Hard starting mystery

Soliciting opinions on why my 96 RMW has been hard starting. It's a head scratcher for me, but my experience is not nearly so extensive as many of yours'.



Turn the volume up for full effect.

Never had any recent issues starting the car. Battery two years old. I just finished rebuilding my front suspension. As far as I know, I didn't touch anything that would effect the engine or starting it. I didn't disconnect the battery during the project (I know I should have). The car was on jacks for a few weeks during the project. The first time I started the car after it was all back together, it was very slow to start. I test drove it for a couple miles and it ran fine.

I hold the key and it will make a clicking sound then progress to turning over very slowly, then gradually pick up speed until it finally starts.

Naturally, I thought maybe my battery was going bad. I cleaned the terminals, which were slightly corroded on the positive, but not bad. I charged it, but still the same behavior. I took the battery to O'Reilly and it passed their test with well over 12V under load. I've had it on a trickle charger, just to make sure it's fully charged (green light on the charger).

It's not a classic weak battery behavior. It acts like there is a physical obstruction that the starter has to overcome.

Here's where it gets stranger. I've been starting it periodically over a few days, and it's been consistently hard to start, but the other day on the second start, it started a bit easier. Then I did it again and it was basically normal. I've done it a couple times since and it's been normal. Since then, I did remove the alternator/AC/PS belt to test all the pulleys and they all turned freely, the belt is only a few years old and was installed properly. There has never been any belt squealing. I took the battery wire off the starter and cleaned that. It had some crusty oil on it from a nearby oil leak, but no corrosion. The bolt came off real easy, so it may have been a little loose but not severely loose. The main ground is on the front of the right cylinder head, which I think is not visible without taking the alternator off. I haven't done that to inspect it, but there's no reason why that would have gotten messed up, is there?

I don't tend to believe in coincidences. The car was fine until I worked on the suspension, then suddenly developed this problem as soon as I finished the work. I believe it had to be something I did. But what???

I'm trying to decide if I should just replace the starter. Maybe the motor is getting weak. But again, why would that show up only after the suspension work?

sounds like a bad starter, probably just coincidence... maybe others will have ideas

Try cleaning the battery connections.

Check positive battery cables, especially where they enter the connector (and especially if the connector has been replaced with a universal connector).

Please get a note book
so you can write down your
efforts. Science is your friend.
You should have a Volt Meter and an Amp Meter for DC Amps

Write down the RESTING VOLTS
do your Starting and then write down
the volts while it is running.

Shut it down and record the resting Volts again

If you buy a AMP METER like from Harbor Freight get a DC AMPS with the Peak Hold feature it will hold the peak starter AMPS


If you can get all those measurements
It should inform you next steps.

There is a Cranking AMPs spec for the
engine starter
There is a cranking AMPs spec for the battery.
There is an AMPs spec for the Alternator.

Bear in mind Batteries
do fail without notice and prematurely
some times.

Orielly also may have been wrong.

If all else fails add a second ground wire from the battery to the frame and a second Positive to the starter or remove the old starter wire and replace
With next size up.

If you make progress you can
Use an Exactor knife on the old
Cables to remove the insulation
to see if the copper has rotted out

Good luck!

22 year old cars have
22 year old wires.

I had an issue with my Impala starting like that when it was warm/hot it was my yellow top battery.

Optima Yellow Top batteries starting getting made in Mexico sometime a few years ago.

Apparently they are not done the same way.
They have become a fully failed product now.

My first & last only worked for a few
weeks in a 2008 Prius.
Also -warranty was dis -honored at AutoZone!
With the receipt!
They told me to pound salt.

AutoZone sucks!
Google Yellow Top probl red ms,

I did buy another, but I'm not the sure the cranking amps are what they say they are. Have an amp meter and I'll be checking that once I get the motor and trans back into the car.

SOLVED! The answer is....bad starter.

rcktpwrd was right in suggesting that. I asked a working mechanic I ran into and he thought it sounded like a bad starter solenoid. I installed a brand new ACDelco starter and absolutely no starting issues now.

cool [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

electrical stuff can be so frustrating!

even though it took some time and work all that troubleshooting is still helpful. probably took care of some potential future issues by cleaning and redoing connections...

sto wrote:

Check positive battery cables, especially where they enter the connector (and especially if the connector has been replaced with a universal connector).

although not the case here, this is a good tip. I had a 97 Thunderbird and it worked fine for a few days after I bought it. then it didn't. Long story short the green battery corrosion had gotten inside the positive cable and had worked its way about 6 inches up the cable. I slit the sheath and pulled it back and cleaned it out real good with a mix baking soda to neutralize the acid and then vinegar to activate the soda. that and my old tooth brush lol. taped it all back up with electrical tape and ran it for 4 years and sold the car. no more starting issues.