boxerz

Hi, I was headed to work this morning and I start up my car and it won't start. I turn the ignition and I heart one click and nothing happens. I tried multiple times and I had a fellow airmen try to jump my car but it did nothing. When I turn on my car, the head lights, radio work so I assume the battery is ok and the starter is messed up. Some of my co workers said it could be that no gas is getting into my engine as the other problem.

The car has 105k miles on it, I changed the oil filter, air filter, spark plugs 3k miles ago which was last week. Last week before I drove across country, spark plug 3 misfired so I got it looked at by a tech and he said the clutch was slipping and the brakes are worn if any of that has any play into this. I did not change the spark plug wires but I do have replacement wires I bought last week. I'm not too knowledgeable with cars but everything I learned how to do I looked up online.

I assume it is the starter and I'm not sure how to replace that but I guess the people on the base hobby shop could probably help me out, I just don't want to go buy a new starter and find out that isn't the issue. Is there any other suggestions why the car isn't starting? The red battery terminal is really coroded but the car power seems like it is working fine but I was told sometimes the electronics could turn on but still not have enough juice to turn over the starter.

Oh ya, I bought the car used at 80k miles 24 months ago so I'm not quite sure what was changed when.

My1stGT

doesnt say if you had the b attery checked or not , i would start there just because lights work doesnt mean it has enough juice to crank car ,if thats not it check all your connections,good luck

boxerz

well i don't know what the problem is but if it is the starter, i'm buying a replacement because i will need one eventually, a battery since mine is probably older than 2 years and a starter solenoid, from what i read, older cars with a lot of miles like mine (105k) will need new solenoids. is there anything else i'm missing? i hear it's pretty easy to change the starter. from what i read, it seems simple as well. is it as easy as changing the oil?

remove negative battery, jack the car, unbolt some screws, replace, bolt kinda thing?

hiboostwoody

If you are getting it to click, it probably isn't the solenoid. Sounds like a starter problem to me but I'm wondering about your battery corrosion problem.

boxerz

i bought a new starter and i got under my car, a 14mm socket was too small and a 16mm was too big so I grab for the 15mm and come to realize, it is the only socket I don't have so I can't unbolt the starter. I hear there are 3 bolts and 1 up top which I hear I need 2 extensions to get to. I can see the botom one, wondering where the other bolt is..

I am going to get a 15mm tommorow and some extensions, hopefully that's all the tools I need.

also, what are your thoughts on a universal socket?

yial

The 3rd top one is a PITA to get to. It took me 3 extensions and a bendable.

boxerz

i've been reading that on multiple forums, how long were the extensions you used?

i need a list of the mandatory tools i'll need before i go shopping tommorow. i don't have a car to drive to the store so it'll be a long walk and i'm hoping i don't have to go back for something i missed.

a 15mm socket, extensions-need sizes, swivel? what's a bendable?

mustang51js

pretty sure he meant swivel when saying bendable

boxerz

i bought a swivel, it was useless to me. i bought some extensions and those were a godsend. i bought a new ratchet set that had MM sockets and guess what is missing? the 15mm. someone on base stole the 15mm socket and that was the only 1 i was missing(they don't sell individual sockets on base). well i eventually got the 15mm later and go out to fix my car.

the botom bolt is a 15mm, the top one that is supposed to be the hard one is a 13mm which is weird how to different size bolts. anyway i get the top out of the way.

the botom one, i think i may have ripped the wire that is connected to the botom wire, i'm not sure. can i replace this and i have a black wire that came with my starter, is this the replacement wire? also the top bolt didn't have that little protruding thing like the botom bolt had, wtf is that?

everytime i turn the botom bolt, the wire turns with it as it is tightly squeezed by 2 nuts. wtf can i do?

mustang51js

if you break the wire you can pick up another connector and crimp it back on, the bolt looks like the end of a normal bolt,maybe the bottom one was replaced allready or the top has an extended bolt to fit the 2 nuts on there.And its kind of funny about the 15mm socket because its always the one i seem to lose also.