Murphdog

Woke up yesterday to get to work and I was unable to start may car. Is this a bad starter? I couldn't figure out how to put a video in the post, so here is the link...


Started browsing for a replacemnt and saw that AM and LMR had them for $119. I called the dealership and they said $380 lol ($500+ for install)

Thanks
Murphy

Murphdog

I guess the URL code worked.

88 orangepeel notch

It's hard to tell from the video on my phone, but was that the starter solenoid making that sound or the starter actually grinding on the flywheel ?

Murphdog

I don't know the answer to that, but I can tell you this....... I took a look at my battery and saw a ton of light blue powder around the negative battery terminal. I went to Autozone to have it tested and yeah it's dead. They also pointed out that there was a small rupture or 2 by that terminal. I'll be purchasing a new battery in the next day or 2 and I'm guessing that will clear my problem. I didn't think it would be the battery based on the fact that all my electronics lit up and the guage was at the halfway point on my dash. Anyway, now I know.

88 orangepeel notch

Yep, a bad battery will do that. Then that was the starter solenoid making that sound. Good luck

Murphdog

Here it is....

Derf00

Holy schnikey, That is some serious corrosion! Here in AZ, batteries last about two years (two summers) so yes, you had a battery issue. I haven't heard of very many starters going out on the S197 models, it's all batteries and alternators.

88 orangepeel notch

Holy Crappers, that's some build up. At least it's an easy fix.

Murphdog

someone on another site suggested I may have neglected the car but...

I'm positive this happened fairly quickly. I'm not suggesting in one day, but I do the regular maintenance to it per the schedule. I did purchase and install a SR Performance 150 amp alternator a year ago. There was an optional upgraded power wire that I could have gotten but I passed on that. I wonder if that has anything to do with it. In any case, I have cleaned the cables, added some terminal grease, and installed the new battery (yellow top). I will also point out that the night before this happened, I had been turning the cars electronics on and off, maybe about a half dozen times at least, while I was testing some bluetooth issues with my phone and aftermarket headunit. Maybe all that juice being pulled back and forth to the battery had something to do with it.

Z28KLR

Wow I've never seen that much built up corrosion before. Makes me wonder if maybe the battery casing was leaking where the post goes in....?

Keep an eye on your new battery, make damn sure any traces of that corrosion are removed from the cable clamps, it spreads like cancer. Personally I don't use those little fuzzy red and green things, the messy red anti-corrosion spray or anything else. Just keep it clean and it will stay that way.