Slow starting

[msvx95]

How do I know if my starter is bad? The car will usually start up 80% of the time on the first turn of the key...every now and then it just clicks and I have to do it a few times, but now my problem is this: When I start the car, it used to start up immediately...it's a sluggish start up and just seems like it's not getting enough voltage... Would my battery be the culprit or should I get a new starter? I'm puzzled...the more I try to start the car, the more it is sluggish...I'm worried one day that it won't start:confused:

[huck369]

Matt,
Hook up some jumper cables to it, and see if it makes it better, if it does, I'd say you probably need a new battery, but have the alt checked before you buy one, most parts places can check the alt for you while it's in the car.

Of cousre check and clean the battery cables, could just be a bad connection

[dannmarr]

Bring it to an auto shop with free diagnostics and have them check everything. You can also check it if you have a volt meter. The battery should be 11-12 volts before start up and 13-14 volts once started (estimate).

[msvx95]

A guy at work told me to hook up to a good battery with jumper cables..if it starts up fine...I would also agree then that it's the battery. It's good to get two of the same answers.

Dannmarr, are you saying test battery when car is running for the 13-14 volts or just immediately during startup?

I would assume the alternator is fine...I do not observe any dimming lights and the car runs great once it's started.

[msvx95]

Hey here's another question..my one visor light is out when I open the flap...I never use them, but is there a way to unplug them? Could it be possible the light is remaining on and causing a slow electrical drain that I'm not seeing??
Just a thought

[huck369]

Hey here's another question..my one visor light is out when I open the flap...I never use them, but is there a way to unplug them? Could it be possible the light is remaining on and causing a slow electrical drain that I'm not seeing??
Just a thought


Yes, and Yes..
You can remove the visor, and unplug the pigtail, then re-install the visor, 2 phillips head screws, and a couple minutes of your time.

[msvx95]

Ok, thanks Huck...I will do this tonight....I had a feeling this part would be simple :)

[Manarius]

Clicking is almost always indicative of starter solenoid contacts being worn out.

[Earthworm]

Can also be the ignition switch and/or the neutral safety switch not allowing sufficient power to pass through.

[msvx95]

Yeah I'm not worried about the clicking at this point...
Where is the ignition switch and neutral safety switch and are they easy to test?

[dannmarr]

Yes the voltage should read about 13-14 when the car is in motion. Buy a volt meter that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket so you can observe the voltage. The easy fix; Put it in neutral and try starting it. If this works every time you have the problem starting, then it's the neutral/inhibitor switch. Do a search on starter relay bypass installation. Good luck!

[msvx95]

ok I first attached jumper cables to my new truck battery...didn't work...still a slow start.... next I put car in neutral to start and it started slow again...almost didn't start actually.

What was weird though was that after I put the hood down and put car back in park to call it a night, I figured I'd move the car on more time. I started it up and it started immediately with a 'good' start....
So this is making me think it's the starter.... Would it be best to replace the starter? I don't think I can do that bypass relay mod..lt sounds too confusing to be honest.

Any thoughts?

[Dessertrunner]

I think you should be carful assuming it is the starter the best thing is to slide the soliniod wire off slightly at the starter so you can get a reading on the voltage getting to the solanoid if it is down below 11 v even may be as low as 8-9v your problem is some where else in the system. Your last post makes me think you have the same problem as Ikke had with the netural/park switch on the side of the transmission.
If you measure the voltage at the solanoid and it is low then move the gear shift when you try to start the car and see if it suddenly starts easier. It seems the switches on the side of the transmission fail over time.
Tony

[huck369]

ok I first attached jumper cables to my new truck battery...didn't work...still a slow start.... next I put car in neutral to start and it started slow again...almost didn't start actually.

What was weird though was that after I put the hood down and put car back in park to call it a night, I figured I'd move the car on more time. I started it up and it started immediately with a 'good' start....
So this is making me think it's the starter.... Would it be best to replace the starter? I don't think I can do that bypass relay mod..lt sounds too confusing to be honest.

Any thoughts?

Well, you could take it off, and take it to a local rebuild shop, that does starters and alternators, and have them check it out, and rebuild it if it needs it....should be cheaper than going to a parts place, and if it's a reputable place, should be a better job.

[msvx95]

How hard is it to remove it? Anything I should remove...hoses, etc. to get to the starter...it's a PITA to get to right? I think its located down under the brake booster near the firewall. I know the dealership will charge a pretty penny, so I would rather have it checked and rebuilt if I need to.

[huck369]

How hard is it to remove it? Anything I should remove...hoses, etc. to get to the starter...it's a PITA to get to right? I think its located down under the brake booster near the firewall. I know the dealership will charge a pretty penny, so I would rather have it checked and rebuilt if I need to.

It is a bit of a pain on the SVX due to all the hoses and cables that run through that area, but it is doable, remove the "H-6" cover from the throttle body, and the cables/wires from the starter, then there is only a bolt on the top of it, and a nut on the bottom of it holding it on....(dissconnect the battery first:eek: )

[dannmarr]

Did you check the the battery voltage first? I wouldn't jump and change parts without check the obvious first. Check the voltage on the battery and on the cables and on the starter solenoid.

[msvx95]

I checked the voltage and was 11.45 with car off and somewhere in between 13-14 with car on.
Shouldn't I check the amperage with an amp meter?...I think the battery is okay since I also had the same symptoms when I jumped it to a new battery.

[huck369]

I checked the voltage and was 11.45 with car off and somewhere in between 13-14 with car on.
Shouldn't I check the amperage with an amp meter?...I think the battery is okay since I also had the same symptoms when I jumped it to a new battery.


Check the amperage on the small trigger wire on the starter, pop it off , then someone will have turn the key to the "start" position while you check it

[Dessertrunner]

You have to leave the wire on the starter so it is under load other wise you won't get a reading with full current load. IT is important to check it this way as I fell into the same trap and had full voltage with no load but 7-8V when still connected to the soliniod.
Tony

[msvx95]

It is a bit of a pain on the SVX due to all the hoses and cables that run through that area, but it is doable, remove the "H-6" cover from the throttle body, and the cables/wires from the starter, then there is only a bolt on the top of it, and a nut on the bottom of it holding it on....(dissconnect the battery first:eek: )


I am having trouble getting my wrenches in there.....that high pressure hose is the one that is really in the way...I disconnected the wires except for the ground that's attached to the top bolt bracket.. I tried freeing up those bolts, but they are on there good!.... Is the other one your talking about under the starter...it's a larger nut right? I don't know how to get in there with a wrench....or is it better to use a socket...I really am having trouble.
Also, the part of the starter that attaches to the wires, is that the solenoid? and can that be removed only with two screws? Or is it better to remove the whole starter.

[Dessertrunner]

Matt do the test I suggested before you go to all the effort of removing the starter. What happens if you do all this work and it isn't the starter. As my suggestion are falling on deaf ear I will offer no further suggestions.
Tony

[msvx95]

you are right...it does seem crazy to replace a starter...if infact it is an electrical issue. Sorry I'm not ignoring you Dessertrunner.

[huck369]

I usually use a socket and an extension to get the lower nut (and the top bolt) It's actually easier to get the lower nut from under the car, but can be gotten from the top.

[msvx95]

So I had been having good luck with the starter since I replaced it, but now I notice slow starts still again and this happens sometimes with the engine cold or warm.
I took the car to autozone to have the charging system checked and a good battery I'm told runs at 14.8 volts, while mine is running at 14.2. I thought I needed a new battery, but the worker there told me battery is fine.
I wish I knew how to fix this prob, but it's intermittent...I figure it's not the ignition switch because the starter will start up every time, just sometimes slower than others.
What could it be still? I have a new starter solenoid installed on the rebuilt starter too.

[budbaer]

I am not sure of your problem but I will tell you it's not the ignition switch, I have a bad one in my SVX and when it won't start as a result of the switch, there is no clicking. I had a simmilar problem with my RX-7. The guys at Autozone told me the battery was good, I put a new starter in the car and it did OK for a while and then started doing the same thing again, so I changed the battery and that fixed [I]my[I] problem. I don't want to tell you to get a new battery because I am not 100% this is your problem.

[msvx95]

I understand what you are saying...Def. not the ign. switch because it will turn over every time the key is turned. I was really still thinking about replacing the battery anyways..the battery has been in the car for about 3 or 4 years I think...as the car is running, I'm sure the battery is being recharged by the alternator with no problems...as checked by the autozone guy.
I'm just wondering if I need that extra startup power from a new fresh battery.
Maybe one with higher CCA's...

[ItsPeteReally]

I understand what you are saying...Def. not the ign. switch because it will turn over every time the key is turned. I was really still thinking about replacing the battery anyways..the battery has been in the car for about 3 or 4 years I think...as the car is running, I'm sure the battery is being recharged by the alternator with no problems...as checked by the autozone guy.
I'm just wondering if I need that extra startup power from a new fresh battery.
Maybe one with higher CCA's...
If your battery shows 11.45 volts off charge it's only fit for the recycling plant, a fully charged healthy battery should be at least 12.8 volts. Deep discharges (and 11.45 volts is a very deep discharge) kill an automotive battery's charge capacity very quickly indeed, they are designed to supply just a few seconds of high current to start the car before the alternator recharges them, storage batteries are a different beast, and are very much more expensive and much heavier too.

Frequent deep discharges can kill an automotive battery in less than a week, on the other hand, treated properly, they can last ten years or more. There's no point in buying a battery with high cold cranking amperage capacity if you are going to destroy it in a week by deep discharges.

[rayford]

I just got this SVX about a month ago, it is doing somewhat like what is being discussed here. it always starts, the engine turns over fine, just doesn't fire right up. Sometimes I push down on the gas peddle and it seems to start faster that way.. it seems to me that with my other SVX that I had something like this and I added a solenoid between the hot wire and the starter but I can't remember just why or how I did that. any ideas will be helpful. thanks,, Vernon

[huck369]

I just got this SVX about a month ago, it is doing somewhat like what is being discussed here. it always starts, the engine turns over fine, just doesn't fire right up. Sometimes I push down on the gas peddle and it seems to start faster that way.. it seems to me that with my other SVX that I had something like this and I added a solenoid between the hot wire and the starter but I can't remember just why or how I did that. any ideas will be helpful. thanks,, Vernon

Sounds like you have a bad Temp sensor (the one for the ECU, not the one for the gauge)

[rayford]

Thanks Huck, I will try that, it's annoying to not have it start quickly, I am planning on putting a remote start on this one and it won't work if the car doesn't start fast,, Thanks again. Vernon

[rayford]

Well, Huck, I changed the temp. coolant sensor and that didn't seem to make a lot of difference,, the engine turns over fine, so it's not a battery or starter problem. It just takes several seconds to fire up. It runs fine out on the road,, any other ideas as to what might cause that. Thanks, Vernon

[huck369]

You did change the 2 wire sensor, not the one wire sensor correct? (the 1 wire just feeds the temp gauge)

Might clean your MAF, how old are the spark plugs?

[rayford]

it was the two wire one on the left rear of the engine, not sure about the plugs, I am going to have to change the cam cover gaskets so when I do that I will change the plugs at the same time. thanks for replying, Vernon

[huck369]

I hope you get it sorted out soon...

[rayford]

thank you,, it's not a real big issue unless I get a remote start installed and I will have to wait now till spring since I have no garage and the weather here in MO. is getting colder. thanks again

[huck369]

Yeah, I think we get about the same weather here....missing the warm days already....