Okay, so I am now late to work, still need to get there. My 81 n/a has had a starter issue since I got it. My last one did too but that was more an electrical problem. The starter on this one has always started the car for me. Sometimes it takes a few tries but usually it's a "third time's a charm" sort of deal. It will engage and turn over for one or two revolutions and then cut out (just makes a humming noise after that like it's spinning freely) It's a solid running car so that one or two cranks will get it running before the starter cuts out. This morning however it's very cold and it won't start up right away. I tried it for about a half hour before I gave up. Now it smells like gas cause I flooded it out. I went back out after about another half hour to see if it had dissipated and I guess not enough to run. I can't pop it because there's nobody around to help me.

The real thing I am curious about: I have been meaning to replace the starter for some time now but I learned something today that I'm not so sure about now. I was blocking the parking lot so I figured since the starter's ****ed anyways I may as well try to crank it into a parking space. When it is in gear and my foot is not on the clutch it will crank and crank and it doesn't cut out right away like it usually does... now I'm starting to think the starter isn't bad. Could the solenoid or relay or something cause it to let go like that? I don't know enough about electrical systems to do anything more than wire up a stereo system. Any advice is greatly appreciated

 

I know nobody is on right now really so I can't expect an answer right away, but I must add that this is pretty important! I am sort of homeless for the next three weeks until I was planning on driving the car out to my new home in Colorado (from CT). I have nowhere to do extensive work on this thing right now, I can't start ripping it apart in some parking lot or my buddy's apartment. Hoping it's an easy fix, I can change a starter in the auto part store parking lot or a commuter lot somewhere. I hope this doesn't end up being a larger problem either, I can't exactly have the thing towed home if it ends up being a really big problem. Has anybody else ever had any experience with a problem like this? A 29 year old car is bound to have problems sooner or later I guess..

 

You can whack the starter solenoid w/ a hammer or something else that is solid... give it a couple good taps, just don't hit the + terminal.

That will jar the solenoid back into a temp working condition, but yes, you should replace the starter asap.

 

did the clutch on z's have to depressed to start?? if so it could be a kill switch on the clutch malfunctioning and cutting out your starter

 

nope.


solenoid can be going bad and only engaging sometimes.

 

ok my badz

 

this was the problem. I got a remanned starter and it is all good now. It was soaked in coolant and all sorts of fun crap on the inside. It would turn over once or twice and then let go. Now it runs like a champ