Anyone know anything about fixing cars?

I have this problem with this Chevy S10 that i'm borrowing (ugh)

First, one day the truck wouldn't turn over at all. It would just rapidly click. I got a jump and everything started, was able to drive it for another week. But whenever I would try to start the truck it would have a little bit of a hard time starting... it would rev slowly and then finally kick over.

Well, I was driving on the highway and suddenly the truck died. I was able to coast it into a parking lot. I was unable to jump it so I thought maybe it was a bad battery. I changed out the battery and the engine sounds a lot better when it tries to turn over, but it's simply not turning over... just revs over and over again. I don't think it's the starter or the alternator... not sure what it is though... it really soundsl like it wants to start but it never turns over.

Any ideas?

Tried changing the spark plugs?

What year?
Carborated or fuel injected?
A little more info would be good.

Sounds like the altinator is on the way out or there is a high resistance ground somewhere draining the battery. Or possibly a mirade of other problems.

Checking a few of the plugs doesn't sound bad either.

Yep, (as above) you are loosing spark somewhere. The fact that the engine turns over would eliminate the spark plugs...in the short run, but not entirely.

I would suspect the alternator because you lost all power while driving...but don't cancel out a short.

As far as the comment on fuel injected...you could check the filter. Check the book first or for some on-line info. I had a Subaru that had 2 fuel filters and the second one was behind a wheel well. Tricky bastards, but I found it before needing to take it to the shop.

Be aware that most of us are guessing because we have no way of telling the type of maintenance your buddy has done on the truck...whether scheduled or unscheduled...or if he did any at all.

Thanks for the replies.

Went back to the truck, and cleaned the hell out of the battery terminals. Put a gallon of gas in (the gas was low, but wasn't out... as it appeared), put some coolant in and it starts like a champ now.

My wife thinks it was the coolant, I think it was either the battery terminals our the gas gauge was a little off. I don't think it was coolant because even if you have no coolant I would think it would start, just overheat over time. At any rate, the truck starts and i'm happy. I started/stopped it numerous times and it starts up like a champ right away everytime.

Thanks again

MrEcted1 said:

Thanks for the replies.


My wife thinks it was the coolant,
Thanks again

Click to expand...

my vote goes for the coolant as well. lol

LOL

Yes the coolant will give you problems every time.

Yah! That Red coolant just isn't American. Unless, you're a bushie boy.

Hurry up and get it back to your buddy before it dies again.

Remember - you NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK. Wotked like a champ the whole time you were driving it. What do you mean, now it won't start?

My vote is the battery cables. I've had similar problems back when I had an MG, and it turned out to be a loose battery cable. I took the cables loose, cleaned the terminals, cleaned the clamps real well, and hooked it back up. The car ran fine. (well, about as fine as an MG can run anyways.) I also once had a car that had similar symptoms, and it turned out that the battery cable was defective. The wire and the clamp weren't making good contact all the time.

Although it could be the Blinker fluid, or maybe the Steering clutch. Oh, and I forgot about the muffler bearings.

MrEcted1 said:

Thanks for the replies.

Went back to the truck, and cleaned the hell out of the battery terminals. Put a gallon of gas in (the gas was low, but wasn't out... as it appeared), put some coolant in and it starts like a champ now.

My wife thinks it was the coolant, I think it was either the battery terminals our the gas gauge was a little off. I don't think it was coolant because even if you have no coolant I would think it would start, just overheat over time. At any rate, the truck starts and i'm happy. I started/stopped it numerous times and it starts up like a champ right away everytime.

Thanks again

Click to expand...

I've had this problem fairly often, a little bit of corrosion goes a long way towards screwing things up.