Starter problem
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
From: San Jose CA
Starter problem
My '82 Vette doesn't start sometimes. I would turn the key, hear a single click, instrument lights would dim for a second and nothing. I think the battery is ok since it would fire right up as if nothing is wrong after a few more turns of the key. This usually happens after the engine is warm. At first I thought it was a heat soak problem with the solenoid since it seems to fire right up in the morning and only act up after driving for awhile but one morning it didn't fire up after sitting over night and I heard the same single click sound from the starter. There goes the heat soak theory. 
What should I do to check/fix this?
What should I do to check/fix this?
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
From: Houston Texas
Sounds similar to what my car was doing recently. If your connections are all tight, have your battery load tested at Autozone or somewhere. Mine had a bad cell. Bought a new battery (Optima) and haven't had a problem since.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,337
Likes: 14
From: Norfolk VA
No, they do not. They will test it. If the battery is low, have them to recharge it (also free). Let the vehicle sit overnight
and start it again. If it does start,start it up again the following day and repeat until the problem occurs again(hopefully in your driveway). If it does not start, something is draining your battery. You can get a device from the zone that does not permit your battery to drain, but that is just putting a
Band Aid on the problem. Good luck and keep us posted.
and start it again. If it does start,start it up again the following day and repeat until the problem occurs again(hopefully in your driveway). If it does not start, something is draining your battery. You can get a device from the zone that does not permit your battery to drain, but that is just putting a
Band Aid on the problem. Good luck and keep us posted.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i bet you have a dead cell in the battery, you did clean all battery and ground connections and the starter terminal connections?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
From: San Jose CA
Originally Posted by Oldguard 7
No, they do not. They will test it. If the battery is low, have them to recharge it (also free). Let the vehicle sit overnight
and start it again. If it does start,start it up again the following day and repeat until the problem occurs again(hopefully in your driveway). If it does not start, something is draining your battery. You can get a device from the zone that does not permit your battery to drain, but that is just putting a
Band Aid on the problem. Good luck and keep us posted.
and start it again. If it does start,start it up again the following day and repeat until the problem occurs again(hopefully in your driveway). If it does not start, something is draining your battery. You can get a device from the zone that does not permit your battery to drain, but that is just putting a
Band Aid on the problem. Good luck and keep us posted.
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Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
I had a chevy several years ago that did basically the same thing and it ended being the starter bad. When the starter motor got hot it required very high amperage to turn the engine over. Autozone will also load check the starter but it should be hot to see if they can duplicate the problem