97 Lumina 3.1L intermittent start trouble, minor for now (Full Version)

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97 Lumina 3.1L intermittent start trouble, minor for now

  

97lumy -> 97 Lumina 3.1L intermittent start trouble, minor for now (1/12/2008 6:53:48 PM)

I have a 97 Lumina LS, 184k miles.  Every once in a while over the past 2 weeks the car gives trouble when starting, but it's only every few days.  The starter motor will try to crank, but then stops cranking on its own after a few seconds, without the engine starting, "volts" light comes on at the dash.  The engine is turning over while this is happening.  Car starts after no more than 5 tries when this happens.  My original thought was it was the battery/alternator, but with the car off I have 13 volts at the battery, and with the car on I have 14 volts (so its charging).  Any thoughts?

She runs fine otherwise, no other problems to speak of.  My concern is that this is going to be a rapidly deteriorating condition and I would like to have an answer when my wife calls me at work to say that it won't start. :)

My next go is to check the voltage at the starter while it cranks, Haynes says that I should have 9+volts there.  Is there something else I should be looking at?

  
dewey -> RE: 97 Lumina 3.1L intermittent start trouble, minor for now (1/13/2008 8:30:14 AM)

Are the cables clean on both ends? Sometimes, if it is a faulty cable, the cable will feel warm, after trying to crank.

When the key is turned to start and there is no starter action, can you tell if there is a load on the circuit? One way is to turn on headlites, turn the key to crank, if the lites stay bright and no starter action, then there is an open circuit. You can also check the voltage at the battery posts, while a helper tries to crank the engine. You need to do the testing when it refuses to crank.

You can check for good voltage at the starter field terminal, with the key turned to crank. If there is good voltage and no starter action, no load on the circuit, and the chassis grounds are good, then I think the starter is faulty.

If there is no voltage there, with the key in the crank position, then you need to backtrack the circuit. You could try jumping the starter solenoid, to see if the starter will crank. If you try any of this, make sure the tranny is in park or neutral and the e-brake is set, block the wheels.

My information shows you have a theft system, is the theft lite flashing, when it refuses to crank? Any codes? Some of the national brand autostores will check codes for free.

beer thirty -> RE: 97 Lumina 3.1L intermittent start trouble, minor for now (4/2/2008 12:50:47 AM)

The starter motor will try to crank, but then stops cranking  {you say}

The engine is turning over while this is happening {you say}

wich is it? If the starter stops cranking the engine wont be turning over?

let me know and  i can help you

97lumy -> RE: 97 Lumina 3.1L intermittent start trouble, minor for now (4/2/2008 8:19:34 PM)

"The starter motor will try to crank, but then stops cranking  {you say}

The engine is turning over while this is happening {you say}

wich is it? If the starter stops cranking the engine wont be turning over?

let me know and  i can help you"


Yes, the starter cycles the engine, but both eventually stop moving. If you let the starter go, the engine stops; if you keep the starter turning, both eventually stop turning after a few seconds.

Dewey: Cables seem clean.  there seems to be load on the circuit when the key is held down and the engine won't stay running.  it's been impossible to have someone test the car during the event because the events are few and far between.  No theft system issues, no codes related to theft system.  Speaking of which: am I the only one with ABS problems?

We had a go at the Haynes starter diagnostic procedure, which involves removing the wires from the coil pack and turning the starter, I wasn't able to get a good read so I though I would just try again some other time.  I didn't have any problems with it for several months, asif removing and replacing the wires on the coils was enough to fix my issue.  Then sunday night the problem occurred again, this go-round it took three times to start the car, followed by a service engine light.

We dropped it off at a local mechanic to get his thoughts and get the codes--it threw a PO300, random misfire detected, which I guess was related to the bad starts.  He suggested a tune-up, which he performed.  Picked the car up tonight, we'll see how it goes over the next few weeks.

  

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