1993 Saturn SC2 Click No Start

1993 ALL OTHER MAKES ALL OTHER MODELS
Avatar
ECHODELIANS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Please understand i dont know too much.

Ok, so i was driving the other day and the engine stalled on me mid-route. I pulled over and checked the oil level cause i knew it was probably low. One of my friends that stopped by said i may have "froze" the engine from having no oil. I put oil in and eventually jump started the car (5-speed) to drive home.

When i turn the key i hear a click but nothing else, maybe a slight turn of a belt.

Is it the starter?
Is it the engine?
Should i just scrap the car?

Any info would really help. THANKS
Jul 28, 2006 at 7:52 AM
Advertisement
Avatar
MIKEYBDMAN
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 623 POSTS
[quote:05a86aee9d="echodelians"]Please understand i dont know too much.

Ok, so i was driving the other day and the engine stalled on me mid-route. I pulled over and checked the oil level cause i knew it was probably low. One of my friends that stopped by said i may have "froze" the engine from having no oil. I put oil in and eventually jump started the car (5-speed) to drive home.

When i turn the key i hear a click but nothing else, maybe a slight turn of a belt.

Is it the starter?
Is it the engine?
Should i just scrap the car?

Any info would really help. THANKS[/quote:05a86aee9d]

I love your honesty to start your post. To start with, if you drove it home, it is not froze up. You state that it had no oil. Just because it doesnt show on the dip stick, does not mean it is completely out of oil. If you did not get a low oil pressure light, or check gauges light, it still had oil pressure. I suggest you fill the oil to the proper level and keep it there in the future.
As for the clicking, it sounds like a dead battery. If you replace the battery, it may start and run fine. However it is a good idea to try and jump start the car and take it to auto zone or advance and have them test the battery/charging system. Replace the bad parts (hopefully just a battery), and then be on your way.
Jul 28, 2006 at 12:43 PM
Avatar
ECHODELIANS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
yeah, i just i should have told you that the battery seems to be working. I have horn, lights, stereo and everything working.

So if its not frozen, and its not the battery, does it simply mean its the starter or are there other possibilities?
Jul 28, 2006 at 2:13 PM
Avatar
MIKEYBDMAN
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 623 POSTS
[quote:dbe5bed78d="echodelians"]yeah, i just i should have told you that the battery seems to be working. I have horn, lights, stereo and everything working.

So if its not frozen, and its not the battery, does it simply mean its the starter or are there other possibilities?[/quote:dbe5bed78d]

Ok, you have a fully charged battery? A battery may have enough power to run a few lights, but not enought to start the car. The reason I say this, is because the clicking noise is usually a sign of a weak battery. But if the battery is good, and when you try and start nothing happens, it sounds like your starter or start relay have gone bad. Some models have the relay on the starter and you change them all as one unit.
Jul 28, 2006 at 2:17 PM

Suggested Repair

Confirm the oil is filled to the proper level. Because a click with working accessories can still indicate a weak battery, jump-start the car and have the battery and charging system tested. If the battery is good, inspect and replace the starter or starter relay as needed.

Conversation Summary

A 1993 Saturn SC2 stalled while driving, possibly after running low on oil, but it was later driven home. The key now produces only a click and possibly a slight belt movement. The expert explained that the engine was not seized and that accessories can work even when the battery is too weak to crank. The battery and charging system should be tested; if they are good, the starter or starter relay is the likely fault.

Add a reply
Join 2CarPros for free, one of the most advanced car repair communities on the internet. From first-time drivers to seasoned mechanics, everyone is welcome to reply, share details, and get better answers. You can add a temporary image or video first; uploads are limited to 20 MB.

Frequently Asked Problems for This Vehicle