1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
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My 1994 quit on me today© I turned the key, and ©©© nothing© Not a motion, not even a sound© There were practically no warning symptoms© Just a day before, at lunch time, when I turned the key, there was a 1-2 second hesitation, as if the engine had some difficulty turning© Then, that day in the evening, it started promptly as if nothing happened, and the next morning -- no problems again© Then at lunch -- dead©
The lights were on, and all the electronics functioned properly, including the amplifier, which is a big hog© So, I ruled the battery out©
Having read the posts, I went for the spark plugs© I replaced them© The old ones were in very good shape -- slight white haze, but no black and no brown© What was strange about them, they were all gapped at 0©035", whereas for this car ¥1994, non-turbo¤, the specification is 0©024"© I suspect the mechanics did not gap the sparks last time they replaced them -- they just stuck them there the way they were© Or could the gap have widened so far on its own?
New plugs made no difference©
I tried jump starting from another car -- still no luck© The battery from another car ¥with that car running¤ did not make even the slightest difference© The engine would even not attempt to turn itself over© There were not any 'clicks' that I could hear© Not even one©
Finally, I gave up, and was already arranging for towing© But since I had a few hours now, I decided to install a new battery anyway©
Turns out, that was the key© The new battery fixed everything© Now the car starts instanteneously©
This is somewhat surprising, as the former battery seemed OK©
What keeps puzzling me is why the battery from my second saab is perfectly capable of starting up that car, but not mine? Has my engine became too difficult to turn? It the starter motor stuck? Could it be fixed by lubricating something somewhere?
I have had battery depleted before -- they symptoms where quite different -- the engine would 'click-click-click', the lights would go dimmer and dimmer, and it was quite obvious that the car was laboring at startup© The symptoms would have also accrued progressively, over the course of weeks©
Anyway, I thought it might be helpful for people to know to try a new battery first at any kind of start-up problems© It might also be helpful to be *extra* cautious when any kind of hesitation occurs when you turn the key© Even if only once© ¥But I guess, if you bring the car to a dealer, and say: "My car hesitated for 2 second when I tried to start it up yesterday", they will just laugh at you, or suggest $500 worth of replacements, or both©¤
Anyway, I am up and running again, and am quite happy the whole problem resolved itself so easily©
-- Nick
posted by 68.9.103...
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