Starting issues

On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:59:13 -0800 (PST), timbillick.TakeThisOut@live.com wrote:

>I have a '88 Ford Tempo GL and for the past couple months now, I've
>been needing to give my car a jump almost 3 times a day. I put a new
>battery in it after a couple weeks of having that problem, but I still
>get the same problem all the time. If I don't run the car for a
>certain period of time, it won't start again, but all the accessories
>inside the car and the lights will all have power. When I try starting
>it, it makes a loud cranking sound, but then goes to a long, dieing
>beep sound. Every time I jump it as well, the car will try to start
>and the engine will pause for like 5 seconds while the key is turned
>over, and then start up. I've taken it in to get the battery and
>alternator checked and all the people that checked it said that they
>were both good. The cables are clean and they are secure on the
>battery. Does anyone know what might be wrong with it?


A beep? Are you sure that isn't a high pitched grinding noise,
where the starter motor drive gear (Bendix gear) is popping off the
ring gear? (Or never engaged properly in the first place.) That
would sound like a "beep" to the uninitiated...

If so, the gear teeth on the Bendix are worn out and it's time to
get a rebuilt starter motor - and the solenoid if yours is the newer
separate type. A fairly inexpensive (should be under $100) and easy
fix.

And if that's it, do it soon, so you don't break teeth off the ring
gear - that's a BIG job to change that just took a jump toward four
figures, you have to remove the transmission. On automatics it's
sometimes welded to the torque converter, and they are not cheap to
replace. And flywheels aren't a whole lot less.

On the older Ford starters they use a swinging pole-shoe to push out
the Bendix, the cover for it looks like a pie wedge on the side of the
starter case. Not sure when they stopped that.

--<< Bruce >>--
 >> Stay informed about: Starting issues 

On Nov 17, 9:46 am, Bruce L. Bergman
<brucenospamberg... RemoveThis @gmail.invalid> wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:59:13 -0800 (PST), timbill... RemoveThis @live.com wrote:
> >I have a '88 Ford Tempo GL and for the past couple months now, I've
> >been needing to give my car a jump almost 3 times a day. I put a new
> >battery in it after a couple weeks of having that problem, but I still
> >get the same problem all the time. If I don't run the car for a
> >certain period of time, it won't start again, but all the accessories
> >inside the car and the lights will all have power. When I try starting
> >it, it makes a loud cranking sound, but then goes to a long, dieing
> >beep sound. Every time I jump it as well, the car will try to start
> >and the engine will pause for like 5 seconds while the key is turned
> >over, and then start up. I've taken it in to get the battery and
> >alternator checked and all the people that checked it said that they
> >were both good. The cables are clean and they are secure on the
> >battery. Does anyone know what might be wrong with it?
>
>   A beep?  Are you sure that isn't a high pitched grinding noise,
> where the starter motor drive gear (Bendix gear) is popping off the
> ring gear?  (Or never engaged properly in the first place.)  That
> would sound like a "beep" to the uninitiated...
>
>   If so, the gear teeth on the Bendix are worn out and it's time to
> get a rebuilt starter motor - and the solenoid if yours is the newer
> separate type.  A fairly inexpensive (should be under $100) and easy
> fix.
>
>   And if that's it, do it soon, so you don't break teeth off the ring
> gear - that's a BIG job to change that just took a jump toward four
> figures, you have to remove the transmission.  On automatics it's
> sometimes welded to the torque converter, and they are not cheap to
> replace.  And flywheels aren't a whole lot less.
>
>   On the older Ford starters they use a swinging pole-shoe to push out
> the Bendix, the cover for it looks like a pie wedge on the side of the
> starter case.  Not sure when they stopped that.
>
>     --<< Bruce >>--

When it beeps, it doesn't come from the motor, it is from inside the
car and all the lights inside on the dashboard become very dim. The
beep is usually the beep it makes if the door is open while the car is
running. That sound is what usually sounds like its dieing when I try
starting it. The motor won't do anything at that point when it makes
that sound.
 >> Stay informed about: Starting issues