Today knowledge saved my trip and kept the tow truck away

[Michael_]

Today was a great summer day, very hot so i decided to do a little road trip.
Since the charger currently has issues with brakes pulling to one side i decided to use my 72 cutlass supreme.

I decided to take a break and when i tried to start the car back up it didn't do anything except the sound
a locked up engine would make when trying to start it.

But luckily i know these cars pretty good by now and knew it must be the starter.
Furthermore i knew that tapping it a few times will probably make the car start and get me home!

I had almost zero tools on hand but luckily found a ratchet in the trunk and tapped a couple times.
After that the starter did it's job again and i was able to start the car back up!

This really saved my day and kept the tow truck away. Knowledge IS power.

Now i have to get a new starter.

 

[Speedbird]

I've lived in the Pacific Northwest where their definition of hot is different than down here In Dixie.
Sounds like an electrical problem.
Sometimes starters stick the other way.

 

[Michael_]

I've lived in the Pacific Northwest where their definition of hot is different than down here In Dixie.
Sounds like an electrical problem.
Sometimes starters stick the other way.

I'm pretty sure it's the starter but i will check all connections.

Edit:

The Problem is that it's very humid where i live.

Miami Beach: Average monthly humidity in Miami Beach (Florida), United States of America
Where i live: Average monthly humidity in Munchen, Germany

 

[Speedbird]

I mean an internal electrical problem.
Dead place.
Sorry. Wasn't clear and don't want to send you on a wild goose chase.
But check to be sure.

 

[Dave6T4]

Big Block GM's were famous back in the day for heat soaked starters not wanting to start. My 455 Buick used to do this. Let it sit for 30 minutes, and away we go.

 

[Budnicks]

Got it going, got it home, that's the important part

 

[Thrashingcows]

I helped an elderly man at Walmart one day with this technique...he was just sitting there in his mini van with the hood up so I walked over and asked if he need any help. Motor wouldn't turn over and he figured the battery was dead....brought my truck over and tried jump starting...still wouldn't turn over. So grabbed my hammer and slid under and told him to keep trying to start it while I tapped on his starter....took a bit but eventually it fired up.

Told him to drive straight home or to repair shop and to not shut it off...he thanked me and drove off.

 

[Ron H]

Might be the solenoid not the starter.

 

[1967coronet]

Today was a great summer day, very hot so i decided to do a little road trip.
Since the charger currently has issues with brakes pulling to one side i decided to use my 72 cutlass supreme.

I decided to take a break and when i tried to start the car back up it didn't do anything except the sound
a locked up engine would make when trying to start it.

But luckily i know these cars pretty good by now and knew it must be the starter.
Furthermore i knew that tapping it a few times will probably make the car start and get me home!

I had almost zero tools on hand but luckily found a ratchet in the trunk and tapped a couple times.
After that the starter did it's job again and i was able to start the car back up!

This really saved my day and kept the tow truck away. Knowledge IS power.

Now i have to get a new starter.

Good job , glad you got it fired up and back home.

 

[Michael_]

Today i fired the car up a couple times, even did another little road trip.
Started it 3 times total and the starter worked like new.

Maybe it was really heat locked but it's also very hot today.

I guess the tapping fixed it for now but it will come back...

 

[Fran Blacker]

Today was a great summer day, very hot so i decided to do a little road trip.
Since the charger currently has issues with brakes pulling to one side i decided to use my 72 cutlass supreme.

I decided to take a break and when i tried to start the car back up it didn't do anything except the sound
a locked up engine would make when trying to start it.

But luckily i know these cars pretty good by now and knew it must be the starter.
Furthermore i knew that tapping it a few times will probably make the car start and get me home!

I had almost zero tools on hand but luckily found a ratchet in the trunk and tapped a couple times.
After that the starter did it's job again and i was able to start the car back up!

This really saved my day and kept the tow truck away. Knowledge IS power.

Now i have to get a new starter.

Probably $3 for brushes. Take end cover off and have a look.

 

[demonram]

I was in Arkansas in 1990. We took my future brother in laws 89 D250 back a little ways on my property to check out where I was going to build the cabin. He got stuck, just enough moisture to make that clay slick. We were quite a ways from any house so we started walking. In a driveway I see around an 83 W250. He said he’d help if it starts, the starter was acting up. It started, ran like crap, but it ran. We go to the truck, hook up his chain and he tries to pull it. We weren’t buried, it was just slick where we were stuck, not where he was. He tries again and kills the motor. His starter says hell no, I’m done! Luckily, he had tools. I pulled that starter, (yeah in the mud). Took it apart on his tailgate, used his WD40 to clean everything up and out. Put it back together, put it back in the truck and it fired right up. It still ran bad so we didn’t try again. He actually did say hey now I don’t have to buy a starter. I said oh yes you do, I just bandaged it. We were pulled out by a 78 Chevy big block, built for pulling. He pulled us out sideways and was laughing while throwing 10’ rooster tails of dirt in the air and all over the truck. Cool guy, I asked, what do I owe you? He said how about a couple six packs. I gave him a 20 and said this should cover it.

 

[Ron H]

I was in Arkansas in 1990. We took my future brother in laws 89 D250 back a little ways on my property to check out where I was going to build the cabin. He got stuck, just enough moisture to make that clay slick. We were quite a ways from any house so we started walking. In a driveway I see around an 83 W250. He said he’d help if it starts, the starter was acting up. It started, ran like crap, but it ran. We go to the truck, hook up his chain and he tries to pull it. We weren’t buried, it was just slick where we were stuck, not where he was. He tries again and kills the motor. His starter says hell no, I’m done! Luckily, he had tools. I pulled that starter, (yeah in the mud). Took it apart on his tailgate, used his WD40 to clean everything up and out. Put it back together, put it back in the truck and it fired right up. It still ran bad so we didn’t try again. He actually did say hey now I don’t have to buy a starter. I said oh yes you do, I just bandaged it. We were pulled out by a 78 Chevy big block, built for pulling. He pulled us out sideways and was laughing while throwing 10’ rooster tails of dirt in the air and all over the truck. Cool guy, I asked, what do I owe you? He said how about a couple six packs. I gave him a 20 and said this should cover it.

Back then that 20 got him a lot of beer. Reminds me of a time, around 20 years ago, having my 98 Dodge 4x4 getting a call after midnight by a close bud I used to work with. It was around Christmas and he was out with his neighbor friends celebrating at a bar. It snowed quite a bit and on their way they slide into a deep ditch across the road in their SUV. Thing was brand new AWD that wasn't enough to get out of the ditch. He calls and my wife had to wake me as I had been out earlier with some people I worked with at the time after having a few brews myself. Probably slept for an hour, so was groggy and the bar was 15 miles away with slick roads. Thought the chances of my getting there were slim before the police might come along; but not the case. The SUV was in there deep so next thing is to figure out the best way to yank them out hooking up my chains digging under the vehicle buried in the snow. Wanted to be sure where I hooked up wouldn't cause damage. Great guys, but none of them were car guys, so not much help there. Chains I had grabbed on my way out weren't quite as long as I'd a liked so next thing is telling the driver to be ready to stop after I get him out so he wouldn't smack into my truck. Lol, was quick! After just a couple feet of pulling, it popped out of the ditch like on a spring.

They were appreciative and coerced me back to the bar to buy me a beer before closing time.

 

[Basket case]

when you drive an old car keep tools and some simple spare parts in the trunk.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

My buddy carries a leaf blower in his old Chevy pickup to cool the starter

 

[kiwigtx]

when you drive an old car keep tools and some simple spare parts in the trunk.

In this case.....like a FOR SALE sign.

 

[guy gadbois]

Had a similar problem once, and on an Oldsmobile too. Story is here - Notes from the Flyover Zone... - Page 47 starting at post 462. Final answer to the problem - in my case at least - is in post 489.