[Tom Cleary]

So on an icy night a few months ago, I managed to slide the car sideways into a curb, bending the hell out of the passenger control arm. Not having time/money to fix it, I put the car in its parking spot and left it. The first month or two it was out there, I managed to keep up with at least starting it, letting it warm, and then shutting it down. Well, now I have the cash and time to replace the control arm and what do I find? I can't start the damn thing.

I just tried to have it jump started, but no luck. I hear a loud, rapid clicking and that's it. No sign of the engine turning over. What might have died from lack of use? Starter? Engine seized? Where do I start looking?

Thanks for any and all advice...

Tom

 

[CRF_Rider]

If the battery is fully charged clean all the connections on both terminals. These get corrosion on them quite easily. Also clean the connctions going to the starter.

If that doesnt work then your contcats in the starter solenoid have probably become coroded. Some people ahve taken them apart and cleand them but I usually just replace the starter.

 

[Jay]

Sounds like the starter solenoid. You can probably get one at a wreckers for 20 bucks.

 

[Hosam]

Did you disconnect the negative when stored the car? If not, get your battery tested first. I think your battery doesn't have enuff juice to supply power to the starter. Batteries hate the cold and hate not being used.

Lemme kno what happens.

 

[Flyin' Hawaiian]

Just keep the jump there for about 3-5 minutes. Your battery is really dead and needs a bit more time to get it up to snuff.
Remember, when you jumpstart a car, the donor vehicle not only has to start your vehicle, but it is also pumping quite a bit of juice into your dead battery! A lot of people don't realize this and automatically assume there's something else wrong with their vehicle.
When I go wheelin with my club, I usually bring my electric cooler along, and it kills the battery overnite if I forget to unplug it! It usually takes about 3 or 4 minutes being hooked to my friend's vehicle to get it charged enough and started.

 

[MK2Racer]

Also, if your cleaning connectors, remove and clean the chasis and engine ground wires. The connections there get nasty and no matter how nice your terminals are, she wont go.

 

[Tom Cleary]

fixed it! every connector turned out to be shiny and even after another go at jumping the car, nothing happened. So I made a sort of tutorial day out of working on the car with my girlfriend and we pulled and replaced the starter. Car turned over immediately, although not without a lot of black and gray smoke... oh well, I suppose that means the valve stem seals will need replacing at some point, but otherwise I have a working supra again.

Thanks again folks!
tom