even a week a go my car seemed to crank very normally, but the past few days it's seemed labored, it still starts). it's getting closer to 7 months w/o changing my oil (thinking ~2500miles is plausible), my battery, I tested, is still 12.3+V.

at ~145k would the starter be going bad or is it more likely it's a loose connection...or something else? any advice?

i'll also be asking my dad about it.

Too many possibilities, have a diagnostic check done. Chasing down a problem like this without testing the components can lead to a ton of parts - swapping and wasted money.

well it got worse this morning...didn't start w/i 2 secs and then it seemed like someone was pulsing the battery on and off, quickly. my dad looked at it and thinks it could be the starter solenoid. i thought my previous symptoms were caused by that... that'd make me feel like the $h! if i knew what it was several months ago and now i have more proof. LOL

It could be a few things..I'd just wait and see....

With the wild weather the last few weeks, it has made both the wagon and Cobalt act up...stupid hot and cold weather....

Give a few days...

Sounds like a problem with the starter solenoid, and the starter motor itself being burnt out. What happens is that inside the starter solenoid is a thermal limiter, it'll automatically kick the starter solenoid off whenever it builds up too much heat. Also the starter motor could very well be burnt out, causing the starter to only very slightly bump around (buidling up heat in the solenoid, causing the pulse, and from there it'll eventually get knocked out of the burned-out spot (at the cost of the spot getting bigger and draining the battery). I'd go ahead and drop the starter if it were me.

Today i took the starter out, gonna get one from a local "salvage" yard. for <$40 it's a steal compared to ~$200 before the core rebate. have to wait till monday to get it. I'll do it in the morning so i can use my car in the afternoon. i'll let you know if i do all this work and it's not working still. lol

My only comment will be 12.3 Volts.

That's on the LOW side.

Does it run if you pull a battery terminal off while the engine is idling? (Is it charging?) Did you test the voltage while the car is running? It should be 13VDC + IMO.

My only comment will be 12.3 Volts.

That's on the LOW side.

Does it run if you pull a battery terminal off while the engine is idling? (Is it charging?) Did you test the voltage while the car is running? It should be 13VDC + IMO.

no , that was with car off.

no , that was with car off.

If you have an accurate meter I would say the 12.3 is low. If the voltage doesn't go above 13 with the car running I would be looking at the charging system.

It doesn't sound like heat soak or anything because it happens first thing in the morning.

If you have an accurate meter I would say the 12.3 is low. If the voltage doesn't go above 13 with the car running I would be looking at the charging system.

It doesn't sound like heat soak or anything because it happens first thing in the morning.

well the 12.3V was just the battery, so it was fine. i can't check it running now. again, my dad thinks it's the solenoid, which we tried to unscrew to look at, but couldn't, so $35 for a starter off another car is just fine with me. then if it's not that.... then i might be screwed, or have to let it roll down into the street to let our van be able to move out of our carport.

well the 12.3V was just the battery, so it was fine. i can't check it running now. again, my dad thinks it's the solenoid, which we tried to unscrew to look at, but couldn't, so $35 for a starter off another car is just fine with me. then if it's not that.... then i might be screwed, or have to let it roll down into the street to let our van be able to move out of our carport.

There are "hard start" kits available for the SB Chevy, both a heavier spring and a Ford type solenoid conversion. If it's just a bendix the starter swap will cure your woes. Make sure you don't have too much initial timing as well. Next time it is reluctant to start try jumping the battery as well, it will tell you if the battery is at fault.

Good luck!

There are "hard start" kits available for the SB Chevy, both a heavier spring and a Ford type solenoid conversion. If it's just a bendix the starter swap will cure your woes. Make sure you don't have too much initial timing as well. Next time it is reluctant to start try jumping the battery as well, it will tell you if the battery is at fault.

Good luck!

i'm sorry, but i don't know where you're going with this. i have a 3.1L v6. my battery isn't at fault, at least not yet.

Edited January 14, 200817 yr by loki

Sounds like a problem with the starter solenoid, and the starter motor itself being burnt out. What happens is that inside the starter solenoid is a thermal limiter, it'll automatically kick the starter solenoid off whenever it builds up too much heat. Also the starter motor could very well be burnt out, causing the starter to only very slightly bump around (buidling up heat in the solenoid, causing the pulse, and from there it'll eventually get knocked out of the burned-out spot (at the cost of the spot getting bigger and draining the battery). I'd go ahead and drop the starter if it were me.

If it isn't an odd issue then I agree with 76....

ok, so it's not the starter/solenoid. still pulsing power to everything quickly on and off. (hoping it's not in the steering column) anything else it could be?

no worries everyone! it was the #@#%ing battery, it lasted ~8 years. damn it's a pain to replace, even worse than the 00 - 05 impalas

*whew*

Hey lookit, I was wrong!!!

when i took the battery to autozone for a load test, it came out to <5V in a simulated cranking test.

76CT, i prolly was kinda vague with my problem. no worries

I know, I was just having fun at my own expense. Although anytime you have trouble cranking it, always suspect the battery first, at least that's my normal trouble tree deal. I start with the most inexpensive thing, in this case, the battery and have it tested and go from there.

no worries everyone! it was the #@#%ing battery, it lasted ~8 years. damn it's a pain to replace, even worse than the 00 - 05 impalas

Do me a favor and next time you have a chance check your battery voltage again, with the same meter you used when it read 12.3 volts...

Do me a favor and next time you have a chance check your battery voltage again, with the same meter you used when it read 12.3 volts...

new battery or old? the old one i took to autozone and they got ~12.3V w/o load, it dropped to <5V under cranking conditions

new battery or old? the old one i took to autozone and they got ~12.3V w/o load, it dropped to <5V under cranking conditions

What does the new battery read with the same meter?