94 Pathfinder does not start

[Guest neius]

My 94 pathfinder does not start. When I turn the key, my pathfinder only makes one click sound, (the sound is located near the driver's side fuse box), then nothing. Last week it did the same thing, but then I tried once more and presto, the truck started. I didnt think much about the problem until now. Also, on my last start of the truck, the starter sounded like my battery was low. Currently, I have tried to jump start the truck, change the batt, but with no avail. Can you help me?

[fordsho90]

5 speed or auto?......kinda sounds like starter

[94extreme]

starter going, going, going.. use BFH on it. that may help for now but you'll need a new one.

[SC88Pathy]

Definatly the starter. Give it a good whack with a hammer and you'll get a couple more starts out of it, but it needs to be replaced pronto.

[Guest neius]

Thanks 4 all of your help. My truck is an auto. I'm thinking starter as well. Thanks!

[kruddy]

let us know whats up.

[ILoveMyPatty]

You can hit starters with a hammer and they'll work a little longer!?

Whaaat, that's a nifty trick I tell ya.

[88pathoffroad]

If the brushes are shot, then a good knock will often free them up a little and make the starter work for a little longer. Like, maybe three or four more starts.

[Lucky92]

And the old "whack it with a hammer" trick works wonders on any vehicle, from a Geo Metro to a Peterbuilt tractor. It's just that the solinoid (sp?) is shot. You NORMALLY have to have someone crank on the key while you bang away. At least that is what I remember from an old Impala I had.

[RedPath88]

A bit late, but... does your power level also start to drop (or drop out completely) after the click or after a couple more tries?

 

Check all battery connections, from the terminal to post to the connections at the starter and the grounds.

Take the terminals off and clean the inside of them and the battery posts. If you have aftermarket terminals that clamo on to the cables then take the cable out, clean it and the terminal and reinstall them. Might even cut the end of the cable off. strip back the insulation a bit more and reinstall the terminals. That way you have some fresh metal to make the contacts with

 

Starter and grounds, remove them and cleanup the contacts... scrap them if need be to expose shiny metal.

 

I have had this happen on a number of vehicles in the past... sometimes its just a matter of cleaning electrical connections and not replacing major parts

[Precise1]

Ditto to Red. I wouldn't consider touching the starter before checking all the connections... Have you tested the battery ?

 

B

[Vsicks Pathy]

As the last two posts suggested.

 

Nine times out of ten it is the solinoid that sticks, not the starter. Give that a bash and you may get years more out of it. It happend to one of my other cars once.