my 79' spit has been acting up lately....i first thought my generator must
be going
out, as occasionally the car would act as if there was a low or dead
battery. a re-charge
for aprox 10min seemed to fix the problem and the car started right up
(although i did not
get the expected glowing red light indicating charging going on). this has
now happened
5 times or so in the last 12 mos. i had the generator checked and rebuilt,
so i don't think
that is the problem. the starter "hot" lead post seems to be weak. you can
move it side to side
a little. the battery has not been changed for 2-3 years.
so, today i go to start in the am, engine turns but does not catch w/in the
first 3-6 sec of turning
over...battery seems to have little juice...i re-charge for 10min and she
starts right up. no red
charging light. i drive for aprox 45min w/no problems. i then park for
about 5min and try to re-start
...low power, not enough to start. i wait and try a few times...finally it
turns enough to catch and
we drive home....no red light, no problems. the only other interesting
thing i noticed is the
heat build-up seemed to be extreme while trying to start. at one point, i
notices smoke seeping out through the
vents on the hood, and quickly popped the bonnet and felt the starter,
generator and wires. the
terminals at the solenoid (sp) and the terminal at the starter (black wire,
somewhat loose) were
too hot to touch....so, long story...short question.....what should i
replace first. the battery or
starter???
thanx for any and all advice....richard/colorado.....
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