Starter Problems

[furiouslyfaster]

Hey guys I am having a problem with my car starting. Sometimes it starts fine, other times it just makes a funny noise (not a click) and barely turns over the motor, and sometimes won't turn it over at all. I thought it could have been my battery but I had that checked and it was still good. I put a new starter in it last year (it was a cheap ebay one) Because I was having this same exact problem. Now a year later I am having the problem again. Any suggestions? Could it be the starter again? Whenever I get time I am going to take it off and get it checked, but wanted to see if you guys might know what it could be? I think the starter is drawing too much current because my lights dim like it is sucking the power out of everything when I turn the key. I have heard people have problems with the ignition switch as well but I have no idea. So just thought I would ask and see what you guys thought.

[1baddlx]

It may not hurt to check all your ground wires for corrosion and tightness.

[mrstang-gt-46]

cheeper starters last about 1 year

[furiouslyfaster]

cheeper starters last about 1 year

I was wondering if that might be the case. I tried starting it yesterday and the first time it cranked over kinda slow then suddenly started right up. So I turned it off tried it again and it fired right up that time and then the time after that. The fourth time I tried I was getting that funny noise and it maybe cranked over once and made that noise again. Then I noticed a little bit of smoke coming out from under my hood on the passenger side. I think it is the starter shorting out or something. I will also check my ground wires as well.

[furiouslyfaster]

So I bought a new starter at autozone yesterday and threw it on the car and to my surprise I killed 2 birds with one stone. The new starter comes with a ground wire already attached and so I cut off a couple inches of the old ground and attached it to the new ground. So I did both kinda and so far it starts up fine. My other starter still tested fine, but I went ahead and bought the new starter cause my ebay one was giving off the smell of burnt electronics, and I still had my original core from when I replaced my old one with the ebay one. Figured The ebay still worked and could be used for emergencies or for parts.......or a door stop

[Stangman]

Door stop works well :)

Nothin works better than a factory ford part

My starter is 235k and counting

[furiouslyfaster]

235K and counting...... Screw you Jesse. :)

[Stangman]

235K and counting...... Screw you Jesse. :)

:lol:

Atleast yours isn't overheating :(

[furiouslyfaster]

Yea atleast I have that. Did you ever look to see what it could be? Thermostat, clog somewere, does it have coolant :)

[Stangman]

Most definitely has coolant. Replaced thermostat last year, I THINK my radiator fins are clogged or I have a head gasket issue. Which would reeeeally surprise me, but its been running hotter and hotter since '08 so I'm gonna just put my fresh 302 and if I can afford it... a 3 core aluminum radiator