I just bought a 2000 sebring with 155k on it, but when i go and start it all i get is clicking from the starter and smoke from it aswell. I replaced starter and still get the same thing, but now it just clicks once. i had a dieing battery hocked up to it and it was doing its normal click click click with smoke, but when i put a new battery all i got was smoke and one click. Lights dim when i go to start it. Check Engine Light is NOT on.
I dont know if the car ran before I bought it because I got it from an Action. Also I have a OBD2 reader that doesnt say anything is wrong with the car dont doesnt show vin on screen when hocked up, so i dont know if that means its the ecu.
Please help.
Thank You
Since you bought it at an auction and knew nothing about the condition of the car before you bought it, you need to verify that the engine is not locked up. Put a socket and breaker bar on the crank pulley bolt. The engine should turn fairly easily. If it doesn’t, there’s your problem. This is my best guess for now since two starters click and smoke. Smoke from a starter is NEVER normal and indicates that it is generating a tremendous amount of heat, probably from being worked beyond its capabilities, such as trying to turn over an engine that will not move.
I was able to crank the engine a little bit after taking out 3 of the spark plugs. I was looking on-line and found other sebrings with the se problem as I but without the smoke. Must of them found it to be the distributer and/or the crankshaft sensor. Do you guys know if that is what could be happening with my car or do you know of anything else that would be causing it not to crank like bad grounding or wires?
Thank You for getting back to me so quickly.
Removing spark plugs will make the engine turn over easier due to reduced resistance due to compression. It can make enough of a difference to get a little rotation out of the engine even if some of the bearings are melted to the crank journals. Since you removed three spark plugs, I assume this is a V6? Is it the 2.7L? These engines had sludging issues similar to the issues Toyota had around the same time. You need to find out how easy or difficult it is to turn that crankshaft by hand. This will determine if it is a mechanical problem or something else. I seriously doubt it is anything you mentioned as alternative problems. Your car does not have a distributor and sensor problems will not cause the starter to smoke. A locked up engine will cause the starter to smoke.
it’s a v6 2.5L engine . u can crank it by hand so it’s not melted but now when I turn the key and have the hazered lights on the display screen freaks out and displays random things so I’m thinking it electrical , but please help so when I tow it to the shop there not charging me everything I got to localize the problem.
Thank You
I still think there’s a mechanical problem with the engine. Can you easily turn the engine over by hand, or is it just possible to turn it by hand? Even with all the spark plugs in, it should be fairly easy to turn with a ratchet or breaker bar, with no feelings of mechanical binding whatsoever. Is this smoke coming from the starter or just from that general area? You could have a melted battery cable or fusible link if the engine’s not seized. It could be both. Maybe I’m obsessing too much over the starter smoking, but the only way I know to experience this is to work put them up against something they cannot move.
thank you for your help, I took it to a shop and the engine is seized due to water damage. Do you know of any websites where I can find a junk yard in san Diego to get one my self and or they will install it? Thank You
Your best bet is to have a reputable, local shop with a decent reputation locate the used motor for you.
I have tried and they can’t find one that fits my car. Can you un-seize an engine from water damage or it doesn’t matter?