Wont turn over!

Hey Everyone, ive only posted a couple times but read post and check SCCOA everyday. Anyways im looking for any suggestions what might be wrong here, i drove to the girlfriends place watch a movie go out to start my car and all i get is a thud when i try to crank it over. One thud and thats it then nothing, it is an 89 5-Speed, im going to try searching old posts now but i would like to get the car away from the front of the gf's(and parents) place ASAP, any and all help and ideas are greatly appreciate. THANKS!

Ratskinny said:

Hey Everyone, ive only posted a couple times but read post and check SCCOA everyday. Anyways im looking for any suggestions what might be wrong here, i drove to the girlfriends place watch a movie go out to start my car and all i get is a thud when i try to crank it over. One thud and thats it then nothing, it is an 89 5-Speed, im going to try searching old posts now but i would like to get the car away from the front of the gf's(and parents) place ASAP, any and all help and ideas are greatly appreciate. THANKS!

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When you hear the thud while trying to start does the dome light go out and outher power in the car quit working? If so check your battary termanals and cables, clean them if needed. Or if your starter is not engageing try tapping on the SIDE of the starter caseing with a hammer or something, sometimem this will get the starter to work one more time.

Try wiggling that "extra" little wire that goes into the starter. Sometimes it gets loose and doesn't make a good enough connection.

Thanks for the help guys gunna run over there right now and try cleaning the terminals up abit and see if that helps. Also ill check the starter, i cannot find for the life of me my shop book, and forgive this brutal question.. where might i find the starter? Thanks again guys for the very quick help

It's on the passenger side of the motor, right next to the transmission bell housing. There's 2 wires going into the starter, one is tightened down with a nut, and the other is just a press fit. The press fit one is the one that you need to jiggle.

If it's a 5-spd, can you bump start it?

oh boy, ive seen similar posts too many times.. "BLOWN HEADGASKETS" Yep thats right, went over cleaned the terminals up=no go, so i jumped the starter relay and it cranked and fired up. Did an odd smoke show on the half-kilometer drive home though, funny cause it didnt feel like it had the power for one. Well it looks like my SC days may be over far too soon, gunna have to check the cost of a HG job up here in NWT Canada, but im not too optimistic. Thanks for help with the starting problem and putting up with my ranting guys!

Man , thats just sad. Maybe some guys in your area could lend a hand as we have good group people in this club. As long as you have a heated garage and a case of beer there should be no problem. I know in the US they charge between $1100. and $1700. You might want to have it checked out as well. To many people jump to conclusions just because these cars are known for this. I have seen 2 so far that just needed thermostats and a radiator.

scbird1 said:

Man , thats just sad. Maybe some guys in your area could lend a hand as we have good group people in this club. As long as you have a heated garage and a case of beer there should be no problem. I know in the US they charge between $1100. and $1700. You might want to have it checked out as well. To many people jump to conclusions just because these cars are known for this. I have seen 2 so far that just needed thermostats and a radiator.

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Yah even this message board is incrediable just to read as i have been to learn little things here and there. Hopefully i can do as much of the work(aka disassembly) as possible and just get the parts to a shop to be decked and such, and then get a good competent mechanic willing to work for beer to help with the re-assembly. Im pretty sure its the HG's, it smoked ALOt on the shoprt drive home with a very distinct smell, and to be sure i checked the oil and the cap was covered in a milky white fluid which ive heard is pretty sure sign, that, the smoke, and the unsmooth driving home. I will look into in more depth come daylight to be sure though.

Thud?

Ratskinny said:

Hey Everyone, ive only posted a couple times but read post and check SCCOA everyday. Anyways im looking for any suggestions what might be wrong here, i drove to the girlfriends place watch a movie go out to start my car and all i get is a thud when i try to crank it over. One thud and thats it then nothing, it is an 89 5-Speed, im going to try searching old posts now but i would like to get the car away from the front of the gf's(and parents) place ASAP, any and all help and ideas are greatly appreciate. THANKS!

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Along with all your electrical connections, one of the first things you should check is the amprage that your battery is putting out. Just 'cause your lights seem or are bright enough doesn't mean it's enough to turn your engine. You can have it checked out for free at most autoparts stores. It (your battery) doesn't need to be in your car to be checked out.

well if you can do the work yourself ..300 bucks should cover your needs ..for head gaskets /head bolts /intake gaskets ..and get heads planned ..asfor milky oil cap that's pretty normal ...with crankcase moisture and the pvc system ...pulling spark plugs will tell more ...#3 cyclinder is the most common leaker ...but also check oil level and smell and color ..and being that far North you shouldn't need coolant anyways ...when it's a high of -30C ...LOL ....dave