1998 Camry XLE Unreliable Starting

[crazn]

I am a total auto noob.

I am having trouble with my 1998 Camry XLE that has close to 200,000 miles on it.

Sometimes my Camry does not want to start. Sometimes it will just click, not turn over and the battery light will be on. However I just put a brand new battery in thinking that was the problem but I guess it wasn't

Other times it will "hard start".

Then other times it will start just fine, no problems.

Another thing it does sometimes is after I start it and put it into drive or reverse it will kind of stutter or hesitate before going.

I feel these problems are related.

Another thing is it happens during the day. Like I'll drive home from work for lunch at 12:00 and at 12:40 when I drive back it either won't start or it will take multiple tries. It is very hot and humid out at 12:40. I also think this is related.

Whenever it won't start or has trouble starting the battery light will pop on.

I took it to a shop but they couldn't get it to do what I was telling them it was doing. This is so frustrating.

What could be wrong? How could I recreate this problem for the mechanics?

Thanks.

[carsrus]

Sounds like a dieing starter. Next time it does it take a hammer and whack the starter pretty good with a hammer a buncha times.

If it turns over fine after hitting it you need to replace your starter.

The hesitation symptom I would address first by thoroughly cleaning the throttle body.

[Mike Gerber]

^ carsrus has given you some good advice. The 1 click and the starter not spinning over the motor, is a classic symptom of worn starter solenoid contacts. Do a search for "starter contacts" and read up on the problem and it's cures.

Mike

[crazn]

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

^ carsrus has given you some good advice. The 1 click and the starter not spinning over the motor, is a classic symptom of worn starter solenoid contacts. Do a search for "starter contacts" and read up on the problem and it's cures.

Mike

Sorry but my original post may not have been clear but it clicks multiple times not just once. Does that change anything.

My bad.

[73sport]

The battery and/or bad connections could cause that starter issue but its most likely your high mileage starter. Take it to a autoparts store and have them load test the battery and check its overall condition.

As for running idling, warm and cold starts; you never mention which engine you have that changes what path you will follow towards inspection and cleaning (V6 will be different issues vs I4.)

Are you up for some light mechanical work? Do you have any tools or someone to help you?

Step one is some Fuel Injector cleaner and good quality gas. Chevron has these black bottle of Techron. Do a couple of these over 4 tank fill ups now.

Report back, others will chime in on steps needed to help you out based upon the cars engine type.

[crazn]

Originally Posted by 73sport

The battery and/or bad connections could cause that starter issue but its most likely your high mileage starter. Take it to a autoparts store and have them load test the battery and check its overall condition.

As for running idling, warm and cold starts; you never mention which engine you have that changes what path you will follow towards inspection and cleaning (V6 will be different issues vs I4.)

Are you up for some light mechanical work? Do you have any tools or someone to help you?

Step one is some Fuel Injector cleaner and good quality gas. Chevron has these black bottle of Techron. Do a couple of these over 4 tank fill ups now.

Report back, others will chime in on steps needed to help you out based upon the cars engine type.

Thanks for the responses.

My engine is a V6.

Someone gave me some "Heet" to put in last time I filled up. I don't think that's the same thing as Techron. Is it still ok to put that in next time I fill up?

I also noticed today that when I put the car in reverse and it did its' little hesitation thing(where it stutters and sounds like it will stall) today that the RPM meter dipped below 1 and then shot back up to around 2 where it normally sits.

I only have these problems upon start up. Once I'm driving down the road there are no problems and it drives like it always has.

[Mike Gerber]

Originally Posted by crazn

Sorry but my original post may not have been clear but it clicks multiple times not just once. Does that change anything.

My bad.

Yes it does. Multiple rapid clicks indicates a weak battery or corroded connections at the battery itself or the starter. Check the battery posts/cable ends for corrosion. If you find corrosion, get a cheap battery post cleaner at any auto parts store for a few dollars and clean the battery posts and cable terminals. You can also use a wire brush to do this, if you have one handy. Just remember to remove the negative battery cable first and to reinstall it last.

Heet is a watter remover, while Chevron is a fuel injector cleaner.

As far as your stalling when cold, I would clean your throttle body paying particular attention to spraying the cleaner liberally down in to the square or diamond shaped hole in the base of the throttle body. That hole leads to the idle air control valve where your problem may exist. A dirty/carboned up idle air control valve can lead to the stalling you are experiencing. Spray the cleaner down in to that hole and let it soak while you go on to clean the rest of the throttle body. Here's a DIY on how to do it on the 4 cylinder 5SFE engine. Your V6 should be similar:

How to: Cleaning Throttle Body -4 Cylinder Engines- With Pictures

If that doesn't help I would next check your engine coolant temperature sensor for being out of range. It may be telling the computer the car is warm, when it is actually cold. That would result in a fuel mixture too lean for a cold engine. To check this you will need a digital volt/ohmeter and the specs from any manual. If you don't have a manual you can download one for free at the top of the Camry forum over at AutomotiveForums.com. Download the generation 4 manual.

Mike

[crazn]

Hey, thanks for all the replies again.

I was busy with work and I was on vacation for a little while.

Anyways I bought some Techron a few weeks back and put it in when my car was nearing empty and then I filled it up. I hadn't had any problems for about 3 weeks until today. I packed up to head back to school and stopped for gas when my car stalled again.

It will never just not turn over. It always will turn over and then stall out or it will turn over and stall once I put it in drive. THEN when I try to start it after that, it won't turn over.

Luckily after a few tries it turned over and I gave it a few taps of gas and it started. I let it run while in park for a minute or so and then took off.

I gave in and took it to a shop a few days after my original post and they looked at it for the day and said it all checked out fine and they had no problems with it....and I owed them $50. It's so frustrating because I am willing to pay to get it fixed but I don't want to take it back and pay for nothing again.