1994 Chevy Cavalier possibly starter

THUNDER55

MEMBER
1994 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
155,364 MILES

Drove car yesterday and on the way home from store which was about 4 miles stopped to ck mail by our mail box, turned off car got back in and put key in ignition and nothing happened. Put another battery in car to see if battery was bad but still nothing. There is gas in car the lights radio and everything work, could it be the starter, There were times when in the summer if the car got a little hot I would have to wait while it cooled down before it would start even tho the fan on the motor would cool it down it eventualy started. It really hasnt had a problelm since. Till yesterday do you think it is the starter? Or how could we tell is there a place in portland oregon that can do a free ck to see what it may be? Sorry I have no picture. Its in great condition

4 Replies

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

Welcome, when it refuses to crank, can you tell if there is a load on the starter circuit? Watch the lites, when you try to crank, dash or dome, something, If no reaction from the lites, maybe open circuit on the purple wire that goes to starter solenoid. Did you try cranking in neutral. All battery connections good? Possibilities, neutral switch- wiring circuit- may have to check feeds to and from the ignition switch?

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Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 AT 11:52 AM

THUNDER55

MEMBER
3 POSTS

When I try and crank there are all the dash lights that go on and there is no sound like there would be if the car battery was dead. It makes no cranking sound at all. The dash lights all go on check this and so on. Husband went to a u-pull it thinking it is the starter? I would hate for him to pull a starter out of a car and find out it didnt need one at all

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Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 AT 11:58 AM

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

Hi, usually if the dash lites dim or go out when trying to crank, there is a load on the starter circuit, if the lites stay bright and no reaction when trying to crank. Sounds like an open circuit to the starter. Some of the national brand autostores will load test the starter.

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Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 AT 12:29 PM

THUNDER55

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Thank you for your help
my husband went to a wrecking yard and they just happened to have a new cavalier about a well not sure how new but it was the starter, it had been going out slowly for awhile, we would try and start it and then it wouldnt start right away so I would wait thinking it was just too hot out, then it would be fine then there were times that it would not crank, and I would try again and fine, then nothing for about 2 weeks no sign of anything. Till the day I turned it off by the mail box and that was its last start. LOL but it is fixed so thank you

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Thursday, October 29th, 2009 AT 7:40 PM