CAMAROsc350

iTrader: (1)

It all started last week when i went to go start my car after driving around for a few hours, it clicked and did nothing, i tried again and smoke started pouring out of the passenger side wheel well and i heard some kind of pop. I looked with a flashlight and about an inch of the wire to the starter was melted away, Im pretty sure it was from the heat from the headers. I thought I blew a fusible link but all the ones at the starter were fine, so i replaced the wire(3days later) and went to go start the car, nothing happens, i let off the key and try again and she starts right up. I did this every morning for the last two days and it started the first time. I finally took my car to work today and i went to go move it a few minutes Later i got here and the same crap happened. I let off the key and tried again she started right up. This is exactly what happens when it wont start, ill turn the key and the buzzing noise you get when you put the key in the ignition will just sort of die out and i get nothing. What could be wrong with my car? PLease help guys, school starts on tuesday and i really need my car. Thanks, all help is more than appreciated this time.

ede

make sure you have power to the starter and your splices are good. might want to check the lock cylinder too, park/nutral switch, vats, starter, battery, and anything else related to the starting system, but i'd bet there is a problem related to your repair

CAMAROsc350

iTrader: (1)

ede: thanks for the quick reply,

I did the repair nice and neat and even insulated the wires afterwards so i doubt theres a problem there, I dont have vats so that narrows it down a bit. Im really confused as to why it wont start with one turn but if i let off the key and try again it will start right up. Basically i lose all power when i go to turn the key. Could it possibly be a loose, bad ground somewhere? Has anyone had a problem similar to this?

StreetRoc85 350

try the starter relay on the drivers side firewall by the booster. doesnt sound like the problem to me but hell its worth a shot. thats what kept my bird from cranking a few times...

RB83L69

Sounds to me like the negative battery cable has a bad connection where it hooks to the block.

Take a look at that, make sure that connection is clean and tight.

2.73's Suck

check the small ground wire that goes to the fender from the battery too, my car did the same thing and I reatached the wire to find out 2 hours later that the wire itself was bad, if you have a voltmeter check the continuty(sp?) to make sure it works.

CAMAROsc350

iTrader: (1)

You guys are great, thanks for all the ideas im going to check all the grounds in the car tommorow and hopefully thats it, i remember a few weeks ago my firends 85 berlinetta wouldnt start and he couldnt figure out why, The car was doing exactly what mine was doing only his wouldnt start at all. As soon as i started looking around i noticed the small wire on the battery ground worked itself loose, we reconnected it and it started right up and not a problem since. So hopefully it is a ground, and it will be an easy fix. Ill Let you guys know what happens.

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

do you have a tilt column.Was it all the way up at first.Try tilting the wheel down 2 0r 3 positions b4 you crank it over.See if that makes any difference.....

CAMAROsc350

iTrader: (1)

Well since it is raining i didnt get to check anything on the car today. When i went to go start it this morning it did nothing i let off the key and it started right up and i had no problems the rest of the day, i started it at least 4-5 times today. Hopefully tomorow ill find out whats causing this, until then it looks like im borrowing my dads truck. Ill let you guys know when i find out whats going on.

84 1LE: it was in the down position all the way, Why do you ask? What else do you think it might be?

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

There is a peice in tilt columns called an actuator rack(see pic)(imagine the pen as the rod this is how the rack & rod are positioned w/column tilted up.the black lines are where the cracks were).What happend was mine cracked at the top of the curved slot.So when i turned the key the crack would open up & the actuator rod(which runs along the steering column to the ignition switch on 1 end & rack on the other)would not slidewhen the key was turned.it wasnt till the bottom part of the actuator rack broke off that i figured out what was the problem.Because the rod fell out of the slot.Mine would only do this when the column was tilted up,but not if i moved the wheel 2 or more positions down.Because the crack was at the top of the & the rack pivots along with the wheel when tilted.When tilted down all was fine because there was no crack to open up.So the rod would slide when the key was turned & the ignition switch was activated starting the engine.Yours could be cracked at the bottom if it only does this when tilted downward.If your problem is there in no matter where you position the wheel.Then its probably O.K.All this is a little hard to explain since these parts are hidden,but inthe chiltons/GM manuals under steering.these items are illustrated.

CAMAROsc350

iTrader: (1)

Well it hasnt done it since the last time i posted, it has started up everytime, not one problem, im still gonna check around but as strangely as it started it stopped,(knock on wood). I think my car is possesed lol.

Wallace

My 1989 RS V6 does the same thing, I got a new GM starter three months ago. The dealership could not even figure out what was wrong. Thanks to the guys on the forum, I will be getting a remote starter solenoid from Jeg's and a heat shield for the starter. This is a common problem with 3rd gens. I will let you know the resuts.

CAMAROsc350

iTrader: (1)

Wallace:
Yeah definitely let me know what happens, im really interested to find out why i had that problem.

TA5LiterHO

It's the starter selenoid. The exhaust heats it up. That is if you have a v8. Usually the 350's do it more than the 305. Especially if you have the dual cat setup. My ex college roomate went through 5 starters on his formula 350. Will work till the engine runs for awhile then when you shut it off the starter wont work till it cools to a certain point. To solve this you can A) Keep replacing stock starters. B) Get a mini starter. I got one for $135. C) They make heat sheilds for stock starters that can help.