[tesenaird]

Hey guys. I've had a bit of an issue regarding starting my car the past few weeks.

I had to get my tires replaced so my car was sitting for a bit. As I started to get it ready for the replacement tires, I tried starting it up and I got increasingly slow starts until it simply didn't start anymore. It was below 12v, sitting at around 10.9ish, and would dramatically drop when cranked. Once it got started through the use of a jump start, the alternator would give adequate 14v reading at the battery terminals. I ruled out the alternator since the battery read 14v while running, and after testing the cells of the battery (and them failing), I determined it was a bad, or undercharged, battery so I got a new one.

That was only a couple of days ago, and already I'm noticing increasingly slow starts. But my battery is at 12v when the car is off, and 14v when it's running.

That would mean it's my starter, right? Unless the charge is just getting lost somewhere along the way.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

-Dan

 

[slimm1469]

How old is the battery?? In reality, a 3-yr battery is on borrowed time at 2 1/2 years. That's my recent experience. Car started fine at home, 2 blocks away after getting groceries it was dead.

 

[mtts60]

Charge the battery first, then go from there. It should be more than 12.5v when sitting.

 

[tesenaird]

How old is the battery?? In reality, a 3-yr battery is on borrowed time at 2 1/2 years. That's my recent experience. Car started fine at home, 2 blocks away after getting groceries it was dead.

It's literally brand new, sadly. Like I said in OP, my old battery was failing, so I got a new one.

Charge the battery first, then go from there. It should be more than 12.5v when sitting.

I'm sorry, I should've specified! It's 12.7v when sitting.

 

[tesenaird]

Okay, so I tested the starter at my local auto parts store, and it came back as a pass, BUT, the gear didn't sit still, it kinda moved back and forth a bit. And the case of the starter got pretty warm too.

This has raised more questions than answers. Could it be the solenoid, do you think?

 

[tesenaird]

I finally figured it out.

The copper braid that runs from the starter and bolts to the solenoid, has a bad connection INSIDE the starter.

Meaning my only option now is to replace the starter, to try to have it rebuilt.

 

[greg1c]

Have it rebuilt is the best option.

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