startup problems

[skriFF]

Ever since I bought my car(9 months ago) it has had a problem starting. When its cold it will usually start up pretty good but as time goes on while im driving it and I have to stop it and then start it again, it gets hard to start. As time progresses it gets harder and harder to start.

Then last night my car was running fine and at around 1:45 I went to start it up and it wouldn't start. It would hardly turn over. It would turn over one time every 4 seconds. The wierd thing is that I had drove it 10 minutes earlier and it started/drove just fine. A fairly loud clicking sound was also coming from the alternator.

I had my friend try to jump start me and it still wouldn't start. We went back this morning to try and start it and we let it charge a little longer before turning the key and it turned a little faster than last night.

Its not the battery, so does anybody know of a way to test the alternator/starter? Or maybe somebody has another idea of what it might be. Also, I think the progressivley harder startup problem has to do with the timing chain not being lined up just right.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[benavidez19]

If you want you could take the alt. and starter off and take it to autozone they will check it for you for free. My guess starter. If your lazy
like some of us take your car up their and they will check your alt. with a portable device. you do have to take off the starter for them to check it though.

[skriFF]

Well for now my car wont start so I cant take it up there. I guess I'll have to take them off and go up there. How hard is it to remove the alt/starter anyways? I would check my haynes manual but I cant find it right now and I'm lazy :)

[Razzer]

The starter is a little pain in the *utt, and the alternator is a piece of cake. My sugestion would be to clean the battery terminals then the starter power wires first and see where your at. Then get a volt meter and measure the charging voltage while the car is running, if its 13.2vdc or above the alt is fine, get the battery checked next if then that doesn't work then consider removing the starter to have it tested. To get running charge the battery with a battery charger for 4 to 6 hours then start the car. Or jump the car to get it started so that autozone can test the battery and the alternator. Otherwise it has to be the starter. Also make sure that the security light isn't coming on. Post a reply with your diagnosis.

[Muttled]

Although you say it's not the battery, I would go ahead and have it tested anyways. If it's delivering inconsistent voltage, you're going to have the hard-to-pinpoint problems you are seeing. I had a car that would do the exact same thing: would die at stop signs and anywhere where I stopped pressing the gas, wouldn't always start up, and often made clicking noises.

There's also the chance that you have an sporadic short somewhere. I'm not sure if that would cause your problems, but it sounds like it might.

[Fbody3400]

It might be the alternator. It sounds about right, slowly dying over time. Its a fairly simple fix, just make sure to disconnect the battery when you do it, or you in for a shock!