I have a 97 cavalier base. It has been acting up for a little while now, When key is turned it hesitates to turn over. Once it turns over it free spins and will not start. I tried to starter jump it and it doesn't sound like it engages. Help please.
Now it is just hesitating to start like it used to do again.
It turns over very slow at first then starts now. When i selenoid jumped it it spun normally. Do you think the starter selenoid is the problem?
Since this is the correct section.....
Sounds like you have a dead battery.
i find it amusing that SHOoff has nothing better to do but follow me around & be an unhelpful dick in even cross-forum. - Jon Mick
Did you test the battery?
i find it amusing that SHOoff has nothing better to do but follow me around & be an unhelpful dick in even cross-forum. - Jon Mick
Yes and alternator and selenoid jumped the starter. All worked. Tapped the starter relay and then it wouldnt turn over at all just replaced and now it starts.
What did you test it with? If you just put a meter on it to get voltage, you are wrong. If it's turning over slowly, it's most likely that your battery is dead.
i find it amusing that SHOoff has nothing better to do but follow me around & be an unhelpful dick in even cross-forum. - Jon Mick
And charging fully and letting it sit is wrong aswell right?
Yes. You need to load test them. You can charge a battery to where you see a good voltage, but as soon as you put a load on it, it dies down to a useless level.
i find it amusing that SHOoff has nothing better to do but follow me around & be an unhelpful dick in even cross-forum. - Jon Mick
It was charged to 13.9 turned on headlights and only dropped to 13.3.
That's not even a 10 amp load. A load test will throw at least 50 amps at it. The parts stores have a testing machine that will do it for you. Or if you've got a Harbor Freight nearby, they sell the old school load testers.
If it passes a load test, watch the voltage drop during crank.
i find it amusing that SHOoff has nothing better to do but follow me around & be an unhelpful dick in even cross-forum. - Jon Mick
So an acceptable load should be lights, interior lights, blower motor, and radio? I would assume it to draw a 50 amp load at minimum.
Couple things here...
If the starter spins freely and doesn't sound like its engaging the flywheel all the time, the starter is getting foobarred.
If the starter engages and spins slowly, the battery could be taking a dump... any reputable parts store can test the cold cranking amps on the battery.
If the starter engages and consistently turns the motor but the motor won't fire, you at that point have a spark/fuel issue...
Changed the starter relay and it is starting as it should.
