I just got a 1991 Firebird that was converted to a 350 and a 5 speed. Less then 10,000 miles ago. It then sat for 6 months untill the man decided to give it away (to me ) So as I am trying to get it out of his driveway, it wont start with the battery in it and my battery, we had to jump it and it jumped from a different car. Cool right, well I put it into first gear and let off the clutch. BAM the car stalled. It stalled because the brakes were SORT OF locked up, they still are. Not sure whats wrong there, thats a different story. I did the same thing as just described and I drove it home 40 miles fine except that it felt like the Ebrake was on a little, even though it was all the way down. So I got it home and put it in front of my house, the next day I tried to start it and no click or nothing, I was thinking thats weird since I fully recharged the battery overnight and all, I look under the dash and find a switch, apparently it was for vats or something. I go to start it and it started fine. Sounds awesome . I call my dad up since he hasnt seen the car and he came over. He asked to drive it around the block and I said sure why not. He agreed that it felt as if the brakes were on but the car would drive decent. he gets it a lil down the block and... again it stalled. I go ok start it up again and I will look at the braking problem tommorow. He goes to start it and click click click nothing, thinking it was the battery again I go to the garage not too far away and get a freshly charged one. put that in and click click click nothing again... WHY THE HELL wont this thing start. I get some people to come out and help pop the clucth on the thing, since I couldnt push it myself. PITA.
So far, I have two problems, the brakes locking up and why it isnt starting after it stalls. This is my project, I cant give up on it this early.
ANY help is GREATLY appriciated.
Thanks
Dennis

 

Sounds like the conection on the starter or the starter its self. Take a look and see if the conetors are rusty . I would also have the alternator tested if the starter checks out. If the car sat with the e-brake on the cabels may also be rusty and not returning all way .I would also pull the wheels of and just look at the rotors,pads and or drums to see the overall condition .The car may have sat longer then six months ? . Sounds like you scored good luck with your new ride . You can allways park on a hill .

 

Well, I was thinking about that untill, I forgot to write that on the ride home, when I braked the car pulled to the right. so what I did to check to see if it was the ebrake or rear discs I jacked up the car on the differential and then tried to push it and I still coundnt (by myself) so now I am thinking that my brake problem is the right front rotor/pad/caliper/etc...
If that problem is fixed, I still have to see if there is a good connection on the starter, if there is a bad connection would it still click but not engage?? I know for certain that the starter is good. The alternator was when running was charging the battery at 13V so that isnt too bad right? I will check the connection tommorow.
Thanks for your advice. I have a feeling it was only sitting for 6months like he said b/c his insurance car which I have stopped 5 months ago so I dont see why he would keep paying if he isnt driving it. Like I tell everybody, It is my new project, I learned alot in the past few years and am now prepared for something that needs a little more work, plus I was getting tired of the old 305 auto, the 350 5 speed just sounds alot better
Thanks again
Dennis

 

I yes it can do funny things like start not start click whatever. You could have a warpet rotor up front . Check all that stuff out the other side may be frozen ? could be a combo , take a look . Dose the volts go up when you hit the gas . Did you get this reading of the gage or tester ? . When you get a car insured they give you a card for the policy you took out usualy 6 months , but you can stop paying the next month and still keep the card .

 

Another thing to think about on the brake situation is, let the car set ....get in, DO NOT APPLY THE BRAKES, see if the car will roll. If it does, apply the brakes ...if they lock up and you let the car set for a little and come back and the car will roll again and it does the same thing again, you could have a bad distribution box. Just something to look at.

 

My mom was having the same problem with the starter making a clicking noise with a brand new battery and she couldn't get it to turn over and she was having problems where she'd be driving and the car would start to stall when she accelerated. Believe it or not, steel wool solved the problem. There was so much corrosion around the battery terminals that the cables on the terminals weren't getting enough juice from the battery. I cleaned up the terminals with some steel wool and she hasn't had a problem since. Especially since your car has been sitting for 6 months, I would check that first because it might be that simple of a solution

 

Well, I was under the car today and I fixed my frozen caliper, PITA. So I was like I will look at the starter and see whats going on. I diconnected the battery, took off the wires took some steel wool too them and then bolted them back up. I finish the job and go to start the car. It started right up. Now the car doesnt do what it used to with the brakes and now it starts up as long as that was the answer to the problem and not just a bandaide.
Thanks for all your help.

 

You should be all set . Just aslong as you think your brakes are good allround. This would be for any car . Good Luck & enjoy

 

before u go changing calipers , change the front brake hoses , i had 4 of these cars and all had the same problem with the brakes , the rubber in the hoses get brittle and clog up the line .this is what makes the caliper seem to lock up .if it pulls to the right , it usually the left line . u should change both cuz chances are the other line will go out soon .....good luck