My 1989 firebird ran great yesterday. Today I go to my car and start playing with a remote starter I bought a few weeks ago and I install it the way it says to. I go to start the car with the remote a few times and nothing catches. It makes a whirring noise but the engine doesn't start trying to catch really. I tried jumping my car but no luck. This problem occured before when it was cold but it would catch after 2 or 3 times. I also had a whole tune up 2 weeks ago. New plugs and all sorts of stuff. A trip to the mechanic is probably inevitable, but maybe I can atleast figuere out what is wrong. Any ideas?

 

sounds like a bad starter!

 

I'm no wiz at remote starts but i would say always check the battery cables. Maybe they're a little loose. If they have crud and white deposits around 'em pour some cola on em and it'll clean them off.

 

oh yeah to amke sure its the starter get under your car and locate the starter and there should be a things that spins on the starter if that doesnt spin it means you starter is bad hit with a wrench and try to break it lose when it happens!

 

I disconnected the keyless entry and remote starter unit and teh car still doesn't start. I think it could be the starter then. I find it wierd that it just broke over night and was fine before (except when it is cold). Its been working great for a while. Where are the starters on the firebird? I don't really know what to look for and my brother is at work so he can't help me yet.

 

wheres the "whirring" noise coming from? did you check the battery? does everything inside the car work (lights, radio, etc)?

 

I am starting to worry that it may be something serious. It just broke overnight (or maybe becuase of that damn remote starter kit, but I can't imagine why). So where can I get the cheapest starter? This sucks I can't even get my car to the shop without it being towed.

 

Everything works like it should and the keyless entry is working. The whirring noise is the fuel pump I was told. My battery is above 12 volts and we tried jumping my car to make sure. All I did was try to start the car twice with the keyless entry, I realized it wasn't working so I was going to take my car around the block and it wouldn't start. Could I have fried something? The unit is wired in correctly and I have pressed teh button in the past and it didn't cause any problems.

 

My Camaro does the same thing. The starter spins but the gear won't engage the flywheel (whiring noise) I replaced the starter with a used one from an my old 86 and it worked fine for couple weeks now its doing it again so either i got two broken starters poorly shimed starter or im missing some teeth of the flywheel, you probably have one of these also.

 

By the way a remanufactured starter with a lifetime warenty from autozone is something like $20 and easy to replace with a 15 mm deep socket and an 8 mm socket if I remember corectly

 

Thanks so much Landry. How much will a flywheel run me? I just got the repair guide from the library that covers EVERYTHING. Also, I went to AAP and they said $45 for a starter.

 

It was the starter. Works great now, thanks guys.