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01-21-2010, 12:46 PM | #1 |
Radical Centrist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cottage of Prussia
Posts: 31,423
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Cellar car issue
I think it's amusing to put this in Meta.
Need advice. On Monday afternoon the car wouldn't start. It cranked well, but would not catch. J reminded me that we have an auto plan now, so all I have to do is call them and have them take it to my mechanic. I figured I would have one more go at it that night, but then I forgot. On Tuesday afternoon I remembered, and I went out to try it. It still cranked well, and coughed a few times as if it was gonna catch. So I kept cranking it, and after about a minute, it started. I was thinking I'd put it at the curb so that it could be towed easily, because clearly something is up, but then I realized J's daughter was parked behind me, and there was a smell of gas like I flooded it badly, and so I just decided to shut it off and move it out later. Then I got distracted researching it on the net, and learned that a new starter is like $100 and that it's not too terribly hard to replace it. Then I couldn't be convinced it was the starter... well, Wednesday I went back out and tried to start it again, and damn if it didn't just start right up, BAM, like she has always done. WTF, now I have to figure out whether to just put it off, or get a starter, or take it to the mechanic and have them do better diagnosis. So I didn't do anything yesterday, but today I had errands to run, and the car started up BAM every time. Should I just figure that there was some sort of intermittent problem that will never happen again, and if it does I can just crank the car for two minutes until it does start? Should I order a starter and try to replace it myself? (What if I fuck up?) Or should I just take it to a pro? Remember when answering that I still have no available cash at all. Thank you. |
01-21-2010, 12:50 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 27,717
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When you say "starter" are you talking about the starter motor? Because if it "cranks well" it sounds like the starter motor is just fine.
Or are you talking about the coil? |
01-21-2010, 12:52 PM | #3 |
Come on, cat.
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area
Posts: 7,013
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Yeah, it's not the starter or it wouldn't crank.
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01-21-2010, 12:52 PM | #4 |
The future is unwritten
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 71,105
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If it's cranking, it's not the starter.
Basically, fuel, spark, & timing are the three ingredients.
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01-21-2010, 12:53 PM | #5 |
Come on, cat.
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area
Posts: 7,013
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Fuel lines gummed up?
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Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good. |
01-21-2010, 12:55 PM | #6 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 27,717
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Does the distributor cap look OK?
It's either fuel or electricity that's the problem. |
01-21-2010, 12:56 PM | #7 |
The future is unwritten
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 71,105
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01-21-2010, 02:32 PM | #8 |
has left the building.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 455
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I'll go along with this. Temperature changes are a drag on car start ups. I put a half bottle of heet in my tank about every 3rd fillup during the winter months.
If it does it again... a half gallon of gas over the seats and a stick match will work very well. |
01-21-2010, 02:50 PM | #9 |
The future is unwritten
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 71,105
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No no, It's check insurance policy, a half gallon of gas over the seats, and a stick match.
He said it wasn't cold enough to freeze but still could be water.
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01-21-2010, 12:58 PM | #10 |
I can hear my ears
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 25,571
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may have had a clogged fuel pump
put some STP in thar
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01-21-2010, 01:19 PM | #12 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 27,717
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Was it raining there on Monday? Or below freezing? It was warm and sunny in DC, but had rained on Sunday.
Rain could point to electrical problems with the distributor cap and rotor and/or spark plug wires. Previous recent cold temperatures, coupled with a low level of gas in the tank could mean water condensed in there and messed up the fuel. Is the gas tank almost empty? Edit: Screw it. I just saw it lives in the garage. I got nothin. |
01-21-2010, 01:14 PM | #13 |
I think this line's mostly filler.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DC
Posts: 13,575
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My Saturn had that problem in cold weather. It turned out to be a faulty temperature sensor.
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01-21-2010, 01:18 PM | #14 |
The future is unwritten
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 71,105
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Bet tw's Honda never had that problem.
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The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump. |
01-21-2010, 01:18 PM | #15 |
Radical Centrist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cottage of Prussia
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I don't think it was froze; it was inside the garage, where the temps are always like 10 degrees F higher, and we barely got below freezing this week.
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