Hi
So AAA came to check out my car, and the guy said the starter was stuck, so he hit the starter motor, and the car started. I did the same later that day to get home from work.
Following morning, hitting it didn’t make a difference, so I changed the starter. Car still did not start. So I took it off and reinstalled just to see if maybe I’d forgotten something.
So then I took my jumper cables, and connected the +from the battery to the incoming power on the starter, and the -battery then out to ground. It started, though weakly.
Took the starter back to the store, they tested it, and it was fine. Did my cable set up again, and got home.
FYI: my cable set up was only done to start the car, I disconnected the cables after starting- don’t want to burn out the starter motor.
Got home, and then day three, car would not start again, even with my cable trick.
So I’ve checked my fuses… and the ground wires on the engine are okay.
What else is there?
Are you sure the battery is OK? Has it been “load tested?”
Is the starter getting current from the battery when you turn the ignition key to “start?”
Last time I had AAA come, (when I’d left a battery cable loose), they tested it, and it was pumping out 575 cold cranking amps, and it was rated for 520 or something… so it had a full charge. Is that what you mean?
There is current going to the starter, as it arcs to ground if I accidentally touch the jumper cable clip from the starter cable to ground as I try to hook up my cable rig.
If we assume that the battery and starter are OK, and that the engine doesn’t have some problem like a cylinder full of water from a cracked head gasket (very uncommon), that leaves the heavy duty wires used to carry the starting current as likely problems.
Not sure it will make any difference, but I’d remove and clean up the engine ground connection and the connection where the high current starter wire connects to the starter. I’d also take a good look at the cables especially near the battery. Sometimes an acid leak – maybe years ago – may have allowed battery acid to work its way into the wires under the insulation. It then slowly converts the wires from Copper which is a very good electrical conductor to Copper Sulfate which isn’t.
Well I tried jumping the battery off another car- it started up just fine, so I need a battery. It’s always the simple things LOL.
So I suppose the question then becomes, do I have to buy a “high-mileage” battery (as the book on the shelf at Walmart says)? Is there any difference? As long as the new battery pumps out 12VDC and 550+ CCA, I should be good, right? Because the high mileage battery recommended by that book is more expensive, I think it’s a rip-off, not sure though.
What the heck is a "high mileage’ battery. Sounds like marketing crap to me.
It is! But it’s the only battery suggested in that little book, so I’m stuck.
I got the “high mileage” battery and paid for it… but my car runs, and hopefully it will continue to do so for a while, so I can learn to trust the car (bought it a month ago, AAA has come 2 or 3 times now, missed shifts/been late for shifts).
The “high mileage” battery may be the only one suggested in the little book at WalMart, but there are other options for batteries.
I’m glad to hear your Camry is starting and running, and I hope the car serves you well.
Good luck.