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elraido

I kant speel
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Messages
15,657
Location
Northern MN
well, it was a nice tropical -20F when I went out to start my car this morning (just like it has been for the past week) and when I turned the key to start it, it seemed like it was going to start so I let off they key and it died. So, I turn it again to get a whiring sound. A couple more times the same thing. Lift off the clutchand press it back in, press in the gas, and turn the key just to see what happens. Then it starts to slowly turn over and then starts. Could this be an starter issue, cold weather issue, both? The starter was replaced a year ago on it.
 
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The bendix on the starter is going out or sticking. Mine has been doing this every once and a while for the past year. It will go for months and months with no problem at all, then one day, it doesn't want to crank and the starter just spins freely.

The other issue could be bad teeth on a section of the flywheel.

I've ignored mine because it doesn't ever get any worse. I'm buying a new starter this summer but it's not a priority because it still works fine but it's starting to show it's age with 140k and being original from 1997.
 
I might think the car gets a break at -20 degrees, i hope nothing is wrong just the extreme cold. i myself in n. va. have never had to start a car when it was that cold, don't know what it would do

mike
 
Could this be an starter issue, cold weather issue, both? The starter was replaced a year ago on it.
What about the battery? Everyone immediately jumps on the starter when the most likely culprit should always be the battery. Once it is determined that there's nothing wrong with battery, THEN you can pursue other avenues.
Karl
 
What about the battery? Everyone immediately jumps on the starter when the most likely culprit should always be the battery. Once it is determined that there's nothing wrong with battery, THEN you can pursue other avenues.
Karl

Battery is motocraft that is a year old with a 72 month warrenty. No problems so far since this one incident. :confused:
 
I've never heard a starter spin if the battery is shot. The starter will just click and do nothing.
All I had to go on was a partial story. Had the battery been mentioned in the original post, I would not have mentioned it myself. Even so, that doesn't exclude wiring to and from the battery being a possibility. Add to that the starter engaging finally but turning slowly and that's what I based my reply on. As I mentioned in another post about troubleshooting, you have to start with the obvious and work your way to the less obvious. :cool:
Karl
 
At -20 a lot of things could be showing up that otherwise never will. Have you thought of installing a block heater?

Slow cranking is usually a battery problem.

Starter drive spin-out on most cars is usually a starter drive problem. On our cars, especially 99 and 00, it could be a flywheel / starter problem. These is a TSB about it.

Stalling immediately after starting could be a dirty IAC and throttle body and you should clean them for drill. It could also be just because it is -20.
 
When I lived in Colorado, I'd have problems with the starter when it was in extreme cold. Gave it a few knocks with a stick or something and it eventually cranked.
 
Need the TSB Number

Need the TSB Number

Would anyone have the TSB number on this issue for me? I have replaced the starter and still have this grinding issue sometimes. Seems to happen if the car does not roll just a bit once it is placed in park.

-sp
 
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