34
votes
Is it ever neccesary to burn a starter out?
You could pretty much guarantee that he wouldn't treat his own car like this
Starter motors are not designed for continuous use and will overheat due to the high currents involved and should be left ...
- 20.9k
30
votes
Why do car starter motors draw so much current?
All electric motors consume more current at startup compared to steady state. Check out the label on your fridge for example (or look at this one): the max current on the label is 2-3 times higher ...
- 2,642
27
votes
How can I disable my 2002 Ford Explorer so someone with a key can't start it?
If your friend is moving your vehicle without your consent and does so deliberately your friend is committing a crime. Vehicle theft. If you are asleep when this happens then consent was not given. I ...
- 3,842
27
votes
Accepted
Car won't start after sitting for 2 years even with a jump. Is it a starter or alternator issue?
If the battery is completely dead, especially after sitting for two years, it most likely won't take a charge. Without the battery getting charged, you most likely don't have enough juice coming ...
- 141k
26
votes
How can I disable my 2002 Ford Explorer so someone with a key can't start it?
I'll make it very simple for you, Dave.
Just remove the relay highlighted, in yellow, from the diagram above.
This goes to the starter.
- 696
20
votes
How can I disable my 2002 Ford Explorer so someone with a key can't start it?
Remove the publicly available key.
Make one copy of the key for each person or household who needs to be able to move the car. Give a key to each person and have them sign an agreement that they ...
- 1,536
15
votes
Accepted
Why do car starter motors draw so much current?
It takes a LOT of power to get the rotating assembly - crank, pistons (or rotors), etc. - moving. For reference, try turning your engine over with a breaker bar on the crank. It's not super-easy (...
- 3,134
13
votes
Car won't start after sitting for 2 years even with a jump. Is it a starter or alternator issue?
It's the battery
Starting an engine takes a much larger energy impulse than jumper cables can deliver directly through their typically-thin wires and the small surface area of their alligator clamps. ...
11
votes
Jumping car with too many amps?
The starter circuit should only draw whatever current it needs so the excess shouldn't cause any problem.
- 23.4k
11
votes
Accepted
Failing starter motor - why does whacking it help?
It can actually be the solenoid or the brushes which are at fault and take to getting a beating ... those masochistic machines! They just like it for some reason, lol.
Most solenoids are built with a ...
- 141k
10
votes
Accepted
Jumping car with too many amps?
Those numbers are the max that they can supply. Your starter will "automatically" use as much as it needs up to the max. If the starter needs more than those units can supply, the jumper will only ...
- 1,945
10
votes
Accepted
Will any starter relay / solenoid do? For my motorcycle
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Maybe?
As long as it is a 12v motorcycle starter relay you should be fine. The problem is whether or not it will fit your bike physically (that is whether the size of ...
- 448
10
votes
Accepted
Is manual start/stop good on older cars?
I work for a fleet delivery service. Due to safety regulations all vehicles must be shut off at every delivery point. This equals up to 150 stops a day. The starter motors fail with regularity. In ...
- 19.7k
10
votes
2003 Suzuki Katana GSX600F - No Start Issue
I believe your clutch safety switch has been damaged
You have a switch underneath your clutch lever.
It forces you to pull the clutch in to start the bike.
There is a small phillips head #2 screw ...
- 32.8k
10
votes
Car won't start after sitting for 2 years even with a jump. Is it a starter or alternator issue?
Others have already told you the battery is a goner, I'll go into why:
When a battery discharges lead sulfate builds up on the plates. It is deposited in very tiny crystals that will covert back to ...
- 301
9
votes
Jumping car with too many amps?
The amp count tells you the maximum amount of current that the equipment can supply.
Eg.
Your car needs 600 amps to start: The 1000 amp jumper can handle it.
Your car needs 1200 amps: The 1000 amp ...
- 340
9
votes
Why do car starter motors draw so much current?
A characteristic of electric motors is that they produce the highest torque when stationary, coupled to this is a very high initial current 400 to 600A for cars and commercial starter motors can ...
- 34.4k
9
votes
How can I disable my 2002 Ford Explorer so someone with a key can't start it?
As stated in other answers, you really need to get your new housemate to start listening to you. If he doesn't respect your property, do you really want him living with you?
With regards to the ...
- 23.4k
8
votes
Accepted
The car makes clicking noise when i try to turn on the engine. What could be the problem?
As discussed in the comments already, the clicking you hear is probably the starter solenoid. You have ruled out a weak battery being the probable cause by attempting to the jump-start the engine. ...
- 331
8
votes
Accepted
Distinguishing between mechanical and electrical failure in ignition diagnosis
If you are hearing the starter turn (typical starter whir), the most probable problem would be the one way clutch has gone out. It's the part of the starter with the teeth on it which engages the ...
- 141k
8
votes
Accepted
How can I move my push-to-start car with the starter?
I've got the same sort of function on my Seat Leon (and on my old BMW 320D) - if you drop the clutch quickly enough it will move the car a little. Although I doubt that's enough to get you clear of a ...
- 2,645
7
votes
Accepted
Renault Modus wont start
It could also be the Crank Position Sensor. It is mounted on the flywheel cover and if it gets contaminated with dust from the clutch it can stop the engine from starting. It confuses the average guy ...
- 86
7
votes
Renault Modus wont start
While your question is pretty thorough, I'm assuming a few things in this answer that you didn't clarify;
When you crank the engine, and it doesn't start, I'm assuming it's a smooth crank without ...
- 283
7
votes
New starter overstarting
Starters quite commonly need to have "shims" added when they are installed. These thin pieces of metal act as spacers to make sure the gear on the starter lines up exactly with the teeth of the ...
- 13.2k
7
votes
Engine starter just won't stop starting
Two possible failed parts: The ignition switch or the starter relay. The ignition switch would be either not returning to run or has failed electrically. The relay would have to be stuck on or ...
- 11.5k
7
votes
Distinguishing between mechanical and electrical failure in ignition diagnosis
If the picture you have attached is similar to the starter on you car, then the power to the starter motor is only delivered if the solenoid operates, so the solenoid must be working.
However, the ...
- 20.9k
7
votes
Old starter clicked, wont turn over engine. New starter wont even click - no noise at all
I recommend you carry out the following steps:
Have the starter relay tested.
From the description provided (old starter was clicking) this may actually be fine but it is so easy to verify that it ...
- 39k
7
votes
Accepted
Can I avoid buying a ridiculously expensive replacement starter motor?
From the picture it looks as if your brushes are completely worn out. If there's no other fault, that is (theoretically) an easy and cheap fix. It appears however that getting brushes for this ...
- 291
7
votes
Accepted
What happens when you start a car?
To supplement kyle's answer I'll include this excellent animation, since a picture's worth a thousand keystrokes.
The section on Electrics and how the animation showing how the timing belt connects ...
- 39k
7
votes
Accepted
Car won't start...alternator or starter?
To differentiate between the starter and the alternator you can check the battery voltage – should be about 12.6 with the engine off and 13.5-14.2 with the engine running if the alternator is doing ...
- 14.3k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible