1994 Pontiac Grand Prix Sometimes starts, sometimes not----

GHOULPN

MEMBER
1994 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
130,000 MILES

I have put no less then 5 starters on my car in the last 2 years. The problem is sometimes it fires right up, sometimes not. I can hear the solenoid click, but the starter doesnt run. It can take 5-6 trys before it finally works. Granted all the starters have been remans, but they have been high end and low end with no diff. Everytime I take the starter back, they work perfectly at the parts store. I have replaced and checked both batt. Cables, checked battery output, checked connections. Is there anything else that can cause this issue?

AC-Delco doesnt supply new starters for this car anymore. Even the dealer has remans.

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,874 POSTS

Hi ghoulpn. Welcome to the forum. When you "hear the solenoid click" do you mean a kind of loud clunk from the starter or a light click from the starter relay? If you're hearing the starter solenoid engage, this is a common symptom of worn solenoid contacts, but this isn't a real common problem with GM starters. Since you've gone through so many already, I think I'd be looking closer at the cables.

This will take a little work, but the place to start is by attaching a jumper wire to the starter motor's heavy battery cable, then attach the other end to a test light that's grounded to the battery negative post. The light will dim just a little during cranking, but if it goes out when the solenoid engages, there is a corroded spot somewhere in the positive cable. If the light stays bright, move the test light's ground clip to the engine. If the light goes out now during solenoid engagement, the negative battery cable has a bad spot.

If the test light stays bright, move the clip lead to the braided cable from the starter motor that's bolted to the other large solenoid terminal. The light should be bright when the solenoid engages. If it is not, the solenoid contacts are worn.

Caradiodoc