Yup, i just bought an 85 trans am a while back and im already having problems with it.

more problems actually.
first thing i did to it was replace the tranny bushing and rear tranny seal. the old bushing was totally split. and as a result the whole tranny would move up when i reved high. and that ended up pooching the rear oil seal.

so after all that, some time passes, i go for some good drives. now over the holidays it wont start. it seems like the starters probably pooched. it doesnt turn over, but it makes a slight clicking noise at first. but thats it.

anyway, i was already planning to swap the engine for a 305 in better shape. my cars been burning blue ever since i got it. major oil consumption. I already got another engine lined up.

and since im too poor to buy a new one, im gonna have to try and rebuild that starter.

I figure all this will probably take me at least three days or more. Im pretty screwed until i can get this thing running again.

If u guys have any advice for me id apreciate it. and here are some pics of my car.

http://www.geocities.com/manchesterbeast/transam01.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/manchesterbeast/transam02.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/manchesterbeast/transam03.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/manchesterbeast/transam06.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/manchesterbeast/transam17.jpg

 

These are horribly obvious questions, but are you sure that the battery is good and that you have secure connections? What about the electrical connections between the battery and the starter? Are your connections at the starter tight? Good grounds? Sorry if these are TOO obvious; they were all I could think of at the moment.

- 89_IROC

 

no need to apoligize 89Iroc.

firstly im pretty sure the batterys good.
when it wouldnt start my first thought was that i needed a jump. but that didnt work. all the lights work. so do the wipers, gauges and the open door chime.

i took a look at the starter from underneath and couldnt see anything wrong with it. thats just a visual check. but i do assume somethings getting thru to it, cause it does make a slight click. it just wont turn at all.

Im gonna take the starter off tomorrow and test it with a battery.

 

Take the starter off and take it to a Canadian Tire store near yu. They can test it for you. Check out the prices of a new starter while you're there. CTC starters are made by Bosch. Good quality and very reasonable price.
Makes it hardly worth trying to rebuild your own.

 

dont replace a 305 with a 305.. doesnt make no sense.. go for a 350.. you can get a rebuilt one of pratically the same price and reuse some of your 305 parts if you want

 

I'd have to go with 89 IROC on this one. Every time my starter acts like that, it's usually a bad battery, or bad or dirty connections at the battery posts or the the starter motor. The only thing that would usually cause that problem with the starter motor itself would be a bad starter solenoid(i.e. too much corrosion on the copper disc inside the solenoid. Nine times outta ten, it's bad or dirty connections though.

 

I would rather get the 350 and put it in there. but i already have the other 305 and it only costed me 50 bucks. I need to get this thing back up and running as soon as i can. If i had another car things would be alot easier for me right now.

im on a tight budget here. If i had the money i could easily sink ten grand into this thing. It needs new shocks and bushings all around, id like to get headers too.

Another thing im definetly going to do is chop of the catalylic converter. after all the oil that engine was burning i bet its pretty cloged up. it needs better flow for the exhaust.

And im definetly gonna test my starter. If theres nothing wrong with it then it definetly is a broken wire or bad connection somewhere. im doing that today as soon as the ice melts.

What this car is really not liking is the cold weather. I live in the city of victoria, but i drove my car way north to my parents place for the christmas holidays. Now in victoria it doesnt freeze very much. But here at my parents house there's ice in the mornings and it covers everything. Ive gotta wait for the ice to melt before i can even get the doors open. there seriously frozen shut, and the locks are frozen too. I figured the car would be able to handle it, boy am i glad now that i didnt drive it to alberta.

It's my suspicion that at least part of my problems is due to this cold weather. all i know is i gotta try and fix this car before i can go home to the nice warmer city.

 

okay, i took it off and tested it. the starter works fine. i checked the line and it doesnt get any current. So its an electrical thing. Im considering putting in a push button starter. heh.

and im still going ahead with the engine swap. I need to get a few things first tho.

Engine cleaner and paint
intake gasket
exhaust manifold gasket
valve cover gaskets (might as well check those rocker arms)

and theres this little bearing piece on the crank that im gonna need. Im not sure exactly what its called tho..

 

You're right on the money with your suspicion of cold weather being the main culprit. Actually, it's more like the main determining factor in how good of shape your electrical system happens to be. If you have a weak battery or a bad connection somewhere, you're guaranteed to find out about it on the first really cold day of the year because it requires more effort for the electrical system to carry the current in the cold weather. Even though I'm a fair bit south from you, I can also relate to the frozen door and lock syndrome! Been through that several times already this winter!

 

The part you need for your crank is called a pilot bushing.

 

Pilot bushing. excellent. thanks Pat

And happy new years everyone!