So....I didn't use the TGP at all last Saturday (when it dipped down to -10 overnight), and when I went to start it to go to my sister's place for the Superbowl, she wouldn't start. It was cranking very slow, then it just stopped cranking. Even giving it a jump didn't help. So I charged the battery overnight, and same thing Monday morning. It would just crank very slowly a couple times, not fast enough to start it up. Then it would just start clunking when you hit start. Something was also squeaking horribly while it was trying to turn. I gave up and rented a car to get to work.
I charged it again overnight, and tried it Tuesday. The cranking speeds varied quite a bit, but it actually turned over, started, and died a few seconds later. Tried it again, started, and stayed running on it's own after feathering the pedal for 4-5 seconds. I locked her up and let her run a good 15 minutes or so while I went inside. I was going to drop off the rental, have them give me a ride back, and take the TGP to work. I shut her down, got ready for work, and then left the apt. to turn the rental in. I thought I'd better double check the TGP. I get in, turn the key, and it's chugging super slow again and wouldn't start!! I was so pissed. I used the rental car again, because I didn't have time to try it again.
It's been the same story every morning since, fully charging the battery in it, AND buying and charging a new battery, but it hasn't started since Tuesday. It came VERY close to starting Sunday night, and yesterday morning. It sputtered a bit, but wouldn't maintain the higher cranking speed long enough to turn over. So yesterday, I had it towed to the mechanic before I went to the Chicago Auto Show, still thinking maybe it's the starter, because that's been on its last leg for months (had to tap it with a hammer on several occasions to get it to work), plus several times trying to start it during all this, the starter just spun freely, not catching. I got a brand new starter from Oldskool to throw in.
Well, I call the mechanic to see what the status is, and he said he didn't even bother putting the starter on after hearing the noise it was making while trying to start. He said he thinks something's seized up internally!! Maybe a broken crank. Needless to say, I was stunned. Kinda' ruined the rest of the show for me. I have to get the car out of there in the next day or two, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do about it. This makes no sense. How can it go from being a normal daily driver, to something being seized up inside overnight? And how did it start on Tuesday if this is the case, and come very close to firing up yesterday and the night before?
My suspicion is that one of the pulleys has seized on the accessories. The belt is very loose, and is splitting, and Oldskool noticed it wasn't turning the alternator while I cranked it (though the pulley seemed to be spinning ok by hand). It had been having tons of random bought of overcharging (dummy lights come on, lights get WAY too bright, etc.) I also know the bearings in the water pump, or one of the other accessories, had been squealing like crazy the last couple of weeks. I'm hoping the noise is related to one of these things, or still an issue with the starter/solenoid somehow (maybe rubbing the fly wheel?). Anyways....I'm having a hard time swallowing the idea that it just stopped working, period. I called them and asked them to try removing the accessory belt when they get a chance, and see if still makes the noise/won't start. Anything else to look for/it could be?
Wow man that sucks! I really don't think anything internal would be seized up internally, because you would have noticed a SIGNIFICANT power loss and/or horrible stumbling during the last time you drove it. I'm leaning toward a dragging accessory pulley maybe...
Sounds like a mechanic that is scamming you to me. Go take the belt off, and hook up some jumper cables, and try to turn her over. I bet it has a seized pulley somewhere, AC, water, ALT, tensioner, etc. If the engine was seized you would know it.
Quote from: pontiac6ksteawd on February 13, 2007, 02:49:51 PM
Sounds like a mechanic that is scamming you to me. Go take the belt off, and hook up some jumper cables, and try to turn her over. I bet it has a seized pulley somewhere, AC, water, ALT, tensioner, etc. If the engine was seized you would know it.
X2, I'm willing to bet its the AC or alternator pulley.
No way the crank just broke overnight. I've never heard of anything like that happening.
Try starting it without the belt first, then check your fuel pressure!, then try a new starter.
Well, I don't think the guy's trying to rip me off, because he flat out told me it probably wouldn't be worth it to fix it (thinking it's just an old, worthless Pontiac...well...as worthless as a regular one). Yesterday, I stopped by the mechanic to see what it was doing in person. It was in a heated shop for 2 days, and the battery had been charging for 2 hours when I got there, so the cold and/or weak battery factor were thrown out the window. Same thing. Turned over really slow, not nearly fast enough to start her up, though this time I didn't hear any noise. The guy turning the key said this is the best it's sounded since they tried to start it.
I did notice that this time, the belt wasn't turning at ALL! And whiffs of smoke started coming up by the A/C compressor. Perhaps another clue that something is locked up down there. However, I had to get it out of there before the main manager came in at 10 AM. Otherwise, I'd have to be charged for them to "look into the problem". So it was towed home yesterday. I'll have to play around with it later and see if we can't find the problem. I'm just going to expect the worst, and be pleasantly surprised if it's something easier (just the starter, or a/c compressor, etc.).
jeese just go out with a 3/8 socket, take off the belt all together, and start it up before you ruin a perfectly good belt and wear down the starter. if it is a a/c compressor go buy a belt for a 3.1 w/ no a/c and you should be good.
I garentee the engines not bad, your mechanics RETARDED obviously, the engine broke overnight huh, lol, my friends freakin escort has at least 1 spun rod bearing or more and it kocks like crazy and it turns over fast and fine, even when we forgot to put oil in it when it burned it all up.
Well the belt's pretty far from perfectly good, anyways. If all had gone as planned (simply thrown in a new starter, and it was back to normal), I had a brand new alternator and tensioner for it. i was also going to change the water pump after a coolant flush, too. At that time, I would have just thrown on a new belt as well. So I'm not worried about the belt being trashed.
The reason I didn't do the starter myself is the same reason I haven't tried pulling off the belt, yet. It's been freaking COLD here! Today is the first day it's been out of the single digits in some time. The week that the TGP went down, it was -10?F, or worse each night. Anyhow, I'll be looking into it soon. Right now, my main concern is making a solid runner out of the TSTE, since I'm going to need to do that anyways so that it's ready to sell. 99RegalGS is coming down from WI to scan it tomorrow with his laptop. If we got time, we'll attack the TGP as well. It'll be a scorching high of 20? tomorrow!
Ok, update on the situation. 99RegalGS just spent the day here, and we took a look at the TGP real quick. First try, it just clunked. Same thing on the second try. Third time, there was just nothing (and from there on after). With a multimeter on it, the battery is still showing plenty of juice, but it drops from just shy of 11 to 7 when I turned the key to start, so I'm still suspecting the starter is toast. We got the belt off, and this didn't help the situation. However, I tried with all my might to turn the A/C pulley, and it would NOT budge. Also, the crank is spinning perfectly fine by hand. So I think we are one new starter and A/C compressor (or bypassing) away from getting her running again. I KNEW there was no way it just randomly broke something internally so severely, that the motor wouldn't even turn over. Stupid freaking "mechanics". It took less than 5 minutes to prove them wrong.
You can run it with a shorter, non-ac belt.
I know. That's why I put (or bypassing). :icon_wink: And damn your shiny, good condition TGP!
Quote from: RareGMFan on February 18, 2007, 11:52:12 PM
I know. That's why I put (or bypassing). :icon_wink: And damn your shiny, good condition TGP!
I know, I hate him, and am kinda envious...
Your battery going from 11V down to 7V? I would pull that thing out and get her tested. That sounds roasted to me...
Quote from: pontiac6ksteawd on February 19, 2007, 12:06:56 AM
I know, I hate him, and am kinda envious...
Don't be hatin'! ;) :laugh:
Quote from: pontiac6ksteawd on February 19, 2007, 12:06:56 AM
Your battery going from 11V down to 7V? I would pull that thing out and get her tested. That sounds roasted to me...
I was afraid of that, too, which is why I bought a brand new one, deep charged it the night before, and dropped it in. PLUS, oldskoolGP was jumping it with his car that day. He said his volts gauge dipped down pretty heavily while I was cranking it. So it was sucking up my brand new, fully charged battery's power, as well as the power from a running car. I still think the starter is bound up, and is drawing too much power because of it.