I hope you guys can help me, it's becoming really annoying and it's too cold outside to get stranded one of these times....

I have a 5spd '97 SE with 100,000 miles on it....

My car stoped starting well when it's been off too long in the cold. Like over 8 hours in temps below 35. When its warmer outside or it hasn't been off for too long, there is no problems at all (starts from half the turn).

When the key is turned I hear the starter wind up, but it seems not to catch the crankshaft (or whatever needs to turn to crank the engine over). It seems like it gets closer and closer with each successive attempt. After about 5-10 attempts it starts up, and after that there is no problems (unless I stall it right away). Two days ago my CEL went on during one of these start ups.

One more thing, I noticed that if I have a key in ON position for a minute or so before starting the car, the start up is not as painfull

Could this be connected to clutch in any way? I noticed a month ago while lounching from the stop light that in the first gear passed 400 RPMs the clutch slips pretty badly, but it doesn't happen all the time.

Thanks in advance for the help...

 

If you can hear it free spinning you probably have a bad starter. The teeth on the starter are not engaging the flywheel.

 

You can take it apart and regrease it for about 10 bucks. See www.motorvate.ca for instructions.

Usually the starter fails to disenguage, but I'm sure the reverse as in your case can happen as well.

 

but if it is a bad starter, would the outside temperature make a difference? If it's 40 or above, you can't tell that there is anything wrong

 

Most likely your problem is the starter....Your starter usually wheres out anywhere between 80- 100 thousand miles......so try replacing your starter before you go crazy looking for other possible problems........Replacing your starter will cost you between 280-350$

 

njmaxseltd is leading you down the right track. When the starter first begins to turn it kicks a small gear out that engages with the flywheel but in temps as cold as that the grease will be almost solid, more like glue, which will prevent the gear from engaging all the way with the flywheel. That is why you only have this problem when it is really cold (I'm in Florida so anything under about 50* is f-ing cold). The starter isn't too difficult to get to so if this problem really bothers you take it out and either re-grease the whole thing or put a little (several drops) oil on the shaft and work it into the grease to thin it out just a little.

 

I'll try to regrease my starter over this weekend...........

Thanks a lot for your help guys

 

oh yeah, and another thing.....I went to AutoZone yesterday to check on the code, and they didn't find any.......their reader showed none.
Should I just reset the ECU manualy?

 

the grease in the starter dries out over time and makes the components in the starter "stick"...colder temps make the grease even thicker.....outside temps getting below 40 bringing out your problem are pretty solid indication that the starter need some TLC.

i just did a replacement of my starter...lifetime warranty starter at Autozone was $140