Ok, I got in the car ('84 T/A 305) to run a errand today (about a quarter-mile drive each way), and in starting the car I thought the starter sounded a little 'draggy' at the end just before the engine caught, but thought little of it at the time (little did I realize...)

After I got to my destination and got back in the car to leave, I tried to start the car and the starter was barely able to turn the engine over, but of course not enough to start it. It also started making this godawful grinding sound as the cranking speed dropped.

A jump start later, I got back home and as soon as I pulled into the driveway and shut the engine down, I started it up again. Fired it just fine- no sign of a low/dead battery. Fearing that something nasty had happened to the engine that caused it to put a large load on the starter (i.e. frozen bearing) I listened to the engine after having started it, but it sounded fine.

I had recently changed out the water pump not 2 days previous- thinking that I might've knocked something loose in the charging system during the swapout I checked my alternator and battery connections but they were all tight and correct.

During the evening, I tried to get the starter to act up again by starting the engine and shutting it down every half-hour, and about 3-4 tries later it started acting up again (previous tries it would fire up like nothing happened). I turned on the headlights when the starter acted up and they didn't dim at all (or if they did, it wasn't very much).

The charging system seems to be working- during this whole story I never attempted to recharge the battery, and the battery's built-in charge indicator (it's a AC-Delco Freedom battery) shows green.

Based on this, I'd say my starter (which is factory original, has 150K miles on it) is heading south on me. For those of you who've had starters go out on you, does this sound right?

Thanks!

 

personally i'd put a voltmeter on the battery and watch it while you're trying to crank it just to be sure.

But it does sound like the starter. But try cleaning all the connections to the starter first....if it still keeps this up, then go ahead and change it.

but you did say that after someone jumped you that the thing started right up, so make sure it isnt a battery or alt problem: the best way to do that would be with a voltmeter.

 

Well I used the voltmeter in the dash- when I cranked the engine with the starter acting up and the headlights on I did watch the voltmeter- it didn't drop below 12V during cranking (it normally runs 13.5-14V under driving conditions). Another reason why I felt the battery was ok- I would've expected the voltage to drop down WAY below 12 and the headlights dim if the battery was on it's way out (it's a 2-year old battery, btw)

But yes- I'll clean the starter and battery connections first to see if that clears up the problem before I yank the starter.

 

Its the battery.I've been down this road many times.Thats how they act before they quit completely.Take it to an auto parts store and have it load tested.

 

Mine was doing almost the same thing a while back and I had a bad battery and a bad alternator. Got new ones and it worked fine.
Hope this helps.

Brian

 

Yea I was thinking of taking out the alt and battery first and having them tested (wouldn't trust driving the car to have the whole charging system tested) first before going after the starter. From what I've read on the board here the starter sounds like a real pain to remove. At least the alt and battery are easy to take out so I might as well make double sure they're ok before tackling the starter.

 

You are lucky to be able to take it out and get them checked out. Mine happened to me on the way back into town and I was barely able to coast into kragens. Freakin sucked!

Brian

 

Check your fluid level in your battery first. It may just be low. No since in buying a new battery if you dont need one.

 

Thanks, guys- it looks like you saved me from a headache. I pulled the alt and battery and took it to have them tested. Alternator was good but battery wasn't. So I'll be replacing the battery- hopefully that was the only problem...

SlowStangEater - from previous experiences with batteries with low fluid, I've found that if they stay low for too long, filling them up again won't help. And since this is one of those 'maintenance free' batteries I know I never filled it up. So if it's been low for a while, it's probably past saving.....