 minutes to get the truck to my car, not a half bad place to break down eh?

Also, is there anything I should watch out for when replacing this thing?

[gadget73]

not really. 2 bolts, one cable, and thats about all there is to it. Actually, speaking of that, make sure the bolts didn't fall out first. It wouldn't be the first time I've heard of the starter falling off.

[interceptor1985]

It wouldn't be the first time I've heard of the starter falling off.

WOW!...Really?...I mean Wow...Some peaple huh...lol

[gadget73]

not neccesarily the owner's fault, sometimes the bolts just vibrate out for no particular reason.

[Nathan in MI]

Yep, happened to me once. Darnedest thing, but it happens.

[Pesty351]

It might be a little redneck but you can try to hit the starter with a hammer. Ive had it happen on a bronco I hit the damn thing and it worked for another year. It was just stuck funny.

[86VickyLX]

My car does that too, every once in a while it does this. I know I need to get a new starter but don't have the money for it right now.

[CheeseSteakJim]

My car does that too, every once in a while it does this. I know I need to get a new starter but don't have the money for it right now.

Same... even though I suppose I could afford it right now if I really needed it, I'm just gonna keep putting it off until the thing actually shits the bed.

[packman]

One of the first repairs on the CV was changing out the old starter. The bendix was sticking and not realeasing until after the car was running. Really loud screeching noise. The same thing happened to my Dad's C-20. The starter on my Malibu died after the sparkplug wires crossfired while starting the car. The gear housing on the starter split in two. Starters go; it happens.


Packman

[gadget73]

my starter didn't fail like that. mine had the brush failure. it got to the point where it would just click sometimes, and after a few tries it would give up and crank. tried the relay and connections, but no go. went to leave work one day and it didn't want to start. Smacked it with a BFH and it worked till the end of the week when I got paid and could afford to replace the thing. It might have kept working a long time after that, but I wasn't about to take my chances for 35 bucks.