What is the life of a starter? Replaced battery n hoping the starter is bad or I am fucked....turn key no turn ...nothing, no noise ... headlights work.

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Check the Johnson Rod.

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I would guess its the starter or the relay it uses.


Whats the make model and mileage?

It is very likely the starter or solenoid (which is attached to the starter and if original you might as well replace both.) The life of a starter is measured in starts, not years. do you start your car 4 times a day or 20?

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I don't remember half the time if I'm hiding or I'm lost

If the headlights and radio work, then your battery is fine.

It's most likely the starter, or possibly the alternator.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Late 90's. 4 cylinder ..American made...74 k miles ...more than four starts a day but bought used 40k miles ago ...would the cold Temp make old/ weak starter go?

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Before it went completely dead, did it "try" to turn over a couple of times?

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I don't remember half the time if I'm hiding or I'm lost

If so, it's probably your starter.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

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One time, then dead silence ....I am not a wealthy man n this could not possibly come at a worse time..n location ...I can change a flat...oil..brakes...alternator ...brake booster ..but no grease Monkey, need to get running asap..

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Sell your weed get out of jail free card that you keep in your wallet. That should fetch a few bucks.

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Torch it and collect the insurance money.

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Don't beat yourself up over it though. The part is less than 2 bills. You didn't kill it, per se. You just hastened its demise a little.



If you can do all that, you can change a starter on a 90's American car. It's literally 4 to 6 bolts. Look it up online.

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I don't remember half the time if I'm hiding or I'm lost

"I don't care too much for that term"

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

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I'd lean toward the starter solenoid first- you have to unwire it to remove the starter anyway (if it is mounted right on the starter motor, that is). If remotely mounted makes it even easier. My 91 Lincoln has had four of these in 5 years.

Most starters mount with just 2 bolts, plus 2-4 wires to remove

There is a way to check if it is just the solenoid by bridging the two posts with a screwdriver as a way of bypassing, but even if it is, you have to find just the solenoid, not as easy for an older car. Sometimes your better off replacing the whole thing once. And K is right, two bolts to the car, two holding the solenoid on, two sets of wires usually.

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I don't remember half the time if I'm hiding or I'm lost

Its not going to be running asap unless a mechanic sees it.


Start with that reality

This one was 34 years.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Bernstein just giggled.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

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Cardinals fan here, and even I'm

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-- source

I changed one out over the summer on a car with 100 plus miles. It was pretty easy but it would do you or anyone well to have the long armed handle on the socket set to break through the rusted bolts.

The starter was getting bad but it wasn't what was completely at fault. It was the ground wire that went to the starter. It had been spliced at some point and they did a shit job of making the connection.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

You really bought a lemon there.

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I didn't buy shit. Not my car.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

THIS!!!!

Shit, how could I forget this one so quickly. Couple of summers ago had the same thing with my truck- acted like dead battery once in a while, then worked fine for awhile. I changed out battery, alternator and removed the starter which tested fine. Buddy of mine suggested the ground- sure enough, the bolt that held the strap to the engine block was loose, the ground was shorting- worked some times, not others. cheapest fix ever, after I had just slapped on expensive parts willy nilly.

Top post of thread that wasn't exactly helpful

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Sometime a gear tooth will break in the starter. Try whacking it with a hammer a couple of times & see what happens. This used to work like a charm. But, even if you are able to get it to turn over, it will happen again, but at least you will know that it is the starter. I'm not sure where you live, but I have a great mechanic, an independent guy who is honest & doesn't screw people. He has literally done repairs for me that were less than $25, like a vacuum hose that was disconnected, etc...
PM me if you're interested.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

My car chose to not start while parked in a forest preserve. Got a ride home and went on line. Learned that a bunch of clicks with no engine turn likely meant it was the starter. It also said that banging the starter with a hammer could get it going long enough to drive to the shop.

Not wanting to pay for a tow I gave that a try. Sure enough it worked.

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

Starter Banger:

Former Baltimore pitcher Chris Bensons wife

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."