Won't Turn Over

[cs-x]

Hopefully somebody can help me.. Last week I started the car to go to work and all was great.  But when I stopped at the store for some smokes and came back out to carry on my way, the car wouldn't start!!  Luckily I was only two blocks from home so I walked back and grabbed my emergency booster and voltmeter.  The battery checks out at 12.8V, which makes sense because I was getting all lights and beeps when turning the key, but the engine would not even begin to turnover.  After about 20 mins, it started up just fine.  So I went to work (LATE!) and called a starter shop to get it replaced.  They did it over my lunch break and it worked great for about 1.5 days when it left me starnded for 1.5 hours in a mall parking lot.  Same problem, lots of voltage, no turnover.  I turn the key and get beeped at by the ignition.. this is the only noise I hear.  Again it started in time, and has gotten progressively worse.  The guy at the starter shop gives me the gears and says he won't replace it again (not for free, anyway).  

Since last Thursday I have not been able to start my car without a 3 hour delay after shutting it off.  Only today after 10 hours at work, it wouldn't start at all.  I did manage to get it started with some body tapping on the starter while I turned the key.  

My question is simply this.. based on what you've read, is this a starter problem?  If so, I have a spare in the backseat waiting to go in, but not by the same jerk; the guy at work who helped me said he could put the other one in tomorrow.. assuming I can get it there

In case it matters, I have an 89 2.0 base beretta

[IsaacHayes]

Perhaps a relay that turns on the starter? did you check that?

[cs-x]

Where is that?  Or do you mean the fusible links?

[1988GTU]

Check the wires at the starter for corrosion or a break in the wire somewhere.

[GTZ&IROC-Z]

I'd definatly check all your fusible links for problems or loose or broken wires, if thats not it doesn't your key switch have something to do with how it starts, maybe a loose or broken wire in the steering column for that.

[Guest]

all this advice and no one to tell you the armature is bad in the starter? gets hot wont roll over/ let it cool off it starts. sound famillier?

[GTZ&IROC-Z]

(red92gt @ Dec. 28 2005,03:52)Q
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Eall this advice and no one to tell you the armature is bad in the starter? gets hot wont roll over/ let it cool off it starts. sound famillier?
If you read his story you can see that its happened more than once, wouldnt that ring a bell to you its not just the armature?? Its gotta be somewhere else, if its only happened once then yeah, i can see it being the starter

[Guest]

more than once you say, sounds like he lets it cool off and it work again.....Armature! p.s. if fuseable links were bad it would not work at all! STAY IN CANADA!

[GTZ&IROC-Z]

(cs-x @ Dec. 27 2005,19:56)Q
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E So I went to work (LATE!) and called a starter shop to get it replaced.  They did it over my lunch break and it worked great for about 1.5 days when it left me starnded for 1.5 hours in a mall parking lot.
He had the starter replaced and it still did the same stuff, only this time it happened a day later, wouldn't that throw you off that something else is causing a problem?? As for the fusible links, it can have corrosion then work intermittantly, you only need the startor to START the car then it just moves power around to complete the circut. Starter replaced already and still the same problem eh, hmmmm???     I RULE OUT THE ARMATURE IN THE STARTER, whats the chances of having a bad starter that does the same problem???

Does this car have remote start?? If so, maybe the module for that is interferring with it!!

[cs-x]

This does not have a remote starter.. yet.  I've been to lazy to pull it out of my cutlass and put it in this car.  I have replaced a fusible link, and it seems to start every time I need it too so far, but it's hard to trust it just yet.  

Thanks to everybody for your help.. I carry a spare starter in the trunk next to the jack stands and tools just in case

[cramez]

I highly doubt this is the starter at all.  Try testing the fuel pressure.  If the fuel pump gets weak it won't be able to start for a couple hours after running previously.  

If you turn the key to "on" when the motor is cold, you should be able to hear the fuel pump prime.

[gtuturbo]

He stated it "does not begin to turnover".  I assume that means the starter does not rotate. A bad fuel pump/relay will still allow it to crank.

Can it be a park lock problem? Have you tried to start it in neutral?

[cs-x]

I have tried to start it in nuetral.. we've done the roll test, the tapping, everything you can think of.  I took it in again today and was told that it might be the power wire going to it.  The guy wasn't sure though and said to come back if it happens again.  btw, he put in the other starter and all is good so far.

[revenger]

Ive had a battery that the voltage is fine when you measure it - no load. But when there is load - Starting it then the voltage goes down because of internal problems with the battery. Replace battery and it was good.

[GTZ&IROC-Z]

theres a good idea, try load testing the battery, maybe thats the problem