Hi all,

It's been a while since i've posted, but I was noticing an issue with my car for the past few months where it would take quite a while to start up. Originally, I had thought it was the battery or maybe the alternator, but just last week I had tried to jump start my car and nothing. All I would hear when trying to start was a CLICK. I did notice that the battery had a voltage reading (via multimeter and on board vehicle diagnostic) of ~11.7 V. From what I gather, that is a bit low, though all the interior lights and dash work properly, it's just that the engine wont start. For good measure though, I tried to start the car with a new battery (voltage was ~12.2V), but still the same symptoms; lights and dash turn on and I only hear a CLICK from the engine bay.

From the above, I think I've narrowed it down to the starter and NOT the alternator or battery (though please let me know if I might be wrong or there are other tests I can perform to narrow down the culprit), and I was wondering if anyone might know the actual part number of the OEM starter that needs to be replaced. I'm looking to get it from RockAuto (or maybe there are other better places to get it from?)

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks!

 

I spoze i would check the connections. maybe there is corrosion somewhere and the starter cant get the juice it needs.

 

once you get the new battery in place, and the car started, check the voltage across the battery to see if the alternator is actually charging it properly. Should be at least 14v...
For the starter itself, i'd do what Chevota said before swapping in a new starter, check all electrical connections, starter relay ( if it has one ), any related fuses and make sure all connections are bright metal.
Let us know you get on with it....

 

Thanks for the replies. I'm guessing the relay that's being referred to is the "M" in this link?

 

Not sure on the relay, but I'd assume if that failed you wouldn't even get the click?
When you try to crank and get said click, do the dash lights dim at all? It's just an indicator that the starter is trying and drawing a ton of power. Or the battery can't supply the power it needs, but with a new batt I doubt that's the case.
Assuming the lights stay bright, then the power is not getting to the starter. It could be a bad connection, like corrosion on either Pos or Neg, or the solenoid on the starter is worn or broke, or the brushes are warm/broke. Sometimes the windings in the starter can fail but pretty rare imo. Whatever the case, the power is not getting to the windings.
On my car, with a new batt and apparently good starter, cranking the engine sucks a lot of juice and voltage drops below 11. I measure at the ECU which is no doubt lower than at the battery, but fyi.

When you say takes a while to start, does that mean cranking and cranking before it lites off, or click click click over and over until it finally cranks and starts normally? The latter is classic solenoid failure. A redneck fix for that is smack the solenoid, or whole starter, hard with a hammer or steel rod. Smacking bad electronics/electrical things works surprisingly well at resurrecting them, if only for a little while. It's also a big clue when trying to figure out wth is wrong. If that brings it back to life then you can repair or replace the solenoid, or replace the whole starter. I don't replace the starter unless I have no choice because new are usually stupid expensive and rebuilt almost always, somehow, fail very quickly. I don't know how they can screw up a starter rebuild but they're masters at it. The solenoid usually looks like a short/fat cylinder mounted on the starter, it's the part with the wires going to it and you almost always have to remove the starter to replace it.
I've never even seen my starter, so I can't give you any specific advice about it. I assume it's down in the usual spot but despite poking around under there for other reasons, but don't recall seeing it. So the aforementioned troubleshooting and tips is generic starter info, but I can't imagine this is any different. And with all starters, the solenoid is the #1 failure point, which may or may not click, but the bottom line is it won't pass the power to the motor so no cranking. Unless maybe you smack it good I had one car with a bad solenoid that I dreaded pulling the starter because it was such a pita to get to, and I hated the car (Saturn). So if it wouldn't crank I carried a long heavy steel bar that could pop the hood and reach deep down in there to smack it. Eventually I bought a new solenoid, which was like $20, and swapped it out. It had a sealed solenoid, as most today are, but some are not and you can fix 'em. There was once a place near me that, long ago, that rebuilt them and actually did a good job, but the point is they would sell you just the parts, which was super cool. Good luck finding a place like that today. I'm pretty sure all rebuilds today are done outside the US, with whatever secret ingredient that makes them fail quickly. So when you see a rebuilt starter with a lifetime warranty, like all the local chain autoparts do, don't do it! Same with alternators, which also have that secret ingredient. Probably TMI for you, but better than too little

 

thanks Chevota! And yes, for the 'takes a while to start', it is cranking and cranking, slowly and then lites off. Of course, that was when it DID start; now it doesn't start at all. As for the clicks...the lights stay on just as bright on the dash without change. I DID come across a video that suggested exactly as you said regarding giving the starter a good smack, lol. I need to get a set of QuickJacks or something in order to get underneath properly. I've seen a video on the replacement of the starter, and it really seems to be a PITA, else I would attempt to do it myself. Dealer is charging ~$1400 CAD for the replacement (part and labour), and ~$600 CAD for the starter itself. RockAuto has some for less than $300 CAD, but I'm not sure what the OEM part number is, so not sure which one I would even get.

Thanks again for the detailed reply

 

I had similar issue shortly after the dealership changed my starter under warranty. I was having these episodes of long cranking and finally starting... I believe sometimes it would kill the battery because it was cranking so long. And sometimes it simply wouldn't start... I would wait a while and the car would finally start but this was like a daily occurance and very annoying. It went back and forth to the dealership numerous times and I was sure it was the starter simply because they had just changed the starter and it sounded somewhat weak. The dealership kept saying the starter tests fine and its possibly electrical or fuel delivery related even though I insisted it was the starter and even the old crappy one they took out performed better than this. I took it to a bunch of indy's who said the same thing... it can't be the starter because the car starts (not quite sure on that logic). Anyway luckily i'm hard headed... went on amazon bought a brand new bosch starter (only cost me like 150) then I paid the local mechanic down the street to install it for me (he also didn't think it would work). To everyones surprise the car cranked right up and I haven't had a starting issue since... this was about 2 years ago. Also changing the starter on these cars isn't that big of a job it only took my mech like 30 minutes... but I would definitely check all the cheap stuff as others have mentioned first like relays, ground etc.

 

@Dynasty yep sometimes the experts cant see the sun 'cos their eyes are closed tight shut . Would not be the first time that new parts were DOA or not to spec. Seems to be more of the norm now.
I agree though with making sure all electrical connections to the starter are renewed to bright metal before the OP invests in a starter. RockAuto or FCPEuro may have the correct starter..Konigstiger can supply the correct p/n to check. My preference would be FCPEuro due to the warranty on everything they supply.

 

Did you figure out the part number?
And did you go OEM or Aftermarket?

 

I got this as a replacement:
BOSCH - SR0811N

And a pic of the old starter is here: