How To Push Start A Car
Push starting a car is an old favourite trick of mine. Its a method thats got me out of trouble more than once in the past when my car had a weak battery.
Sadly, this method will only work with a manual transmission car. If your car is an automatic you wont be able to put the car in gear manually to do it.
If you trying to find out how to start a car with a bad starter automatic transmission, then youll want to skip this one or focus on the methods described above.
The technique for push starting a car is as follows:
However, after youve push-started your car and driven off towards your destination, its easy to forget that youll have to do the same again when you switch it off.
More experienced push starters will be careful to park their car with a weak starter on a hill, with space to manoeuvre the car onto the road without the need for a three-point turn.
Bear in mind that this will work just as well in reverse, but either way, your car will not have power steering or power brakes while the engine is off so its worth being very careful not to lose control.
If your car is parked on a hill, you can often push start it solo by releasing the handbrake and allowing gravity to do the pushing.
The Signs Of Freewheeling
If there is a problem with the pinion gear, freewheeling is another typical sign of a bad starter. This occurs when the starter motors pinion gear improperly engages with the flywheel.
As a result, all you will hear as your starter motor spins is a whining sound. This prevents the electric motor from engaging with the flywheel of your engine, which results in your automobile not cranking at all.
Starter Or Battery Is Your Battery The Cause
More often than not, a weak battery is the reason why your car wont start. There are often telltale signs of a weak battery. The starter may begin to turn and then slow down, you will hear the starter make a droning noise if this is the case. The solenoid may engage and disengage in rapid succession. You will hear a rapid clicking sound if this happens. You may simply hear nothing but a single click when the battery is completely flat.
A quick test to see if the battery is functioning properly is to honk the horn or turn on the windshield wipers. If the horn makes a dull sound, or the wipers move slowly, the battery isnt providing the voltage required to start your car.
If your battery is the cause, youll need to use jumpers to start your car. If the battery is fine, you need to consider the starter, or the electrical connections to the starter, as being the root cause of your starting problem.
VIDEO / How To Jump Start Your Car
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Hit The Starter Gently With A Hammer
This is one of the traditional ways of dealing with car starter problems. Any conventional mechanic will advise you to hit the starter as you crank to make it work.
This advice can work since starters develop dead spots between the armature and the field coils as time passes by, by tapping the starter with a hammer, you will make the armature spin adequately to start.
This trick may not work for most cars since most modern cars have a traversal engine, unlike the previous models that had longitudinal engines.
With traversal engines, the starter is at the back of the engine this location may be unreachable even with bare hands.
If this is the case with your car, look for a ratchet extension bar or an extended prybar to tap the starter.
Ways To Start Your Car With A Bad Starter
Now that weve seen how to identify a faulty ignition system, well see how to start the car anyway. At least youll be able to get to a repair shop if you cannot fix it yourself.
These are the most popular techniques for starting your car if the ignition system just wont cooperate. They are to be used in an emergency situation, namely if you are stranded somewhere. Make sure they dont become a habit.
- Check connections.
- Push-start the car
Heres a video demonstrating some of these techniques:
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Check The Electrical Connections
The car starter plays the role of converting electricity into mechanical energy. As such, the ignition should supply it with constant electricity at any time you attempt to start the engine.
In some cases, one of the wires supplying electricity to the starter may not be attached properly or a connector might be contaminated with grease or dirt. Firstly, you want locate the starter in a car, which tends to vary from one vehicle to another.
Once youve located it, inspect all the wires and cables that are connected to it. In case any wires or cables are not attached properly , be sure to tighten them up. If you notice dirt or rust, remove these using sandpaper or a soft greased rag .
If you happen to have contact spray somewhere in the house, spray it directly on the contacts so that the connections are clean. Try starting the car and see if it will work.
Try Different Methods To Start A Car With A Bad Starter
Some people think that if a bad starter happens, theres no way to start the car other than a repair shop. But we are suggesting you try several methods before going any mechanic. Well discuss these methods thoroughly. We have listed these methods keeping in head that you are not a professional mechanic. So, all of the processes are easy, and they require less equipment.
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What Is A Starter
A starter is a small motor that turns electrical energy into mechanical energy used to crank and start your engine. Its powered by your cars battery via a starter relay.
Since internal combustion engines are feedback systems that can use the inertia of each cycle to continue running without any external assistance, the starter is only needed to kick-start the initial operation and is not in continual use when the vehicle is running.
So, without a properly working starter and starter relay, your car wont be able to back out of your driveway, let alone get you places. As its power source, your battery also needs to be in tip-top shape.
Starter Soaked With Oil
This problem isnt as noticeable as some of the others unless you take a peek under the hood. Engine oil leaks can often lead to a malfunctioning starter when contamination occurs.
If you look at the starter and find it drenched in oil, you know where the problem lies. While you might be able to clean up the starter to get the car moving, the issue wont be resolved until you stop the oil leak.
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What To Do If The Car Wont Start
If your car wont start even after attempting both the previous methods, then the problem may be with other systems of the starter. Here are some possible troubleshooting tips.
- One of the main starter problems is bad connection between the battery and the starter motor. A red wire from the batterys positive terminal goes to the starter motor . Check if this cable has good connection or not.
- All the exposed metal parts if a car act as grounding points. In fact, this is one of the main problems with starter system i.e., a bad connection between the starter motor and the grounding point. Check this connection for any rust, damage or loose wiring.
- You can dig deeper and look for teeth on the pinion gear and also the ring gear of the flywheel. Damaged or missing teeth will prevent the starter motor from engaging the gears together.
- Starter Motors solenoid can also cause problems. You can directly run the solenoid using 12V and see whether it is making clicking sounds or not.
NOTE: We recommend you not to mess with any of the cars components or electricals if you are not familiar with them. After failing to start the car by jump starting or push starting, it is better to contact a mechanic.
Signs Of A Bad Starter Relay Or Struggling Solenoid
Climb into your car. Buckle up for safety. Turn the key in the ignition and nothing. Nothing but a click. The engine wont turn over and your car wont start. Could be a dead battery. But since the dash lights and the radio and the headlamps seem to be working, maybe something else is the culprit. This could be a sign that your cars starter relay or starter solenoid has gone bad.
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Clean Corroded Battery Terminals Or Starter Motor
For Battery: It is common to find that the battery terminals are corroded, and you might need to check them if your car has trouble starting up.
You can try cleaning them with distilled water or baking soda and then see if that helps.
For Starter Motor: Corrosion on the starter motor can cause it to become a lot less efficient. Corrosion can prevent the proper flow of current, and in the end, your engine will not be able to start. A way to get rid of corrosion buildup is by rubbing it off with a mixture of water and sodium bicarbonate. This will eliminate the corroded surface layer and will clean your starter motor as well.
Tips For Replacing A Starter
When replacing a starter, its important to keep a few things in mind:
- Make sure you have the correct replacement part before starting the repair.
- Be careful not to touch any of the electrical components with your bare hands, as this can cause damage.
- Wear eye protection when working with any electrical components.
- If youre not comfortable working with electrical components, its best to leave the repair to a professional.
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Other Issues That Present A Bad Solenoid
Problems that might cause your car to act like it has a bad starter solenoid can include:
Blown fuse Sometimes the simplest explanation is the best one. A blown fuse in the starter circuit could be the cause of a no-start problem.
Broken or corroded wiring Damaged or dirty wires to the battery or to the starter solenoid can prevent sufficient power from reaching the starter.
Alternator -The alternator is designed to power all of your cars electrical systems when the vehicle is running. It also recharges the battery. If the alternator is bad, the battery may not be capable of starting the engine.
Starter Some solenoids are mounted to the starter, but some are located directly inside the starter housing. When this is the case, it may be necessary to replace the entire starter when the solenoid goes bad. Sometimes the starter itself is the problem.
Electrical issues can be annoying and inconvenient. They can also be hazardous and can cause damage. If you run into symptoms of a bad starter relay or solenoid with your car, truck, or SUV, make sure to have a trusted technician to diagnose the specific problem.
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Clean The Corrosion With Caustic Soda
Many people use an old rag to clean corrosion from the various connections. Always dispose of the rag when you are finished. Caustic soda can also be used to remove corrosion.
Consider wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands from the caustic soda while cleaning the terminals. Never short out the positive terminal with the negative terminal. This can cause catastrophic results for you and your battery.
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Clean The Corrosion Around The Cables
If you are lucky and your starter fails when you are still at home, check for corrosion on the cables. Cleaning out the corrosion should smoothen the energy transmission to your starter.
The first step is to disconnect the battery safety first! Then, you can use sandpaper to wipe off the rust. If it isnt coming off, use vinegar or water and caustic soda you will thank me for this!
Check For Corroded Connections
All the above-mentioned connections are susceptible to corrosion, and it can quite often appear more subtle to the eye.
Corrosion can be a real barrier to good electrical connection and a corroded connection can give very poor conductivity leading to all kinds of problems.
Start by checking and cleaning off the battery terminals which can also end up with acid deposits on them which also hinders conductivity.
I like to use a fine wire brush and a cloth to remove light corrosion, and a fine coating of WD-40 can ward off future rust and corrosion to boot.
Dont forget to check the connections at the other end including the earth, these are usually more susceptible to traditional rust and can require a good clean up from time to time.
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Use Jumper Leads To Start The Car
Using jumper leads is a tried and tested method of getting a car to start it is commonly used in instances where the battery has died. Connecting both your cars battery terminals to another battery can give enough power for the engine to turn over.
Connect one end of the jumper leading to your car battery and the other between another vehicles positive terminal and its battery. Once you connect the lead, you should see your cars engine turning over as soon as it receives a new power source.
You will get the best results from this method if you use a vehicle that is running to help start your dead one because it can provide more power than an old battery alone.
How Do I Check For A Blown Fuse Of My Starter
Checking the fuse is the least intrusive way to test a bad starter. Heres how you do it:
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How To Test A Starter
There are two main ways to test a starter: with a multimeter and with a test light.
With a multimeter, you can test the voltage of the starter solenoid. To do this, set the multimeter to the DC Voltage setting and attach the positive lead to the positive terminal of the battery.
Then, touch the negative lead to the starter solenoid terminal. If the voltage is less than 12 volts, the starter solenoid is defective and needs to be replaced.
With a test light, you can test the continuity of the starter circuit. To do this, connect one end of the test light to the positive terminal of the battery.
Then, touch the other end of the test light to each of the terminals on the starter solenoid. If the test light does not light up, there is a break in the circuit and the starter needs to be replaced.
How Does A Starter Work
When you turn the ignition key or use push start in many new cars, an electric solenoid is operated, sending an electric current to the starter. The starter is an electric motor used to crank the engine.
At the same time, the autos computer system is engaged and sets all of the parameters for the spark plugs to fire, gasoline to enter the combustion chamber, and the fuel pump to operate.
Many components can affect whether your auto starts or whether it is the starter motor causing the problem. The starter system can be complicated on many newer autos regardless of whether they are gas or diesel engines.
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Jump Start The Starter
This step sounds redundant since it is the starter that needs to power the engine. However, there are times when you can send a burst of power to the starter to get it working.
This step helps the starter receive the power needed to get moving. The steps to jump start a starter are different based on what type of vehicle you drive. Here are the steps with some GM starters.
Problems Of A Bad Starter
The reason we learned about the starter system before looking at how to start a car with a bad starter is that if we are familiar with all the components and working of a system, then we can identify the potential problem each component/circuit can cause and we can diagnose the issue in a step-by-step manner.
That said, a Bad Starter could mean anything from a fully discharged battery, faulty switches/relays/solenoids, blown fuse, bad motor, broken gears or bad wiring .
Here are some common problems associated with a bad starter motor:
- The Starter doesnt turn at all.
- It turns but very slowly.
- Starter Motor turns but the crankshaft doesnt turn.
- Solenoid of the starter motor makes clicking sound but it doesnt crank the engine.
These are just some possible problems with a bad starter motor. Like this, a bad starter could mean problems with other components as well.
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