# my car starts sometimes



## black_ser95 (Mar 19, 2004)

ok, here is my situation, last wedsnday my car started to act funny, it would not always start the first time. i was going to wait till the weekend to check it. i called my uncle( nissan/ honda tech) off the top of his head said it was the clutch relay and to tap it if it happened again. on my way to school on thursday, i stop at the exxon to grab some food for school, after my purchase i get in the car and try to start it, everything lit up like it was supposed to, but did not start, so i pop the hood and tap the relay, and bam it starts. so i go to school, later on at 9pm, my car would not start for anything , so i call up my uncle and he comes over, and we switch all the relays and still nothing, so we pop the clutch and i go home. saturday, i replace the clutch switch t see if that would be it, still would not start, my uncle came over and took one realy out of his max and it started 3 times and that was it. on sunday we check the battery, alternater, and starter, and most of the wiring underthe hood and all the fuses everything is fine.( still have the original starter), so it comes down to the igniotion switch, so unplug it and take it out, tonite i was going to try to start it, and it did like five times, i don't understand whats wrong
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## black_ser95 (Mar 19, 2004)

anyone?


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

hey, chill out with the "anyone?" respond to yourself, u barely posted this today a few hours apart, give people time.

im leaning heavily towards starter...second it can be a fuel issue, spammin anywhere from the fuel pump, clogged lines, fuel filter, or fuel injector. so what happens when you turn the car on successfully? does it stay on? does it idle fine...what? if so....its the starter


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## black_ser95 (Mar 19, 2004)

i did not mean it in a bad way, if antonw took it that wasy, im sorry
it ran fine, it stayed on, but im afraid if i drive it and turn it off some where, it won't turn back on


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## black_ser95 (Mar 19, 2004)

update
right now i unplugged the ignion switch the other day, so last night and tonite i started it up with the little piece, and it started, well tonite i did the same it was ok until i put the whole switch back together, and it would not start, so i unplugged it all again and it now won't start


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## black_ser95 (Mar 19, 2004)

my car is alive, turns out it was the starter after all, now my radio does not work, so now to fix that, thanks everyone :thumbup:


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

black_ser95 said:


> thanks everyone :thumbup:



ummmmm yea.......i was the only one to respond.


if your radio is out, its gotta be the audio fuse


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## black_ser95 (Mar 19, 2004)

i know, thank you and only you chops for the help, the accesory wire has no power


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## Maou (May 21, 2004)

Sorry to bump this thread, but my car is having this EXACT problem. As of now it starts up _sometimes_, but not always. I keep a golf club in the car for unrelated reasons, and tapping the starter with it has worked every time thusfar. How long can I continue to tap before the whole thing goes kaput? 

The car also starts "weaker" if you will. It sounds like it's struggling to start, like it's starting up in slow-mo.


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## davenjes (Jul 30, 2004)

Maou said:


> The car also starts "weaker" if you will. It sounds like it's struggling to start, like it's starting up in slow-mo.


Yep. Mine as well. According to a search on this forum and comments from some bright people, it is most definately the starter. 

I took my car to Advance Auto Parts and they did a test on my starter (while it was in the car). My starter came out on the machine as within parameters (which the guy giving the test said that was questionable) it was pulling a lot more juice than it should have. The test required me to start the car a couple of times. The more I started the car, the "weaker" the start would get, until it refused to start. After a few minutes, the car started weakly, but did start. He suggested I pull the starter and bring it into the store where they have a more precise tester. I have yet to do that, tho.

Dave


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## Insert Name Here (Feb 19, 2004)

Maou said:


> How long can I continue to tap before the whole thing goes kaput?
> 
> The car also starts "weaker" if you will. It sounds like it's struggling to start, like it's starting up in slow-mo.


Im not sure on how long it will take before it wont start cuz I had the same problem with my starter and it had been giving me problems for like three weeks with not starting and then it wouldnt start at all for like three days and then it started right up on the fourth day. But the "weaker" part of the car starting, that may indicate that you really dont have that much more time to go before it completly gives out on you.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Psychsal said:


> Im not sure on how long it will take before it wont start cuz I had the same problem with my starter and it had been giving me problems for like three weeks with not starting and then it wouldnt start at all for like three days and then it started right up on the fourth day. But the "weaker" part of the car starting, that may indicate that you really dont have that much more time to go before it completly gives out on you.


My limited experience with tapping a starter, the starter had worn brushes and did not last long. 
Good luck....


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## amperes (May 16, 2004)

yup me too.....have the same problem. but it doesnt happen as much, just once in a while. all the lights come on the dash but the car wont turn over. I usually wait about 10 min. if i have the time then try again, it usually starts. if not ill jump start it.


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## black_ser95 (Mar 19, 2004)

we tested my starter as well, and it came out good, but it still acted up, so i repalced it and have not had any problems. oreilly has it for $ 119.00 and $50 for core


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