Prayers and Answers

You killed Veronica? We're so not friends anymore.

You keep your hands off my Rocinante. Anything happens to my lovely car, and I'll kill you.

With my mind-bullets.

STAY AWAY FROM ROCINANTE.

way to help big Bro.

Sorry I can't help Cedarbird....I have no idea about mechanical things.  I'm the least mechanical person on the planet.  But it does sound like a starter to me also.  Only because I've been there and had this happen. 

 

 

She knows more about cars than me, and she knows it. She also knows that I love that truck, so I'm bound to give her a bad time about it, and she also can't drive stick, so her touching my beloved Rocinante is kind of a moot point.

Hey Cedarbird!

Well, a couple of things from a son of a mechanic (could be worse hehe).

There are two possible scenarios that I can think of based upon the provided info. Your battery may still be producing 12V but doesn't have the amperage to engage the starter. A quick way to test this is to turn on your head lights. Have someone stand in front watching. Try starting with them on. If you don't have enough amperage (or enough of a charge) your lights will go very dim.

Also if you are able to 'jump start' using jumper cables connect to another car that suggests your battery is going bad (again not enough amperage which is your actual current).

Once you get it started go to a part store like Autozone and ask them to test it. Since you being female you can probably bat your eyes and ask them to take it out and test it for you!

The second 'could' be your starter solenoid or even corroded cables from your battery to the starter. These are very rare in comparison to the battery. Your starter is connected to the fly wheel on the back of your motor. I would suspect that since it's a GM pick up that it would be on the driver side about where the door hinge is. It is easily found with two terminals sticking out. Make sure it is in Park (if automatic) or neutral with Parking brake on if Manual transmission. Turn the key on and using a plastic or rubber handle screwdriver touch the two terminals. DO NOT LAY WITH LEGS UNDER TIRES!

Hope that helps

Thanks, it does. You...answered...my prayers about my car!!! Haha, there, now it fits.

I'll go try that out.

Thanks, Dude!

If you would... please let me know what you find out or if there is anything else.

So it's UNDER the car? Because everything under there looks exactly the same. I saw the oil...and a little box on the frame with some wires sticking out. So, still can't find the dang thing. But I checked with the battery and yup, it's the starter all right.

It is adjacent to the rear of the engine, drivers side, by the oil pan. The drive end of the starter protrudes through, into the "bell housing" area of the transmission to engage the flywheel (or flex plate, depending on manual or auto trans).

WWW Link

Here's a link to what it could look like. It seems that it is next to the exhaust manifold so may be a bit tricky to get to.

You sure it's not a fuse? Actually, when my fuse went, I don't think it clicked at all even, except when we replaced it and it blew again. Come to think of it, it blew because of a bad starter.

BTW that was a link to what your starter should look like.

If the screw driver test works than your solenoid has gone bad as you are bypassing it. You might try tapping on it. The reason why someone mentioned that is sometimes it's just the contacts that get sticky and don't properly function just need a bump to loosen them. Rubber mallet is the best but just be careful if using metal hammer.

Before you run off and replace the starter you might want to connect a volt meter to the frame and to the red terminal (usually a red wire). Make sure you have 12V going there. In a few cases I've seen it be the switch (where your key goes) that went bad and we replaced a good starter. Later to find out the store wouldn't take it back.

Hope this info helps

I forfeit. I still can't find the damn thing. Oh well, it'll have to be a professional job anyway. Whatever.

Well, you know I don't know squat about cars either, so no help, just saying hi.

If you can take a pic I might be able to help?

No digital camera, and we all know what happened the last time I tried to post a picture on this website.


DISASTER.

I'll just get a pro, or my dad, to look at it. But I'm sure it's the starter; I can hear it when I'm under the car. It sounds like its in pain.

Yup, it's the starter. My dad tinkered with it last night, we had it towed to the repair place today. It'll be fixed by 2 this afternoon.

Yay.

Well, I'm glad you got that figured out and that your dad is close by to fix it.