So I've got an 82 trans am with a nice flat spot on the starter. I know it needs replaced, but thats just not an option right now. The problem is I don't know where the thing is to hit it. I had it narrowed down to the passenger side near the bottom of the block but after that I'm just guessing where to aim/smack. I need this car to start pretty badly so I'm hoping someone can direct me a little better

 

Passenger side, right behind the motor mount. You'll probably see wires going to it.
Smack it anywhere. Your just trying to move the bushings around. So give it a good smack.
By the way, what kind of sound are you getting now before you smack it?

 

When I turn the key I hear the selinoid click and if i hold the key in it clicks again. How big of a target am I aiming for, and is it near the headers anywhere? I honestly don't think ive been accurate enough to smack it so ive heard all sorts of different noises under there.

 

Hearing the solenoid click is good. Your bushings have dead spots.
can be a pain to get at from the top. It's under the headers. Really easy to reach if you can get under the car. The starter is huge. once you notice it, you really can't miss it.

 

Currently I have no choice to go at it from the top, so as long as its decent sized and at least now I know where to aim I should be able to get it. While ive got someone who has something similar to mine..any idea why it stalls out when I first fire it up? It idles at around 700 then the choke kicks in followed by the check engine light. It smells like its got too rich of a fuel mixture but I dont know where to adjust the mixture on the q-jets

 

Battery ok?

 

According to advanced auto the battery was super dead, then they charged it back up so who knows on that one. I know the mechanics were starting it by pounding on the starter so they seem to think its that and I'm inclined to agree.

 

like posted, check your battery.

as for the adjustment screws on the qjet, you will most likely need to get a carb adjustment tool. Very front of the carb, near the bottom are two holes. Inside those holes are like are the screws. They look like a flat head. So the carb adj. tool is basically inverted flat head tool

 

So even though all my gauges turn on, and my battery reads around the mid of the gauge when the keys turned that might be keeping it from cranking over?

 

Yup. It may have a full charge (or partially.. you'll need around 9-10V to crank it over).
But check your terminals. Starting your car draws a lot of current. It may be on enough to light up your gauges, but not on enough for the starter to draw enough current. Give your wires a jiggle. Make sure they're good and tight. If that's all good. Go back to the starter.

 

1st, make sure your cables and grounds are good, if so...
Unhook you negitive batt cable.
grab some tools, jack,a jack stand or work over a ditch(like i used to).
jack car up put a stand under it.
get silly with your tools and remove the starter.
take it to you fav parts store and get a new one 4 20-50 somthing bux.
reverse the instructions 4 your install.
its not hard to do at all and you have prolly almost spent in gas getn to the parts store and back in what a new starter costs!

 

Call me crazy, but I'd be following that line of enquiry first. It the alt working? Has the batt lost capacity? Are the cables and terminals up to snuff?

 

I was told that the alt's fine, the battery's capacity was fine, and that my terminals were cleaned and checked to make sure they work. I just went out, rapped on the starter with a screwdriver and it fired right up..decently sure that was the major malfunction.