Problem starting 1998 Neon

Hi all:

I have a 1998 Plymouth Neon. Low miles- 16k, driven about
3-4 times a week for about 30 minutes a day.

The past couple days have been bitter cold- temps in the single
digits during the day. I tried starting the car this am and it wouldn't
go. Sounded like the battery didn't have enough juice. I waited a few
minutes and tried again. This time I heard an _UGLY_ stater grinding
noise & my car alarm stated acting crazy- activating while I was cranking
the engine. I left it alone until later that day when I had another car
available to jump start it. I hooked up the cables and let it charge up for
a couple minutes. When I tried to start her up all I get now is the sound
of the starter motor GRINDING. Not a pretty sound ...

Any thoughts on where the problem lies? Battery, starter, or ?
Let me add that the battery was already replaced about a year ago.

 

Get a voltmeter out and find where the voltage drop is occurring -
starting with the battery. What weight and type of oil are you using?

Also check the alternator output (voltage) with the engine running. The
greatest/healthiest battery in the world can't supply starting current
if it's not being properly charged between starts.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')

 

Well if you had a charging problem the check engine lamp would have turned
on, If the battery terninals are corroded and not making good contact this
could be the problem, or you just have a bad battery period, replace it.
Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

That nasty starter grinding noise COULD be a bad starter or frozen
drive. If, like here, it dropped from above zero, wet, and sloppy, to
minus 27 virtually overnight, the drive could well be iced.

 

I tend to agree with nospam - it's likely a bad starter. Last week I
had exactly the same problem with my 96 Geo Prizm. The battery was 2
years old, and the starter was replaced 5 months ago at Pepboys. It
was cold last week in DC and I heard this nasty grinding sound when
starting the car. I took the car to Pepboys, since the starter is
still under warranty. They told me it's indeed a bad starter - and
they replaced it. Now everything seems to be fine.

Yisheng