Q45 Won't Turn/Start

[franknitty69]

Here's a little background...one day the q wouldn't start. after checking the battery, ignition fuse, ignition releay, starter relay, anti-theft and starter, it was determined to be the starter solenoid (tap on the starter solenoid and voila).

so one day i started the car with the remote start, i had to tap on the on the starter solenoid btw. the car ran for about 10-15 seconds and i opened the trunk. alarm went off and the car turned off. i tried to start it with the key and it was sluggish as if the battery was dead. so i charged the battery and tried to start it with the key the next day...nothing but clicks.

i tap on the starter solenoid still nothing but clicks. so i remove the starter, take it to autozone they test it twice and the computer says that it is fine.

i put the starter back in, try to start with the key, nothing but clicks. i feel the solenoid to see it the plunger is popping out and it is.

what could be the cause? does starting the car for 10-15 seconds and shutting it off have a negative effect? at this point i am ready to just replace the starter just to rule that out.

1995 Q45 w/no history of starting problems

[qship96]

Could be the starter.....but could also be a failing battery- how old is the battery? Have you had it load tested?

[franknitty69]

the battery is a 6 month old optima red top. i used a schumacher 200/15/2 charger to charge it. i don't think it was dead though.

anyways today i decide to tap the starter instead of the solenoid. what do you know...it turned. it was very weak though as if the battery was dead. i checked the battery again 12.1 volts.

for now i'm going to replace the starter with a take off oem i found on ebay.

[qship96]

12.1 volts is basically a dead battery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fully charged, it should read 12.8 to 12.9 volts- again,you must load test battery

[jimbyjimb]

There should be little concern as to the Optima. Gel cells are not subject to most of the laws governing life for a lead-acid. Unless it has some manufacturing defect it shouldn't be the source of your woes. While clicking is usually a symptom of a dying battery I've heard bad starters click when the charging system/battery is perfectly fine. Do the headlights dim when you crank the vehicle? If not it is a solenoid/starter issue.

[qship96]

There should be little concern as to the Optima. Gel cells are not subject to most of the laws governing life for a lead-acid. Unless it has some manufacturing defect it shouldn't be the source of your woes. While clicking is usually a symptom of a dying battery I've heard bad starters click when the charging system/battery is perfectly fine. Do the headlights dim when you crank the vehicle? If not it is a solenoid/starter issue.

Obviously you have not kept up with the numerous reports of recent examples of Optima problems and short life- seems their quality took a dump within the last couple years.

The Optima is NOT a gel cell battery, but an Absorbed Glass Mat {AGM} design.

12.1 volts is a seriously DISCHARGED battery, as a fully charged AGM battery reads 12.9-13.1 volts- without a proper LOAD TEST performed on the battery, one can never know if it has the CURRENT to properly spin the starter.

Basic,basic battery knowledge.

[franknitty69]

q45ship, i will test the battery, but i wonder why the car did not start until the starter solenoid was tapped?

i've done this 3 times since this has started. car wont turn, get under the car, tap the solenoid, car starts. if the battery was dead it shouldn't have started at all.

[qship96]

Cant answer that, but 12.1 volts indicates a major problem!!! Loadtest battery, or swap a known good fully charged battery from another vehicle temporarily to see if problem disappears.

Must find out why you are getting only 12.1 volts from a fully charged battery- either defective battery or charger{alternator?}

[goody90q45]

......it was very weak though as if the battery was dead. i checked the battery again 12.1 volts.......

Is the battery voltage with the engine running or off? It should be about 14.2 volts running. Is your brake light dimly lit by chance? Just probing in case it's a dying alternator draining the battery.

How are the battery clamps? Tightening snug and don't rotate?

[jimbyjimb]

Look. You can jump to conclusions or do the free, simple tests first. We already know the solenoid is on its way out since you have had to smack it in the past, so just try the headlight test. Takes literally ten seconds with a buddy to watch the lights or parked at night with the headlights pointed toward some object as to make it easy to see whether or not they dim. I would begin to be concerned about the battery if the accessories and other major electrical components did not function. Just use common sense. If the headlights are dim in the first place its a battery issure, if everything works and the headlights don't dim upon crankage then you know it's a starter/solenoid issue as it won't draw power from the functioning battery.

[franknitty69]

i forgot to update this.

so i took the battery to autozone, the tested. it was good, but a little low. so i charged at 15 amps. tried to start the car some thing.

so i replaced the starter as planed. and it started right up.

so my initial thoughts where correct and it was definitely the starter.

thanks to everybody for the help. thanks to jedcoop for his starter replacement writeup. i was able to remove both bolts using a combination of extensions and a flexible joint. i don't know how you were able to remove the top bolt with 12 point wrench and ratchet. my wrench just didn't fit.