1996 850 Turbo automatic - Won't start.

[abscate]

Still something wrong in the battery cable solenoid starter loop. I doubt the incline is the cause

[bugs11]

Auto store counter person said to bring it in if I got it started and they could run some diagnostics on the alternator. It was just really weird how it would gasp every few seconds when trying to start it, but jostling the car a bit got it to turn over and eventually got it started. One other thing, which probably doesn't have any bearing, but I'll mention it anyway - the car sat in the garage for a week. We were out of town the previous week.

I also checked the connections to the starter and they looked good, new and shiny and tight.

[abscate]

It could have been a strange version of 'lawn mower syndrome' (googleable) which you never believe happens until you experience it.

[bugs11]

Happened again. Car sat in garage since Tuesday evening. Started fine last night, so I drove to a gas station. I needed gas for the small engines around the house. I filled a 1 gallon gas can for the weed whacker and blower, then filled a 2 gallon gas can for the lawn mower, then filled the Volvo (BP Premium). Got in, and... same behavior as before - engine makes a 1/2 a turn then nothing. I try starting it for few minutes, then called a friend who lives nearby. He comes with a long pry bar. We try lightly tapping the starter, no effect. We jump the starter motor, starter spins fine. Still won't start, 1/2 a turn, nothing, 1/2 a turn nothing... We push it into a parking space in front of the travel mart and go consult with some friends who have a weekly gathering every Thursday (Thirsty Thursday). Consensus among the group is either the starter solenoid is bad/going bad or the ground on the motor is bad. After a couple hours I get a ride back to the car and it started right up. After I parked it at home, I shut it off and let it sit a minute or two, then tried starting it and it started right up each time.

[Sommerfeldt]

So basically what abscate already said.

- S

[bugs11]

Finally had some time to try and diagnose what's going on. Did a voltage drop test. Positive cable to starter has a .14 voltage drop, negative side has a .34 voltage drop. The values just flash on the DVOM as the car cranks once then nothing for 1-2 seconds, crank then nothing for 1-2 seconds, repeat. I was able to use the ignition bypass connection under the hood to try and start the car - pretty handy feature. Still don't understand why the power to the starter is there then cuts out. I hooked a single jumper cable to the solenoid output terminal and the other end to the negative battery post; the car cranked over and started. The jumper cable got a little warm as it took some cranking to get the car started, it was flooded from all the partial cranking. Took the car for a 20 minute drive, runs and drives great, now if would just start reliably.

[abscate]

This is classic bad cables or connections. You can't get good voltage readings with a cheap DVM, but if you remove the cables at the battery end (both of them) you can measure resistance.

[bugs11]

Been meaning to post the fix to this thread, but as the Steve Miller lyric goes "Time keeps on slippin', slippin'. Into the future.".

The problem was with the positive battery cable, where cable connects to the battery post terminal . The clamp that holds the cable to the battery post clamp was a little rusted on top, so I pulled it all apart and underside of the clamp was completely rusted and the rust had worked into the positive battery cable end. After some serious wire brushing and emery cloth sanding the surfaces were shiny again. Reassemble and she started right up. Another lesson learned.