Starter or Alternator?

[jdm213]

when I try to turn my car on it makes a crank noise and then followed by that, it makes like clicking sounds, like if you put a card on a bicycle wheel lol?
i havent turned it on for 2 days :faint:

[devnull]

Sounds like a low battery. Have your battery charged and checked. Autozone does it for free.

[GSXRJJordan]

Could be both, but that's the starter you're hearing. Charge the batt, then have the starter checked.

[ryguy]

Try to jump it. If it starts, it's the battery or alternator.

If you jump it and it still does not start, smack the starter hard with something hard.

If it starts, it's your starter.


Disregard the thing I said about removing the battery, the guys below me are right.

[devnull]

Only do that last thing at your own risk...pulling the battery terminal off with the engine running can fry the ECU.

[slim_240]

devnull is right. if the car does start, just check the voltage the alternator is putting out by probing the thick white wire coming from the alternator and see if it's putting out 14.5v

[jdm213]

well it may be the battery becuase my friend did something he put it in neutral and the car moved then it just turned on think its a trick, anyway its probably my start, is the start easy to take off so i can test it if its good? I wanna learn :hide:

[iROYAL]

The starter is held on by 2 bolts underneath the intake manifold.

[jdm213]

Okay Im gonna take my battery to autozone right now, but if my battery is good, it has to be starter or alternator. My question is how can it be the alternator ? what are some clues

[Mangudai]

Flickering/dimming lights is what I experienced when I had a bad alt. It wasn't charging the battery so and eventually died but did that right before. I say go somewhere that can both check your battery as well as the amount of voltage coming from the alternator.

[ryguy]

well it may be the battery becuase my friend did something he put it in neutral and the car moved then it just turned on think its a trick, anyway its probably my start, is the start easy to take off so i can test it if its good? I wanna learn :hide:

I think you mean he started it with the clutch, right? If it started from that. its probably the starter.

Did you do what I said and bang on the starter with a wrench?

[jdm213]

well today i took it to autozone and my battery suks so ima charge it if my car starts normally then ima get a new one but ifi its the same thing im getting a new starter hope this works guyz. i know many people have this issue and dont know where to begin so thank you guyz :)

[jdm213]

Thank you guys I found out it was the battery and the old battery was not even for my car and it was crappy. Thanks again, case closed!:bigok: