My issue has a bit of a backstory to it, so here goes:

I bought a 1994 3.4L V6 automatic off of a guy about a month ago because I needed something cheap and immediately. I got it for $600, so I'm not out a lot of money. For what it's worth, it's about to roll 200k miles.

I had been driving it almost everyday since then without much issue, with the exception of some sluggish starting, which I had attributed to the battery. Since half the parts on the car seem to have come from Autozone, I took it over there and had them hook their machine up to check the battery and alternator. According to their machine, the battery checked out like a brand new one and the alternator was solid. Since it's my only transportation, I kept driving it. I lived in San Antonio at the time and had to drive to Austin several times since then (two hours one way, nonstop), and had no issue aside from the sluggish starting. That is, until the 22nd of this month.

One night when I was coming back home from Austin, I stopped off at a fast food joint to grab a burger, and when I came back out to start the car, it wouldn't turn over. I'd turn the key and get a single click, nothing else. Still under the assumption it was the battery, I called a friend to give me a jump, and it fired right up after getting a solid connection. I took it on home and paid it no further mind.

The next morning I had to drive back to Austin for some paperwork to get moved here, so I took it over to Autozone again and had them check things out yet again. As before, no issues showed up. They refused my request to swap the battery out, even though it's still on warranty. I drove it back to Austin again, and all around Austin that day. Returning that afternoon, I was finalizing my errands to get moved, got my moving truck and trailer and everything. I shut the car off again, and it hasn't started since. I tried getting another jump, thinking the same remedy as before would get it running, and nothing. I went ahead and trailered the car and brought it with me.

I have the car here with me in Austin, but cannot get it to crank whatsoever. When I removed the car from the trailer, I tried starting it but there was an audible 'pop' with a puff of white smoke with an odor that smelled like wire insulation burning. Right now, when I turn the key to the 'on' position, I hear the fuel pump kick on and everything, but when I go to crank it, I get a single click and nothing else. Looking at the gauges, I see a very significant power drain where the volt needle will go to almost 0 and all the lights flicker.

Thus far, I'm convinced this is not as simple as a battery or alternator issue, but my knowledge of cars isn't that great. I talked to a mechanic over the phone and his advice was that it would either be the battery, alternator or starter.

Essentially, I want to try to figure out the issue before I have to pay for a flatbed to get it hauled to a mechanic. I know the old car has a lot of issues just by basic observation (it wasn't properly cared for in the years past) but I want to see if this is something I can remedy on my own.

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

From past experience, I would agree with replacing your starter. Mine died this past Spring, and my Camaro is also nearing the 200,000 mile mark. With mine, one day everything was fine, then it just wouldn't start the next time. It'd only click as if the starter received power, but the solenoid wouldn't kick.

 

I was afraid that might be the issue. I'm more of a computer guy and not so much of a car guy, but my gut said the starter was starting to fail.

 

It's not too bad to replace. It was tight in only one spot, and the starter is fairly light to handle.

 

I'm sure I could replace the starter if I had a way to get the car off the ground. Unfortunately, I don't have a jack or blocks, or even a replacement starter. Since I live in an apartment complex, it'll likely have to be hauled to a shop somewhere when I get the cash to get it fixed.

 

The starter is in a very tuff spot you may need to drop the headers your best bet is to go to R&S ''strause" and have them do it cost about 250 with labor and parts

 

bought 93 3.4 camaro about a month ago and totally ran fine Mine done the same thing to me and hasnt started since,mine started when i took my car to a welding shop to have them weld top half of my door skin back together because it was seperating at the top where the key goes in to unlock the door,he grinded the part to weld and disconnected my positive cable to not short out my car he said while he was welding on it when he hooked his ground cable from his welder to my door panel and tried to weld it he couldnt get his welder to work on it and said Ohhhh i cant weld this it is fiberglass door skin,he then connects my positive cable back up and glues my door panel together and i have to wait there for about 45 minutes for the glue to set,well when i try to start my car it had to crank over several times and finially started and ran crappy for a minute and then smoothed out but when i pulled away i noticed my battery charging gauge bouncing around from good charge to low and almost no charge then back to normal,drove it home 5 minutes away watching meter acting up regular like it was struggling to charge,car sat over night drove it to work next day still acting up figured well maybe he didnt tighten up battery cables good and i would tighten them in awhile when i got to work and the car stalled on me about a block away from work tried to start it and nothing 1 click on key turn and totally dead after that,pushed it the block to work to get jump from co-worker and tighten cables and still nothing while jumping it until i turned key to off and start 5 or 6 quick times then it started and meter still jumping,took it directly to advance auto while running to get quick system check on the battery and alternator to see if something was wrong and when i got to auto parts car stalled before they could check it because of dealing with another customer at the moment,well wouldnt start again and he ran a battery check and it tested like new was told its my starter,well that wouldnt make my car stall out while running so towed car home that night after work and next morning went out and put the ignition into run position and climbed underneath car and tried to jump started with screwdriver and wala starter turns over but wouldnt start because of apparently not getting fuel to the injectors,havent got it to start since,i am thinking my security system has my starter and fuel injectors disabled because of maybe a bad key and key cylinder? Any help also would be greatly appreciated as ive tried all the tightening of cables and cleaning of all red junction box on passenger firewall,was told new key and cylinder would cost me about 50 dollars and then go to dealer with new key and tab it comes with numbers on it and have key cut because the key just comes blank? Do any of you think it is the key and bad cylinder shutting me out of my car starting because of security? Or do you think his welder shorted something out in my car or sent a surge int o the computer or something? Thnx Mike

 

Crusher and scassiba, welcome to the forum. That being said, its rude to post your own question in someone elses thread...please start a new thread. And you will get a lot more responses if you make your posting easier to read. Just FYI.

You may be able to get a jack and stands from an auto parts house as a (free) loaner kit. Otherwise you might not have a choice.

 

Yes, sounds like the starter. Might have to remove some exhaust to get at it...

 

i had the same problem with an old 305 b4 and it was because of the wires under the dash. One gounded out and all i could hear is the fule pump and one click so it sounds the same i would check that. and by pass your starter b4 replacing it just to see if thats whats wrong