Braydon619

my car just stopped starting over a week ago now.... at first i thought it was the battery. so i bought a new battery, didn't help.
then i thought it would be the starter because when i turn the key not a damn thing happens. so i took the starter out of my 3.8 and it didn't do anything. i took the solenoid outta it too and that didn't help. so i went a bought a new soelnoid for like 14$ because i though maybe they were both broken. it just snowed last nite so it was cold, so i put the new solenoid in freezing my hands lol. everythign was hooked up. Turned the key and NOTHING happened, before the stereo and everything would work but nothing happened. so i thought my battery was just acting up so i took the connecter thing off and put it back on and now the stereo and stuff works again but the car still doesn't do ANYTHING when i turn the key.... could it still be the starter it's self? or what would it be? i'm lost i need some help lol

AdderMk2

have someone hold the key over and tap the starter with a hammer

if it kicks... your starter is shot... but did you ever think that maybe your ignition switch was bad

Braydon619

no man, i didn't i don't know that much about under the hood lol. the starter is right by the solenoid right? its connected to the distibutor? and if its good will it start when i tap it? and the ignition switch is the thing connected to the "s" side or whatever prong on the solenoid right? if thats busted what am i looking at the fix that?

AdderMk2

WHAT??? you just made my brain hurt


your starter is under the car, passenger side, near the exhaust

your solenoid should be on the drivers side fender wall

and your ignition switch is in your steering column

Braydon619

lol omg sorry adder... lol.... the starter is by the exhaust under the car on the passenger side? like near the rear end? and then what the hell is the thing by the solenoid kinda attached to the tire well by the windshield fluid?

AdderMk2

your killing me [:@]


your starter is bolted to the bell housing, its between your exhaust and your engine... passenger side.. down bottom

PRO50SC

Is there anyone near you that knows anything about cars that can help ya? That seems to be the best course of action at this point.

Braydon619

lol not really, no one i live with really knows enough about cars to know any of this. the only thing i can do is take it to this shop we usually go to for my moms car but i would need to get the car towed down there because it wont run and i would like to save the 40$ to do that lol.

settled4automatic

couldn't he just hold a screwdriver across the terminals on the starter and see if it kicks??

if the starter kicks that way, then its not the starter... right?

oh, and is there a lot of corrosion built up on your battery cables? like where the cable screws into the battery. you said you replaced the battery -- were the terminals corroded on the old one?? if so, you REALLY should clean those up. we can tell ya how to do that if there's corrosion -- go check :P

nmerrill

ok, the solenoid is on the fender between the battery and the wiper fluid resevoir. The starter is on the passenger side of the car under the car bolted into the tranny. It is about the size of a large beer can.