Car won't start??

[Hypertek99]

Ok my car won't start and i tried searching with no answers. 2 nights ago i went into Wal-mart for like 5 mins to buy some stuff and when i can out my car won't start. I turn the key and it does nothing. Won't even crank. I have power and all lights and stuff work. I thought the battery terminal wasn't getting good connection cuz it was loose tightened it down really good and still nothing. Waited there for like an hour for my friends and we decided to push start it still nothing. So we pulled out the jumper cables and it fired right up so i thought maybe the alternator is going out?

The next day it starts up fine and drove it to work after work i drove to my friends house. As i was getting ready to leave it does the same thing again. Tried to jump start it and nothing this time. Push start nothing???? What can be the problem??? How do you do the tapping on the starter to start the car??? Do i just take a screwdriver and tap the positive on the starter???

[Hypertek99]

Oh yeah the car is a 89 Fastback. It has the stock KA24E in it.

[Nizzan4u2nv]

More then likely alternator, starter, or possibly bad ground.

[NIK90s13]

Get a volt meter, see if you have at least 12v's at the batt. Do what it takes to get it to start, borrow a batt, jump, what ever, check voltage at the batt, it should be at 13v's+ with the car running, same should be read at the alt. Post from there.

[OdessaS13]

starter, the solenoid is probably not engaging 100% off the time, meaning its almost done. or maybe the brushes are worn, either way i place bets on the strater beng faulty

[downshift_sideways]

try just tapping the starter with something to get the spring rung.
I used to have somewhat the same problem.

Have you tried to manually push the clutch button and crank the caR?

get a meter and test the life of all of your power supplies. starter, alt, batt when the car cannot start, then check while the car has started. see if the battery is charging the alt, check all ground wires, sometimes when they are not properly set it creates a short circut which doesnt power like it should.

[Yoshi]

starter, the solenoid is probably not engaging 100% off the time, meaning its almost done. or maybe the brushes are worn, either way i place bets on the strater beng faulty

I agree with Odessa mostly.
DO NOT touch a screwdriver to the contacts on the starter! OMG! the "smack the starter" trick is used to loosen binding armatures/brushes. You wanna take something blunt and non-conductive (I used the rubber coated end of my crappy jack-handle) and give the outter assembly (motor's case) a good solid poke.... it has to be hard enough to jarr the armature free, BUT soft enough not to damage the magnets surrounding the armature (should you crack a magnet, or dent the casing, you've gone too far and definitely need a new starter).

ADDITIONALLY...
my 1st S13 did exactly what you mentioned, it took several mechanics to fix (I didn't know anything about hte car at the time, i'd had it for 3 days), turned out to be the distributor having intermittent failures. The result of which is exactly as you described.

Sooo...
Check you battery's power (under load of course), if that's good, then you're battery and alternator aren't the issue, so check the starter next. If that checks out, try the distributor... still stumped? see what codes your ECU is throwing.

Best of luck man.

[Hypertek99]

Ok tried starting it again and nothing. Took the end of a screwdriver (rubber end) and banged on the starter and what do you know it starts up now. Thanks you guys guess i get a new starter tomorrow.

[downshift_sideways]

Yea, seems like your gonna be needing one. I had the same problem. I replaced mine no sweat. Kinda hard to get your hands through there, but it shouldnt be SOO hard.

Glad you found the problem man.
stay up, and stay sidewayz