98 corolla wont start at all, help diagnosing!

[ziggy]

Hello once again all at bobistheoilguy
Car is a 1998 toyota corolla. OK..3 months ago, i bought a new battery, from walmart. Past 3 weeks? When turning the key, thier was a click noise from engine, and wouldnt start. ide do it again, and it would start. sometimes ide pop the hood, and shake the battery and it would start very good. Well last night, wnet to local store. coming out, turned car over, and it made a loudish squeel noise, coming from sitting in car, looking at engine, right hand area, lights dimmed, and loud exhaust noise. it squeeled as i drove but eventualy went away after some 5-7 minutes. the lightdimming did return too normal after 1 minute.
this am...same routine..shook battery, car didnt start at all! and i tried again few hours ago. tried too jump start with my brother in law. cleaned upbattery cable connections.
the diodes in alterantor still look good. some green, but thiers plenty of copper still showing. i hve replaced the belt too.
I did notice....when turning the key, thier was no click noise this time around. tried many mny times. no click. we stoped at autozone got a new battery, valuecraft and same thing. no click noise, im assuming the starter.
its dark out now so gunna look at it tomorrow. i am aware too check the fuses, relays. its obvisouly and most likely, the alternator or starter. im not sure which one, or could be both?
any ideas on on this.? again turning key, thiers power..too dash. check engine light is on...but noclicking noise at all. so dunno if its alternator or starter.

 

[ziggy]

for the record...3 weeks, the lights were notdimming at all. so im leaning more too ruling out its the alternator.

 

[Quest]

usual checks are in order: (1) with battery in place, check/loadtest the battery. (2) check for wiring corrosion, including ground cabling to the engine block; (3) get a hammer and lightly tap the starter and then try turning over. If it does, your starter is shot (got a flat spot on the commutator part, or your starting solenoid contact disk has burned marks on it).

Once you managed to get your engine running, check to see (when idling), your DCV is up or beyond 13.8V or higher. If so, your alternator is charging (if not, you need to get your alternator fixed).

You then take it from there...

Q.

 

[zzyzzx]

You really don't know that the alternator is working unless you drive it with a voltmeter installed. Get one that plugs into the lighter socket.

 

[Rand]

an alternator with worn brushes can be intermittent.

 

[ziggy]

i see...wow. geesh...this sucks really sucks.
my understanding, watching outube vids like the kilmer guy...a non clicking noise usualy means starter. dimming flashing lights means alternator.cant it be as simpleas just one of those 2?

 

[05LGTLtd]

Is your battery secured properly? I can't shake my battery without grabbing a wrench first.

If your battery is not secured, I'd inspect the leads to see if there has been any damage from the battery shifting.

 

[NHGUY]

Dim lights and a squeal means the alternator is loading the belt down bad and not actually turning.Is the belt bad? Is the belt tensioner bad? Is the alternator bad? Is something else maxxing the alternator out (its seeing a massive drain in the system or a low battery)??

 

[ram_man]

do the lights dim at all when turning the key? Smack the starter with a hammer and see if it starts do this after checking all battery connections .

 

[eljefino]

At first you were having battery terminal problems. Shaking the battery cleared the connection. When a terminal is loose, you get arcing, and the arcing burns the metal in the middle of the connection. Scraping the terminals around clears this mess up.

But you also have, IMO, starter problems. Try a jump start.

The redneck test of alternator function is to shine your headlights at something (garage door etc) with the car idling. Turn the key off, the headlights should dim, as the alternator isn't topping it off anymore.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Dim lights and a squeal means the alternator is loading the belt down bad and not actually turning.


^ ^ ^ This ^ ^ ^

 

[vssjim]

Toyota's use Nippondenso starters as do Chrysler's and others and we replace more nippondenso starts than other brands by far than all other brands combined

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: ziggy
sometimes ide pop the hood, and shake the battery and it would start very good.


I bet it's your positive battery cable....you shouldn't be able to shake the battery without loosening the tie down. If it isn't tied down...the battery is pulling on the cable...back and forth and either damaged it or it isn't properly attached to the starter. Follow the cable down to the starter and investigate.

 

[Superflop]

Sounds like starter solenoid or starter motor. Whack it with a hammer and see if it starts

 

[HangFire]

You say diodes look good... Is that a visual check or a 2 way continuity check? (Visual check is useless).

What is an ide? Is it March?

 

[ziggy]

Turned out, it was the starter! Brother in law took me to autozone yesterday. He is a tad mechanically inclined. he said, 90% percent of the time its the starter. In my case, it was 18 years old. The small tooth wheel on the original starter i took out, had built up deposits on it,and 1/3 of the metlacasing was rusting up. It was a so so job..i learned, i had too rmeove the oil filter, drain the coolant and remove the lower coolant hose, in order too have complete access andmobility of instalaiton of the new starter. Had too remove the air filter housing as well, too get too a 10mm bolt ontop the transmision housing that holds the starter.
Quite a job. scratched my left arm wrist uppretty good but it works now Got freezing ocld just as i finishing. The thing i like but dislike, is when it gets really cold out...EVERY problem you had exisiting in your vehicles electrical system is exposed now. it means, the problems that were already thier, functioning well in warmer weather must be replaced at this point. which means money...: ( lol
i bouhgt a valuecraft starter for $89 came too $113, got my $40 core back. i should get im hoping at least a year of this starter I wanted too get a new one, from NAPA ut didnt want too spend at this time, $125.

 

[ziggy]

Looked at fuses as well, none blown. tested battery with a ohm meter, has volts option. 12.47-12.67 volts. the battery was fine.
now i gotta try n return a brand new valuecraft battery too autozone n get $100 back