Starting issue

[vanisher]

I have a 97 corolla ce (1.6L) auto. I was getting starting problems, where sometimes when I would turn the key it would just click once. I immediately thought it was the starter and replaced it. It seemed to fix the problem. This was 4 days ago that I replaced the starter with a brand new one. My battery is new (bought last year) and holds a charge. I attempted to jump the car this morning thinking it could be the battery anyway. Nothing, click.

I am stumped. It's a brand new starter, new battery. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as I'm not sure where to look next.

Thanks

[pdrover]

Originally Posted by vanisher

I have a 97 corolla ce (1.6L) auto. I was getting starting problems, where sometimes when I would turn the key it would just click once. I immediately thought it was the starter and replaced it. It seemed to fix the problem. This was 4 days ago that I replaced the starter with a brand new one. My battery is new (bought last year) and holds a charge. I attempted to jump the car this morning thinking it could be the battery anyway. Nothing, click.

I am stumped. It's a brand new starter, new battery. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as I'm not sure where to look next.

Thanks

The starting relay has contacts that get worn. I'm willing to bet that that is your problem. Replacement contacts are cheap and with a few simple tools, you can do the job yourself - I have, and I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a mechanic. There was a thread about contact replacement months (years ?) ago but I can't seem to locate it anymore. Good luck.
Paul.

[vanisher]

Originally Posted by pdrover

The starting relay has contacts that get worn. I'm willing to bet that that is your problem. Replacement contacts are cheap and with a few simple tools, you can do the job yourself - I have, and I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a mechanic. There was a thread about contact replacement months (years ?) ago but I can't seem to locate it anymore. Good luck.
Paul.

I think I saw that thread, but the thing is it's saying it's on your starter. I completely replaced my starter so shouldn't that fix it?

Perhaps I read it wrong?

[pdrover]

Originally Posted by vanisher

I think I saw that thread, but the thing is it's saying it's on your starter. I completely replaced my starter so shouldn't that fix it?

Perhaps I read it wrong?

Hmm. Here's a photo of mine when I did the repair.


Notice that the relay housing is on top of the starter. Now this is for a diesel engine, but I think petrol (gasoline) engine starters are similar. So, if you replaced the entire starter, then I would have expected the problem to go away. So maybe you don't have a contact problem after all. I would have lost my bet!

Paul.

[vanisher]

Originally Posted by pdrover

Hmm. Here's a photo of mine when I did the repair.


Notice that the relay housing is on top of the starter. Now this is for a diesel engine, but I think petrol (gasoline) engine starters are similar. So, if you replaced the entire starter, then I would have expected the problem to go away. So maybe you don't have a contact problem after all. I would have lost my bet!

Paul.

Yes, that's exactly how the starter looks. It's the whole assembly. I think I'm going to go take it out anyway and open it to see what's going on. I guess I'll have to tinker til I find it.

Any other options anyone can think of? I'm dyin here.

[Piloter]

See if you can get somebody to crank the thing while you fiddle about under the hood to find where that click's coming from. I had to go through this on an old Town Car once--replaced just about every piece of the electrical system sooner or later--and the starter relay was actually right on the hood side of the body, very easy to reach and replace.

Of course there was about enough space in that engine bay to park a CRX, so your results may vary.

I just can't see it being buried /that/ deeply, because there might not be ROOM for it.

[diver9000]

Hey V,
I checked with a friend who has the schematics for that car and he says that theres really nothing between the ignition, and the starter. I would check my starter connections and make sure they are good. Or if you really want to: pull the starter out jump it directly just to check and make sure the starter didnt burn out or something, and make sure it didnt somehow get misaligned when it was bolted up. Oh yeah, and check the battery terminals first of all, since they are the easiest to get to. You could have a weak starter wire coming from the battery.

[dummy]

Originally Posted by vanisher

I have a 97 corolla ce (1.6L) auto. I was getting starting problems, where sometimes when I would turn the key it would just click once. I immediately thought it was the starter and replaced it. It seemed to fix the problem. This was 4 days ago that I replaced the starter with a brand new one. My battery is new (bought last year) and holds a charge. I attempted to jump the car this morning thinking it could be the battery anyway. Nothing, click.

I am stumped. It's a brand new starter, new battery. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as I'm not sure where to look next.

Thanks

I am having starting issues with my 94 corolla and think I figured it out. Took the starter to autozone and it check out fine. Cleaned the connections and started working again for a few days. Turns out the inner cv joint lines right up with the connections on my starter. Axle grease spun in a centrifigal pattern on firewall and starter connections. I don't know how yours lines up but it is something to check.

[diver9000]

Was that enough grease to break his connection though? I mean even with the grease getting on it, if it is tight it should still crank and if not........then try putting a rubber boot over the connections. So your cv boot must be leaking for that to be happening right?

[94_Rolla_Guy]

its possible you just got a bad starter Canadian Tire has given me 7 bad starters they last no more than about 8 months the worst one lasting 1.5 months its getting really annoying but i got a 5yr warranty so screw them!

[diver9000]

Vanisher,
Did you ever find out what was wrong? Bad starter or connection or what?