HELP! HELP! HELP! CAR WON'T START-SMOKES

[CHRISB]

My car wouldn't start today and it was smoking while attempting to turn over [img]graemlins/omg.gif[/img] . The car has had a string of problems that all started two weeks ago. The A/C pulley/clutch started to squeel and will not stop. The A/C stopped blowing cold air and rust colored metal dust is all over the engine compartment. Last Friday the car had trouble starting. The starter spins, and the engine is cranking, but it doesn't catch and start. It was ok this weekend. But this morning it cranked over but wouldn't start. I kept tring and it started, but then smoke started coming from under the hood :eek: . So i turned it off and left it alone.
I don't know if the A/C compressor clutch caused or is related to the starting problem. But I think the starter is bad. Did it overheat? Is that what caused the smoke? I'm afraid that the engine may be seizing [img]graemlins/crybaby.gif[/img] . My friend had this happen to his 3.4L, but his clutch bearing on the rear of the enigne caused the sieze. I did notice that the crank pulley had a silvery shiney purplish glaze to it after it smoked. I looked like it was heated to much. If it was a sieze problem, I don't think it would drive at all. It wouldn't start at all. That's why I think it's the starter, it will run but won't start.
What should I do???? Should I buy a starter and see if replacing it will work?
Is the a/c clutch pulley replacable? Can you pull the pulley without taking off the compressor?

PLEASE HELP

[BadLiLBowtie]

I'm not real sure, but I'd start out cheap by getting your altenator checked at your local Auto-Zone or Advanced Auto Parts, etc. If that doesn't end up being the problem, I guess go ahead and try replacing your starter.

But that still doesn't explain the smoking, unless your altenator locked up or something.

[ June 11, 2003: Message edited by: BadLiLBowtie ]</p>

[John D.]

If it was siezed it wouldn't run

The AC system will not effect how the car runs.

If you cranked on the starter for an extended period of time you could have burnt up the solenoid, which could be the smoke you were seeing. BUT, if the solenoid was shot, or not engaging, then you would just hear the starter spin freely, it wouldn't crank over the engine.

You could try replacing the starter but I think there is something a little more serious going on, not sure what though.

[ June 11, 2003: Message edited by: John D. ]</p>

[hockeyman]

If your starter cranks the engine, it doesn't need replacing.
Does not sound like an alternator problem, it sounds alot more indepth than that.
If your engine isn't kicking over within a 10 second period, do NOT keep cranking it! Oil is not properly circulating throughout the engine during cranking, and you'll strip the pistons rings, bearings, cam lobes, etc.
Get the car towed to a shop you trust (if you know one) to get the problem properly diagnosed.
You may need something as small as a MAF sensor, or as big as a rebuild, but do not keep cranking the engine. You will just do much-MUCH more damage to the internals.

-Marc

[CHRISB]

UPDATE

Thanks for the advice but I found out what happened. This morning I went to try and start the car again and it did the same thing. So I took the belt off and tried to turn all the pulleys to make sure they all spun. The crank doesnt turn by hand(obviously). The power steering, water pump, alternator and tensioner pulley all spin fine. But the A/C clutch pulley wouldn't budge. As I said before, the a/c hasn't been working and the pulley was emitting rust colored metal dust. It just siezed up. So when I tried to start the engine, it met resistance and when it smoked, it was the belt turning around the stationary pulley. The smoke was caused by the rubber belt running on the surface of the a/c pulley, bare metal, that wasn't spinning.

I went to Autozone and got a shorter belt, and routed it through the engine while bypassing the a/c pulley altogether. Every thing runs fine. So I can drive the car forever until I wan't to fork over the dough to fix the a/c clutch compressor [img]graemlins/fluffy.gif[/img] .

[John D.]

Cool, glad it wasn't major