Alrighty folks- yesterday as I was driving in the rain, the car started to lose power kinda like it was low on gas. I stopped and filled up, and the problem went away. Today I came out to start the car and it went to turn over once, then stopped and made a creaking sound, kinda like the sound a wooden chair makes when you sit in it. The sound continues until I stop turning the key to start the engine. Oil level is fine and I didn't have any smoke or anything from under the hood. Any thoughts?
One thought, do you have the flywheel cover installed? Without it the flywheel teeth and the starter teeth will rust after a drive in the rain.
thats a tough one at first I thought you might have gotten water in your carb but that wouldnt make the squeaking noise. the oil color is still black or brown right? not white like milk? I dont see you having a blown head gasket just trying to eliminate one thing at a time. does the engine turn over? do you get gas coming from your carb when you turn the car over? you might have lost a timing chain. that could explain the sqeaking noise and the loss of power if the chain is plain wore out and stretched enough to slip. it may have broke once it slipped take out your #1 plug and try to set the piston like youre going to set the timing then put it back together and see if it will start good luck
Not sure actually...what's it look like? (yes, I know I seem to be the idiot. And I will concede that I have very little knowledge of cars, but I'm trying to learn!)
the fly wheel cover would be right at the back of the motor on the bottom it would line up with the starter but right in the middle of the back of the motor if you can crawl under there and not see a big round thing with teeth coming off of it chances are you have a cover
I tend to agree, a chattering starter relay(which I assume is the creaking), is caused by lack of voltage to relay, usually due to bad battery, cables or maybe a problem inside the starter... Since you went through water, starter may be the problem... I wouldn't worry about rusted flywheel/flexplate, no chance in this world it would rust enough overnight to cause a issue... I've installed rather rusty flexplates(outside for months) and used them without issue for years...
I should have read the OP's post better! Like you say the " creaking " could be battery cable connections, or any bad connection in the starter circuit. I remember the " machine gun " sound that a solenoid can make, so I think you're on the right track. Not trying to argue, but down here you really should have a flywheel cover! One good dunk and your starter usually won't work the next day!
Alrighty- I posted earlier but apparently it didn't go through. It turns out the battery was marginally dead. Jumped it, and it ran fine for a few miles, then started shuttering like it was out of gas, then died again. Alternator light never came on, but when I called triple a out to check it, they said the alternator wasn't working. Now I'm trying to replace the alternator- inline 6, the 250z I'm following the power cable from the distribution block that's right behind the battery, and it's going down to the back of the engine (near the firewall) to what <looks> like an alternator, but there are no pulleys for it to connect to? I must beissing something. Any help is obviously appreciated. I would post pictures but my computer is acting up.
