1996 Pontiac Sunfire stick shift help!?

K

Kylie

New member
I bought this car from my uncle a little over two years ago. It has been fairly good to me for being so old, but every so often it won't want to start. Over the last year or so I have put a brand new ignition switch, battery, and starter in it thinking that would help the problem, and also a used alternator from the junk yard. It had fixed the problem for 8 or 9 months, but now the problem is back. When i turn the key it clicks, but the lights and the radio come on, so that made me think it wasn't the battery (but then again I am no car expert), but eventually I can get it to start, unfortunately it can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 45 minutes to do so. I have yet to take it to the shop because I really don't have the money to do so at this time, so I was wondering if any car experts had a clue as to what could be the issue?
 
When you turn the key to START it what happens?
1) Nothing happens? (dead battery?, loose battery cables, or it's not in "park" all the way.)
2) You hear a "click", but nothing else? (loose battery cables, bad starter, bad starter solenoid, or broken engine)
3) You hear the starter turning, but the engine doesn't turn? (low battery voltage, bad starter or bad ring gear on flywheel/flex plate)
4) The starter turns the engine, but the engine won't start up? (out of gas, bad fuel pump, plugged fuel filter, broken timing belt, no spark)
5) The engine turns over, but very slowly. (weak battery, worn starter, out of engine oil)
6) the engine turns, but there's an awful banging noise? (something is broken inside the engine)

What EXACTLY happens when you turn the key to the "start" position?
 
When you turn the key to START it what happens?
1) Nothing happens? (dead battery?, loose battery cables, or it's not in "park" all the way.)
2) You hear a "click", but nothing else? (loose battery cables, bad starter, bad starter solenoid, or broken engine)
3) You hear the starter turning, but the engine doesn't turn? (low battery voltage, bad starter or bad ring gear on flywheel/flex plate)
4) The starter turns the engine, but the engine won't start up? (out of gas, bad fuel pump, plugged fuel filter, broken timing belt, no spark)
5) The engine turns over, but very slowly. (weak battery, worn starter, out of engine oil)
6) the engine turns, but there's an awful banging noise? (something is broken inside the engine)

What EXACTLY happens when you turn the key to the "start" position?
 
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