Why is it doing this!
 

My car which is not a daily driver (its a project) What happens is it starts up with no problem, but lets say if I drive it just enough for the engine to warm up Example: i'll leave my house to go to the gas station which is only a mile and a half go get some gas and when i start it, its doesn't do nothing but the wipers, lights, windows work but the car won't start. Even with a jump start it won't do nothing. Only with a push start. And by the way it doesn't happen every time I drive it, I just don't know when it'll do it again. At first I thought the battery was the problem. Has anyone experience this problem, and what the heck it could be

your starter is bad. i bet if you smack your solenoid on the starter with something, it'll start.

Could the solenoid be also bad.. I guess it could be either one.

Sounds like your starter is cooked. Sorry...

good news it's easy to replace...

bad news: IF you have a lift, that is.

Take a look see and make sure there's no loose/corroded connections to the starter, but I am willing to bet that something in the starter is either bad or soaked with oil and causing it to bind up when hot. Alternately, the solenoid is bad, causing it to bind up when hot. Easiest course of action would be to pull the starter and take it to a GOOD auto electric shop for a rebuild.

good luck,

nate

Intermittent starting problems could reside in the ignition switch. It's easier to replace than a starter (IMO). They're cheap and easy enough, it is worth inspecting.

If you're going to pull the starter, bench test it. If the windings/brushes are going bad there will be "flat spots" where it will not start from.

It may also be the solenoid. The contacts inside corrode and can lead to starting problems. If you've got it that far out of the car you might as well take it apart, clean the solenoid contacts and put it back together and test it again. -- Or replace the starter/solenoid. Depends on how you want to spend your money.

I'd check the switch first . You have a connector on the firewall that goes to the solenoid. Unplug it, and use a jumper wire to bypass the ignition switch and feed the solenoid power to see if it works.

good idea

you describe a problem that i had for months... i replaced the battery, cleaned every ground i could find...

turned out to be the ignition switch itself... hpaulm actually assisted me on this one when i took my car to him for belt help. We removed the switch, found the pin that the thick red wire with the black stripe connected to... disassembled the switch, removed the appropriate pin... banged it with a hammer to flatten it out and increase the surface area a bit... and then reassembled the switch....

no more having to foolishly ask the girlfriend to get out and give me a nudge anymore *hangs head* lol

good news is, you can buy the ignition switch for a 1974 VW Bug.... it's the same part... .and if you get to the point of removing your switch - you'll even see the volkswagon logo stamped on it! the VW version only costs about $10.

Thats great. I see them in Performance products for only $16.95
Thanks guys

start with the easiest first. Check your battery cables at the battery and the starter