Need Help with No Start on '87 Carrera

[polizei]

Hey Guys,

I got my '87 Carrera back from the shop about a week ago. I took it out for a drive for lunch today. After an hour or so I went back to start the car. The radio, blower and locking system all function fine when I have the key turned half-way, but I don't get ANY cranking when I try to start the engine. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Jesse16]

Can say that my 87 with 190 k miles with original starter began to have an issue with the starter not working 2 months ago if engine was hot, ie, try to start shortly after car was shut off. Would start if engine was cold or had been off for 30 minutes or so. After a month and at Watkins Glen, starter would not work at all. I removed the starter and had a local alternator/starter shop rebuild it. The solenoid assy. does not last forever. Cost about $100. Otherwise, starter looked fine, its a simple device. Took me an hour following the Bentley precisely to get it out, not a bad job.

[shadowjack1]

This happen to me once. Ran the car for several days,after a shop visit, all was ok. Stopped for lunch after a long trip, no start. Push started it, drove home, no problems. Thinking I had a bad batt., went to take it out, neg. lead was lose. Tighten it, no problems since.

[polizei]

I tried to tightening up the connection of the negative battery cable, but I still get no crank. I have a new battery and new starter in there. When I turn the key I here a sharp CLICK sound from the behind me. Any more suggestions?

[ppickerell]

I had my starter replaced in an 85 with the same symptoms. Turned out the new starter was defective. Second new starter has had no issues.

[slw911SC]

Sounds like the solenoid on the starter - which usually means the starter is on the way out. If the starter is not functioning properly, this can be a normal occurence if the engine is hot, and sometimes fixes itself - temporarily - once the engine cools down ie: it will start again. With help, try the old "smack the starter" with a hammer or wrench trick when you are trying to start it. If it goes, then you know the starter is the problem.

[Quicksilver]

The big click is the solenoid engaging. The first question is if the contacts inside the solenoid are passing the current on to the starter. You can clip a test lead onto the solenoid to starter connection and see if it is passing current to the starter.

- If you engage the solenoid and there is no current coming out then the solenoid is bad.
- If you engage the solenoid and there is about the same voltage as the battery has at rest then the starter is bad.
- It there is very low voltage coming out of the solenoid then the contacts on the solenoid are bad.

[pete3799]

Check the ground strap from the front of the tranny to the body.
A bad ground here will result in the solenoid clicking but not cranking.

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by polizei

Hey Guys,

I got my '87 Carrera back from the shop about a week ago. I took it out for a drive for lunch today. After an hour or so I went back to start the car. The radio, blower and locking system all function fine when I have the key turned half-way, but I don't get ANY cranking when I try to start the engine. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Have you checked the battery's cable connections? Specially the ground cable could cause this problem. After you checked the connections and the problem still persists, I would have the starter unit removed and have it tested. The most common culprit is the solenoid going bad. There is a good alternator/starter shop in Markley Street pass Fornance St. named Colbro or Calbro. The starter they rebuilt for me is now more than 15 years old now.

Tony

[grendiers]

Same click for me as well with new battery recently. Batteries from auto stores are not always charged enough. Put charger ground on body, positive on battery, let 'er charge. Amazing whizzing noises from starter will soon appear!

[stlrj]

I replaced just the solenoid on my starter (no need to rebuild it) and that took care of my click/no start problem.

Cheers,

Joe

[DRACO A5OG]

Push start her, if she starts, it is your starter, may be a loose ground at the starter/solenoid.

What work did the shop do?

[rnln]

There is a yellow wire underneath the sterring column. Put a voltage meter there while cranking her up to see what is the voltage there while cranking. I had this problem over and over when it's hot. Replacing the starter only helped a while, then the problem came back again.
Detail: when I cranked, that wire only has less than 8v, when the problem occurs. When it's starts ok, that wire should have 11+ volts if I remember right.

[polizei]

The shop replaced the starter and the battery. Is the solenoid for the starter available for purchase on pelican? If so, what's the part number?

[Hendog]

Originally Posted by polizei

The shop replaced the starter and the battery. Is the solenoid for the starter available for purchase on pelican? If so, what's the part number?

This is an issue directly related to the item and work done at the shop. You should have the shop rectify the problem; it's their problem to fix IMHO.

[polizei]

I talked to my mechanic, and he said to make sure the battery is holding a charge first. So I bought a trickle charger, charged the battery over night and confirmed that it's holding a charge just fine. I reinstalled the battery, turned the key, and I'm still getting no crank. The mechanic advised to have the car towed up to his shop. He think it's either a problem with a defective starter motor, ignition switch or bad ground. We shall see...

[polizei]

Mechanic confirmed that it was a faulty starter motor. The first one lasted 24 years. The second one lasted 1 week. LOL

Should be rockin and rolling tomorrow. Thanks guys!

[Por_sha911]

It behooves us to remember that new parts aren't guaranteed to work. At least you found out while at home rather than on a long trip somewhere...

[polizei]

Got the car back and all is well. Mechanic found some corrosion on the connection to the starter motor too.