Troubleshooting advise needed: Just replace starter-unit or what?...

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Ken Moiarty - 29 Aug 2006 01:46 GMT

Wondering if anyone with relevant experience might suggest anything of help
here. '91 Dodge Colt with 165,000 miles on the odometer. Drivetrain
generally still in respectable shape and getting me around except for one
major inconvenience of late: when I turn the key, the starter will
sometimes work and at other times just not respond at all. And when it
doesn't respond, it will continue to be that way no matter how many times I
retry, except until after the next trip down the road, after which it will
mysteriously respond to a turn of the key just fine again (provided though I
don't let the car sit idle for more than a couple of days before I attempt
start). (The possibility of a failure of electrical power due to a low
battery has long ago been ruled out. Booster cable jump start doesn't do
anything.) So, the car being a standard transmission fortunately, I will
then get out and push the car to get it rolling fast enough and then quickly
jump back in to engage the drivetrain, starting the engine from the car's
motion. (If there's no incline in the road to help keep the car rolling
while attempting this, it can be a real pain getting this to work.)
What I'm asking for help with is in trying to assess whether or not this
problem [bearing in mind the fact that it is only intermittent in that the
starter will behave, either, flawlessly or exclusively fail to do anything
at all per given occasion] would/should /might typically be remedied by
simply replacing the starter-unit?

TIA,
Ken

PS: BTW, whereabouts on the engine is the darn starter in this car supposed
to located anyway? I've never had any difficulty intuitively finding the
starter in any other car that I've owned. But then none of those were
front-wheel drive, transverse-mounted engine, models, in case that accounts
for the difference. <g>

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ray - 29 Aug 2006 03:36 GMT

> starter will behave, either, flawlessly or exclusively fail to do anything
> at all per given occasion] would/should /might typically be remedied by
> simply replacing the starter-unit?

How much of a rush are you in and how much money do you have to toss at
it? :)

Intermittent failure to engage (does it "click"? do the headlights dim
when you try and start it?) leads me to think maybe the ignition switch
is going bad?

I would definitely start by checking EVERY connection at the battery,
starter, firewall, ignition switch, computer, etc...

If you're handy with a voltmeter and you're willing to "experiment",
keep it in the car and check for voltage when it won't start - work your
way through the starting circuit - is there voltage at the starter,
switch, etc...

You could wire in a remote start type switch under the hood and see if
it works when your ignition switch doesn't - if they're both dead, it's
probably the starter.

I'm not sure if a 91 Colt has any kind of ignition security immobilizer
or anything, but that may be something to check as well - how about an
aftermarket remote start?

Intermittent failures are the hardest to troubleshoot - I'd rather it
just died instead of sorta dying once in a while.

Another thing - if it's a stick shift, the switch to make sure the
clutch is down could be bad - on my Jimmy it started intermittently
failing and I ended up jumpering it to get home one day. The sign for
that is when you turn the key you get NOTHING just as if you hadn't
pressed the clutch. If it's an auto, it could be the neutral safety
switch - try (carefully) wiggling the shifter and/or trying in neutral
instead of park while trying to start the car - I say carefully because
it can be possible to start the car in drive which could be a very bad
thing in your garage if you don't have your foot on the brake.

Ray

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Ray - 29 Aug 2006 04:45 GMT

>Wondering if anyone with relevant experience might suggest anything of help
>here. '91 Dodge Colt with 165,000 miles on the odometer. Drivetrain
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>retry, except until after the next trip down the road, after which it will
>mysteriously respond to a turn of the key just fine again (provided though I

>TIA,
>Ken
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>----------------------------------------------------

Before you go to the trouble of tearing out the starter, you might
want to check the clutch safety switch. Might be wearing and
intermittantly non-functional. You should find it mounted on the
clutch pedal arm, similar to the brake light switch.

Regarding the starter... easiest thing to to is start from the battery
and trace the thickest cable from the positive battery post. It will
lead to a starter relay, and from there down to the starter... It's
how I've always located the starter no matter what vehicle I've owned.
Never failed me yet.

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Don - 29 Aug 2006 05:50 GMT

>Wondering if anyone with relevant experience might suggest anything of help
>here. '91 Dodge Colt with 165,000 miles on the odometer. Drivetrain
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>TIA,
>Ken

Keep it simple. Next time it won't start one person holds the key in
the crank position, the other person hits the starter with a hammer.
If it responds replace the starter.

Don
www.donsautomotive.com

>PS: BTW, whereabouts on the engine is the darn starter in this car supposed
>to located anyway? I've never had any difficulty intuitively finding the
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
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