'80 Chevette starting issue

[Ben Boyle]

I have an '80 Chevette I use as a driver right around here, mostly for insurance reasons. Yesterday, and again today, it would not crank over with the key and all lights worked. Both times I was able to push start it and go on my way. After both incidents it would crank over just fine with the key again. I have to assume that either my starter is bad and/or bad connections, or that my flywheel isn't kosher.

In any event, I will have to investigate further. Is it true what I've heard that the starter is a nightmare to replace?

 

[nel]

Ah yes, a Chevette--my very first car when I started school at what was then called General Motors Institute.

Does the solenoid click reliably? If not, it's the battery; the connections between the battery, solenoid and starter; the ignition switch (and related wiring); or the solenoid itself. Do the easy stuff first. Check the starter & solenoid connections to the battery as well as the battery voltage. Make sure the connection at the battery is uncorroded. Have someone else crank the car while you're holding a voltmeter to the battery. Do the same with a car that starts fine so that you have a baseline. If the battery voltage drops too much compared to the baseline, it's time for a new battery.

If the solenoid clicks reliably, it's either the battery or the starter. My suspicion is that the starter motor is starting to go out. It's an easy repair (far from a nightmare, unless the '80 is much different than the '78). I've done it a few too many times when I made the bad decision of buying a cheap rebuilt. Do yourself a favor if it is the starter. Go to a reputable supply house such as Napa and get a good one.

 

[Ben Boyle]

Yes, the solenoid makes that unmistakeable click everytime and I do not believe the battery is bad. I also assume that it must be the starter. I hear you about cheap junk, I once had a heck of a time with bad starters from Advance. Now days I normally buy this stuff from Auto Value.


If the solenoid clicks reliably, it's either the battery or the starter. My suspicion is that the starter motor is starting to go out. It's an easy repair (far from a nightmare, unless the '80 is much different than the '78). I've done it a few too many times when I made the bad decision of buying a cheap rebuilt. Do yourself a favor if it is the starter. Go to a reputable supply house such as Napa and get a good one. [/QB][/QUOTE]

 

[55Test]

Ooh, Chevette. My family owned a bunch of those. Despite all the bad things said about them, my family never had any problems other than one spun rod bearing on one my dad owned. There's still a few rolling around town here. There was one for sale a few months back that I actually would have bought if I had the money at the time. It had a 5speed, and apparently had bad rings. Anyway, I'm also leaning towards a bad starter. Do any of the auto parts stores do testing on starters?

 

[Gary Allan]

I had one (I THINK) in 1977 or 1978 ..whatever the second year for them was. Three timing belts due to the lousy dowel pin setup that drove the cam. It was a non interference engine

I had this problem too. There was no noise for me, though. Everything else was fully functional and, if I sat long enough, it would start as normal. It NEVER did it cold ..and it didn't always do it. I assumed that some connection had issues with heat or vibration. I leaned toward heat since sitting there long enough typically cured the problem.

 

[Chris142]

Have fun changin that starter! They are miserable to access.

 

[CorvairGeek]

The starter is easy to access, as long as the car doesn't have A/C, P/S and P/B make it a little harder. You will need a very long extension(s) to for one of the starter bolts with A/C.

While it sounds like a starter problem, be sure to rule out a battery or even a flaky cable or connection.

My family had a number of Chevettes too, 79-83, Gas, Diesel, 4 speed, 5 speed, and automatics. I've often thought that if GM had advertised where the Chevette's design came from (Opel), people would have raved about them. Cheap, reliable transportation.

Jerry

 

[Thermactor]

quote:

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Originally posted by CorvairGeek:
I've often thought that if GM had advertised where the Chevette's design came from (Opel), people would have raved about them. Cheap, reliable transportation.

Jerry

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Au contraire. Around the time of the Chevette, we were chasing the French automakers out of our country for creating such horribly unreliable automobiles. That's a reputation that lasts until today. I think it being known as a Chevrolet is better than being French

 

[Tosh]

quote:

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Originally posted by Thermactor:
I think it being known as a Chevrolet is better than being French

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I suppose that's debatable.
(Do you realize that Opel is German?)

 

[Thermactor]

quote:

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Originally posted by Tosh:

quote:

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Originally posted by Thermactor:
I think it being known as a Chevrolet is better than being French

---

I suppose that's debatable.
(Do you realize that Opel is German?)

---

I thought they were French!!!

Shows what I know.

 

[cousincletus]

I replaced a starter on a 1985 "Vette" and it wasn't hard to do. The car didn't have A/C, though.

 

[Ben Boyle]

Thanks for all the help, it was the starter. I didn't feel like dealing with it so I dropped it off a local shop I trust and I drove away with a starter for $110. I figure that's a fair price.

 

[XS650]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thermactor:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tosh:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Thermactor:
I think it being known as a Chevrolet is better than being French

---

I suppose that's debatable.
(Do you realize that Opel is German?)

---

I thought they were French!!!

Shows what I know.

---

Close enough, the Germans have owned France a couple of times.

 

[CBDFrontier06]

Like stated above, be sure to rule out the battery....my 78 Monza did this a lot, but there were no other hints that the battery was on its last leg. Before you go to all the trouble to get the starter out, have the battery tested. I was forever push-starting that Monza because I didn't want to replace the starter.

 

[K-Man]

Around these parts Chevettes were notorious for starter problems. Rumor in the early 1980s was that Chevrolet had designed the Chevette as a "disposable car". Only rarely do I see any on the road here.

We have had many cars and trucks over the years in the extended family, including aunts, cousins, stepfather, et al., but the only vehicles that ever required starters (knock on wood) were Chevettes. Every other vehicle I'm familiar with, from the now retired '72 Ford F100 pickup to the (also retired) 350,000+ mile '88 Ford Festiva, to a couple of Toyotas, to our current '84 Mazda pickup and 312,000-mile '97 Escort, plus several other vehicles, have all kept their original starters.