95 chevy cavalier, hard time starting
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URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=22860
Printed Date: May 11, 2024 at 5:19 PM
Topic: 95 chevy cavalier, hard time starting
Posted By: hubbabubbamac
Subject: 95 chevy cavalier, hard time starting
Date Posted: December 14, 2003 at 11:01 PM
hey hows it going? ok i have a little problem on my 95 chevy cavalier. just out of the blue, i never did anything for this to happen....no playing with nothing it just started happening. My car has a hard time starting, and i know it is not the battery cause i just got a new good one. do you think it could be something wrong with my starter? could it be fixable, or would i need a new starter? it kinda just sounds like it is not engaging right. thanks andrew
Replies:
Posted By: defective
Date Posted: December 15, 2003 at 4:59 PM
does it sound high pitched? or does it seem like its not vibrating the car enough?....give us some more detail
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Posted By: hubbabubbamac
Date Posted: December 15, 2003 at 11:00 PM
it sounds more high pitched and a sorta grinding sound dealy
Posted By: Velocity Motors
Date Posted: December 16, 2003 at 6:32 AM
Could be that your starter solenoid is going. That or your belts need replacing. Sounds like something that you might need a mechanic to look into for you, does not sound like something electrical.
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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
Posted By: superchuckles
Date Posted: January 02, 2004 at 3:14 AM
first thing i'd check is to make sure the bolts that hold the starter in haven't begun to back out. if someone has replaced it not too terribly long ago and didn't tighten one of them up all the way, it's possible it worked it'self out and started to work out the others as well. don't want to eat up your flywheel
Posted By: geepherder
Date Posted: January 06, 2004 at 12:15 PM
Yeah, it sounds to me like the solenoid is going bad. There shouldn't be a grinding sound, though- more of just a high speed tick. I'd check the connections to the starter first. I know you said you checked the battery, so use a multimeter and ensure you have the same voltage at the starter as you do at the battery. A loose connection, or corrosion could cause a significant voltage drop, which could produce sporradic operation. Also check your ground connections for proper fit/tightness. Clean up any corrosion with a wire brush, or you can use a tooth brush with a baking soda/water solution. Now see what happens. If still nothing, use a hammer to tap the casing of the starter a few times. Now try to start it. I'm not exactly sure why, but this works a lot of the time- maybe it knocks some corrosion loose or something? Hopefully this will get you running again until you can get the system checked out. You can go up to AutoZone and they'll test your starting system free of charge- I don't think you need to remove the starter to do this, but you can. They can also test your battery/charging system as well. If in fact, you do have a grinding sound, as you put it, it may just be misalignment of the starter/flywheel. It's possible something has worked loose as Superchuckes suggested. Another possibility is you may have a damaged area on the teeth of the flywheel- which would keep it from meshing properly, and once that area is cleared, it starts fine. Just some things to consider.
Posted By: HotRod53F100
Date Posted: January 11, 2004 at 4:23 PM
I agree, sounds like starter problems. When you hit the starter the gear is thrown out to meet the starter ring. If it doesn't fly out for a number of reasons, you get a grinding sound. Also, the alignment would do the same thing such as if it came loose. Don't let this go too long, you may chew up the edges of the starter ring. In the past I broke a starter ring and it made a heck of a grinding noise. Has anyone ever hit the key while the motor was running? Sometimes that causes a snafu! If you remove the starter REMEMBER where the shims came from if you have any. Put them in exactly where they came from of your starter gear will go too deep into the starter ring.
Posted By: mikeshonda750
Date Posted: January 17, 2004 at 8:41 PM
Actully, hitting a dead starter with a hammer doesent release the drive gear from the flywheel, it releases the windings inside the motor allowing you to cheat start it. Im still not 100% convinced hes looking at a starter problem though the lack of details doesent help much. I have seen a tied up alternator cause hard starting, and depending on its drive gear... no starting.. this could be the same with the ac compressor. Those little cav's were always noisy starters anyhow. I do agree with F100, tho.. if you do replace the starter, keep the shims and put them back where they came from, if there all buggered up.. use the new shims that come with the starter and match the thickness up best you can.... always remember tho.. with those shims, its better to not use enough shims, then use too many (too thick) GL -------------
Posted By: sroth140
Date Posted: January 26, 2004 at 10:44 AM
throw a shop charger on there and see if the higher voltage helps it start. maybe its straining. dunno. i have tapped a starter a few times and that does seem to work. thats more along the lines of a bandaid fix.
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