Strange start problem

U

ubuntu

Well-known member
Apr 16, 2014
225
1
Mosquito Alley
D2 2003, new battery (2 months old) 800CCA. Battery terminals cleaned and wired brushed and sanded.
A couple of days ago I got in the car and turned the key and nothing happened, not even a click from the solenoid. I checked that I was in P, then shifted to D and back to P to be sure. All the lights on the dash came on and my Scangauge shows 12.0V, but just no reaction from the starter motor. It was raining heavy so I gave up and left it.
Today I went out to troubleshoot, it started up first try without hesitation. Ok that's cute but wtf happened a couple of days ago?
I don't have any water leaks from the roof or sunroofs, I had the headliner out and swamped the roof and we torrential rains - no leaks.
Moisture in cables or corroded wires or failing starter?
 
D

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,745
1,026
Northern Illinois
Clean up the pos batt cable at the starter too. Rover had us putting a grounding washer on that connection because a lot of starters tested good after replacement and cars came back eventually with another no crank complaint. The bolt that holds the neg. cable to the bracket on the engine gets shitted up or loose.
 
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