mora2818 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Hi all, I am up in a mountain town and I think my starter just died. I have read and been told that sometimes you can bang on the starter and it will do something then work just fine. Where is the starter located on a 97 automatic? And any truth to the bang on the starter fix? I am really hoping to avoid a tow and mechanics bill. -Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverPath Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 There is truth to taking a hammer/wrench to the starter, sometimes it sticks and a simple tap or several taps will get it going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mora2818 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 There is truth to taking a hammer/wrench to the starter, sometimes it sticks and a simple tap or several taps will get it going. And the location of this starter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverPath Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) I honestly could not tell you with 100% on the automatic as I have a 5 speed. Mine is on the passenger side rear of the engine toward the bottom. its a long(ish) cylnder attached to the tranny on the rear of the engine, it engages the flexplate to turn the engine over. Edited January 23, 2011 by SilverPath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfounder Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Always in the same place. Right side, facing backward toward the flywheel. The idea is to hit the solenoid to free it. I've never heard of hitting the starter itself accomplishing anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skulptr Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) hitting both may or may not do anything, as both can possibly stick. i personally have had no luck with the hit and make it work theory. crawl underneath, and you'll find this attached to the bellhousing where the engine and transmission meet. the gold piece is the selenoid. Edited January 23, 2011 by skulptr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mora2818 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 Many thanks to all!!!! It worked. Drove to where the pfinder wouldn't start this morning, tried again and nothing. Crawled underneath and found the starter and solenoid. Banged on it a couple times with a hammer, then tried to start it and wouldn't you know it, it fired right up. I really appreciate the help. This saved me a huge towing bill, a mechanics bill, and about 4-6 hours of additional commuting time as I would have had to driven back home and possible driven up to the mountain town a couple times just to get it repaired. We made it home fine and now I can simply just replace the starter this upcoming weekend. It is a good day thanks to NPORA!!!! -Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Sometimes it helps if you have someone turn the key to the crank position than while holding it there tap the starter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagndrag Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 on one of my old hardbodies i had to have someone hit the starter on many occasions to get it started Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfounder Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Many thanks to all!!!! It worked. It is a good day thanks to NPORA!!!! Glad to hear it worked out for you. I'm also glad to hear that it wasn't vandalized while you were gone. Happens pretty often when vehicles are abandoned like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mora2818 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Glad to hear it worked out for you. I'm also glad to hear that it wasn't vandalized while you were gone. Happens pretty often when vehicles are abandoned like that. Vandalization where I come from doesn't happen too often. You can pretty much leave your doors unlocked to your car and house and chances are nothing will happen. Plus it was in front of a business so I don't think anyone would have thought anything of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mora2818 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 So when my starter is failing like this and all it takes is a couple taps on the solenoid or starter to get it going, what part do I need to replace? Just the solenoid or the whole unit? -Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernpathy Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Either buy a new complete starter, get a rebuilt unit or at the very least a good pull-off unit. Not worth trying to repair the starter yourself unless you are really hard up on money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 one other thing, my starter sometime would just click, and I did the starter mod I learned here using a relay to run power direct to the solenoid and mine has started on the first try ever since. Was yours clicking at all or doing nothing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mora2818 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 one other thing, my starter sometime would just click, and I did the starter mod I learned here using a relay to run power direct to the solenoid and mine has started on the first try ever since. Was yours clicking at all or doing nothing? It was doing nothing at all, like the unit wasn't receiving power. Since tapping on it, I have started and stopped about 6 different times with no issues. -Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HFXpathfinders Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) That's a common way for a starter to begin failing. There may be one dead spot on the armature and if it stops on that spot again, you'll have to hit the starter again to get it going. A failing solenoid will react the same way. Have it replaced or rebuilt sooner rather than later. Next time you could be further from home or in a spot where you would not want to leave the vehicle overnight! I believe I paid about $60 to have my starter rebuilt at a local shop and with a 1 year warranty. A new rebuilt starter from NAPA was almost $250. Edited January 24, 2011 by HFXpathfinders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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