[berke]

i'am 15 and my mom bought me a 1976 mustang cobra II. its got a new 302 v8 in it and everything.. it was working good till one day i tryed to start it and all i hear is a grinding sound.. the fan in the front wont even spin. my friend he sad its might be the the starter.. so it there a way to fix the starter are do i need to buy a new one?

 

[albion]

It's easier to just buy a new one. The type that your car needs is not that expensive and because of how old it is the price of the starter is cheap. Other than that you would have to take out the starter and rebuild it. That is a little too complicated for the inexperience.

 

[imported_cleve]

most auto part stores have starter re-build kits ,or you could just buy a remanufactured starter

 

[imported_art]

I would suggest spending the $50 at a shop to have them hook your car up to a computer. They will be able to diagnose the problem for you so that you don't waste money on guesswork. Sometimes you can actually get this done for cheaper or free. Call around to some of the shops in your area to see what you can find out. If you end up needing parts you may have a bit of trouble finding them with it being an older car. You can always find parts online and usually you can get them cheaper than an auto parts store. Good Luck and remember that you have a great car and it needs you to keep it that way.

 

[jack]

This could be caused by a low battery or dirty terminals. First try charging or jumping the battery. Don't throw parts at a problem, diagnose first. There are a number of possible issues. Invest in a Cymer or Haynes manual & learn how to use it.
The starter needs a lot of amperage to crank, dash lights & fuel pump do not, so a weak battery or dragging starter can cause a no-spark/no-start.
Here is the test procedure for determining battery or alternator problem after requiring a jump start. Note, requires a voltmeter [$3.50 at Harbor Freight]
1] Check battery voltage on non-start vehicle. Will probably be under 12V. Verify good clean connections, look for cracked corroded or loose terminals.
2] Jump start. Note, always have the jumper vehicle running when performing a jump start, sounds basic but I actually had a friend who argued it should not, meaning he would be jumping with less voltage & could strand both vehicles.
3] With jumper cables removed & engine running, check voltage at battery. It should be 12.8V to 13.7V. If below 12.8V the alternator or voltage regulator are suspect. If in the range, the battery is either dead, low on water. If over 14.7V the voltage regulator is not functioning properly.
4] Failing those problems, with the vehicle shut off & the doors closed, disconnect the battery ground cable, put a 12V test light between the battery negative & a known good ground. If it lights, something, like an interior or glovebox lamp, is staying on. Remove fuses 1 at a time to find the problem circuit.
If you're certain that the battery has enough voltage & amperage [just reading 12V doesn't mean it will crank an engine] but it still does not turn over, then pull & test the starter.
If you get the chance, take some automotive repair courses, they'll save you a lot of money.

Take your time, be methodical & good luck!
I was an ASE certified Technician & GNB Battery, customer service rep.

 

[fearghall]

yeah its definately the starter if the "fan dont spin". spray some wd40 on it

 

[ann15]

remove the starter (usually 3 bolts) and take it into any parts store, they will test it and if it is bad, they will order a new one. put it back in and fire it up!