The other day I got in my Tercel to start it up, and the starter didn't even click, just totally dead. The battery has plenty of juice because eveything lit up and the door buzzer was sounding. Even with a battery charger on it the key just wouldn't do anything. The next day, after letting it sit, it started right up and ran good all day. Today I went to start it up and the same thing happened; juice in the battery but no starter. What do you think this could be? It has never done this before.
Thanks for the help.
Strange electrical starting problem.
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ARCHINSTL
- Goldie Forever
- Posts: 6369
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
- My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
- Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis
Re: Strange electrical starting problem.
While occurring on a non-Terc...the exact same thing happened to me on one of my Morris Minors years ago; nada in the AM and Rrrr in the PM. After a couple of days repeating this, I finally cleaned the contacts between the battery and the starter and the problem was solved. It was a combination of slight corrosion and "morning dew." Now, I had also removed the starter and cleaned its juncture with the bell housing, but I think that was irrelevant. I did also clean the battery's ground to the block/body (many BritMobiles of the day used a positive ground, as that was supposed to eliminate the problem...)
Tom M.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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danzo
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 537
- Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:01 am
- My tercel:: '86 SR5 6 speed
- Location: The Colony, TX
Re: Strange electrical starting problem.
The #1 reason cars won't crank is corrosion between the battery terminals and the leads like Tom said. Working lights/buzzers is almost meaningless - they require a small fraction of the current that your starter requires. Clean the contacts really well and you should be golden. Bad connections due to dirt/corrosion can be very intermittent. If cleaning doesn't work, check the condition of the battery, then alternator. Good luck and keep us posted.
It's a scientific fact that in a twin engine aircraft, when one engine fails there is always enough power in the remaining engine to make it all the way to the crash site.
Re: Strange electrical starting problem.
my guess is starter solenoid (part of the starter) i've had good results taking the starter apart, cleaning the contacts, and re-assembling it. good luck!
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
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Devin
- Advanced Member
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2010 4:08 pm
- My tercel:: 1985 SR5
- Location: Wheat Ridge, CO
Re: Strange electrical starting problem.
It did turn out to be the battery connections. I replaced the ground connector with a nice bolt down one. The old one jsut slid on. This seems to bave done the trick.
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danzo
- Highest Ranking Member
- Posts: 537
- Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:01 am
- My tercel:: '86 SR5 6 speed
- Location: The Colony, TX
Re: Strange electrical starting problem.
Glad to hear you're back in biznatch. I routinely clean both of my cars' battery connections (and starter solenoid leads), it's no wonder we have tools for it. You could also slather petroleum jelly on the posts to help keep further corrosion away. Welding cable makes a great ground strap too.
It's a scientific fact that in a twin engine aircraft, when one engine fails there is always enough power in the remaining engine to make it all the way to the crash site.