Reader Question: Dear Mr. Davis,
My 1994 Chevrolet Lumina 3.1L Sedan has about 120,000 miles on it. After the battery went, I replaced it in October. A few months later, it would not so. Then I replaced the starter in December. Things seem to be back to normal except:
(1) About one in every 10 starts does not turn over and you just hear the clicking solenoid.
(2) A soft clicking sound frequently is heard while driving (although not always), putting the engine under load seems to increase the possibility of hearing the sound – although sometimes the clicking continues after acceleration has stopped.
Thinking it might be a pre-ignition problem, I went up an octane level and tried a fuel-additive carbon cleaner, which has not fixed the problem yet (although it has only been a couple weeks).
I am concerned that I might have installed the starter incorrectly or that there is a more serious problem. I do not want to continue driving to get the carbon-cleaner working if I am damaging my engine.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Aaron
Hey Aaron,For the clicking noise and the no start condition, I think I would advise you to take the vehicle to the mechanic and get a full electrical system test, which should include the following:
(1) Load test battery
(2) Check starter voltage draw
(3) Check battery cables and grounds
(4) Check starter solenoid and starter connections and grounds
(5) Check for a voltage drain
You might want to try the headlight test like I mention here next time you have this no start condition happen.
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