Starter problems
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Starter problems
I am having starter troubles.
if i dont start the car for 8 or so hours the starter malfunctions,
I turn the key to start in my 2002 c230k and it makes the starting noise (the starter trying to turn over the engine) and when it should turn over it doesnot, it makes a lower pitched noise which i can assume is the sound of a gear of some sort in the starter stripping. it sounds like something is struggeling. then it usualy resumes the regular preturnover noise and starts or it starts right after the suspicious noise occurs. the suspicious noise occurs for no more than 6 seconds at a time and rarly happens twice in one start.
some background information is that this car has sat unused in the cold for half the year being started every month or so. i dont know if that is relivant. but i use it daily now.
This started about 2 months ago. what should i do
if i dont start the car for 8 or so hours the starter malfunctions,
I turn the key to start in my 2002 c230k and it makes the starting noise (the starter trying to turn over the engine) and when it should turn over it doesnot, it makes a lower pitched noise which i can assume is the sound of a gear of some sort in the starter stripping. it sounds like something is struggeling. then it usualy resumes the regular preturnover noise and starts or it starts right after the suspicious noise occurs. the suspicious noise occurs for no more than 6 seconds at a time and rarly happens twice in one start.
some background information is that this car has sat unused in the cold for half the year being started every month or so. i dont know if that is relivant. but i use it daily now.
This started about 2 months ago. what should i do
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 147
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From: Puerto Rico
2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S
The battery, is it the one that came with the car?
Batteries, specially if they're 2-3 years old, tend to not hold or recharge completely. If as you say the car "sat unused in the cold for half the year being started every month or so", then more to my point. Starting a car and letting it run for 10-15 minutes once a month is NOT going to recharge your battery to optimal levels. Furthermore, the alarm, clocks and other stand-by equipment will eventually run a battery down. Also, there's a point where once the battery is discharged to a certain level then it becomes very difficult for it to hold a charge or charge at all.
Try this the next time you problem shows up... Jump start it with another battery and making sure that you follow the owner's manual fro the correct connection sequence and polarities. If the car immediately starts, then you can almost bet it's the battery.
If you're going to continue to not use the car for extended lengths of time, then go down to your local Western Auto, Pep Boys, etc. and look for a small charger made by Schumacker that can be permanently connected to the battery and installed anywhere in the engine compartment. It's about 3" by 5" and about .5 thick and comes with about an 8" male AC plug permanently attached. To use it just get yourself a normal electric extension, plug it into the wall and the other end of the extension to the 8" male AC plug on the charger. You can keep this permanently connected and it will automatically go into "trickle charge" mode once full charge has been attained.
Hope this helps...
Batteries, specially if they're 2-3 years old, tend to not hold or recharge completely. If as you say the car "sat unused in the cold for half the year being started every month or so", then more to my point. Starting a car and letting it run for 10-15 minutes once a month is NOT going to recharge your battery to optimal levels. Furthermore, the alarm, clocks and other stand-by equipment will eventually run a battery down. Also, there's a point where once the battery is discharged to a certain level then it becomes very difficult for it to hold a charge or charge at all.
Try this the next time you problem shows up... Jump start it with another battery and making sure that you follow the owner's manual fro the correct connection sequence and polarities. If the car immediately starts, then you can almost bet it's the battery.
If you're going to continue to not use the car for extended lengths of time, then go down to your local Western Auto, Pep Boys, etc. and look for a small charger made by Schumacker that can be permanently connected to the battery and installed anywhere in the engine compartment. It's about 3" by 5" and about .5 thick and comes with about an 8" male AC plug permanently attached. To use it just get yourself a normal electric extension, plug it into the wall and the other end of the extension to the 8" male AC plug on the charger. You can keep this permanently connected and it will automatically go into "trickle charge" mode once full charge has been attained.
Hope this helps...
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