YACT: difficulty starting

[Snuffaluffaguss]

1995 Toyota Camery, 4 cylinder. 119,000 miles on it.

My car has a little trouble when you try to start it and it hasn't been running recently(like if it sits there for over 3-4) hours. If has been running, it starts up like a champ. When it does not start I hear a click when I turn the key, the click is coming from the engine compartment, after several times of try to get the engine to turn over it finally does. I am afraid one of these days it just won't though. I have replaced the battery recently because the old one was due for a change. I also had it in for a tune up alittle while ago and the dudes at the garage said that my plugs/wires looked fine, they replaced my serpentine belt, adjusted the timing, fixed the alignment and checked out a squeaky brakes. Any ideas what is causing the problem and what I can do it fix it. I have done some work on this and my previous car, but lately I have been to busy to really check it out thanks.

 

[HappyPuppy]

Take your car to a different repair shop.

 

[crab]

Hmmm...starter/starter solenoid.

 

[Heisenberg]

If the battery's good then maybe a flaky solenoid or a dead spot in the starter.

 

[Snuffaluffaguss]

I trust the shop, its highly recomended from coworkers, friends and it was voted best shop in a local paper recently too.

 

[Snuffaluffaguss]

ok, anyideas as to how much it might to repair at a shop, or the parts if I attempted this feat on my own? thanks

 

[Kipper]

EXACT same problem with mine only it decided to stop working at 3AM in a Wal-Mart parking lot. It clicks and that's it. Click, turn the key again, click. No startup sound and the engine, naturally, doesn't catch. I came back the next day around 15 hours later, it started up like a champ. Ran it around on the highway for about 30 minutes then stopped to get a bite to eat, BAM. Same problem.

Weird part is that it isn't the battery because the car won't respond to a jumpstart, and I had the starter packs and spark plugs replaced three months ago because the car was misfiring.

1997 Saturn SL2, manual. ALSO 119,000 miles on it. I'm getting it towed tomorrow. I think this one is gonna cost me, and as a poor college student I have NO $ to spare. I guess I'll get a job. This car is just a huge money funnel...too bad it was bought with 109,000 miles on it. I'm dropped more on the car than it was bought for.

 

[Snuffaluffaguss]

sorry to hear that, let me know how much it ends up running you. thnks.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Snuffaluffaguss
ok, anyideas as to how much it might to repair at a shop, or the parts if I attempted this feat on my own? thanks

I've had a starter replaced a few times and it was around $200. Of course this was on a small-block Chevy where the starter's easy to reach so it might be more depending on how far they have to tear into it.