Ok, so I know there's been lots of threads about this, but I never bothered with them since I didn't have a car until now, but anyways here goes:

I went to the Muse concert in St. Louis last night (Thursday). I parked in a parking lot in the Loop. So the concert ends, and I go back to my car, and the engine doesn't turn over as quick as it does, i.e. it has a little trouble starting.
I shrug this off and assume it's just an isolated occurance.
So I stop on the way to 44 to get gas and some snacks. Get done with all of that, start it again. Same deal. Has trouble turning over and starting. Drive's fine though, so I just put it in the back of my head and make a mental note to get it checked out when I get down here.
I stop about 10 miles out of Rolla at another gas station. This time, it doesn't start. It struggles, but doesn't make it. I pop the hood, check all the fluids, can't see a problem, and just decide to try and start it again. For some reason, it works this time.

So I don't know a lot about cars, but it kinda sounds like it's a problem with the battery?
Anyways, my real question is is there an AutoZone or similar place where I can get it dianosed (preferably for cheap/free)?
Any help would be much appreciated.

Autozone will test your battery for free.

How long have you had that battery?

Could be your alternator as well. If you looked at it, is it still in one piece? I have had those split before, and that will certainly do it.

Problem is in charging system. Check battery voltage with both the engine running, and stopped. Running you should have a solid 13.8 V. With the engine off, voltage should not drop below 11 V.

If you don't have a steady 13.8 V while running, this is indicitave of an alternator problem. Depending on how old your car is, you may have an internal or external voltage regulator. If your car is older, the problem may lie in the separate voltage regulator (otherwise the regulator is within the alternator). If this checks out OK, but the voltage drops as I said after you shut the engine off, this is a battery problem. If none of these are the problem, the problem lies in the starter, starter relay, or battery cables.

This can all be checked with a voltmeter.

check for corrosion on the battery termials and wires. if it is corroded, clean it with soda, baking soda with water, or go to an auto parts store for some cleaners. then coat the termials with termial grease.

As the people above said, likely it's a problem with your battery or alternator. Autozone will check them for free (well, I know they check batteries, and I think they check alternators).

The problem could also be in your starter or starter solenoid. If it's the solenoid, you may have to replace/rebuild the entire starter, or be able to just replace the solenoid depending on the make of car you drive (if it's a Ford, you're in luck).

If it's none of those, there's an outside chance it could be your park-neutral switch. While back the seal around mine sprung a tiny leak, leading to the same type of problem you described (although it developed over a long period of time). Having that fixed shouldn't cost more than 150 bucks. This is not very likely, though.

I suppose it could also be an ignition actuator, but 99% I'd say it's either your battery or alternator.

I already said that. It is unlikely you have to rebuild the starter if a solenoid (relay) fails. I have never heard of that happening with what he described. His car wouldn't start at all if the relay stuck. I agree about the Ford story though...all of my vehicles are Fords and the relay is conveniently on the fenderwell.

It's the charging system...

Thanks a lot guys! You've pretty much confirmed what my thoughts about the possible problem were. Where is the AutoZone around here anyways?

Typically jizzing in the alternator can cause these symptoms. Try not doing this. And I'd hit up O'Reily's Autoparts. They are on 63 just past the railroad track bridge? and acrossish from the mexican place.

If you turn on 72 from from 63 heading east, Autozone is on your right (I am pretty sure that is it, it is an auto parts store atleast), but I prefer O Reilly's to AutoZone.... although AutoZone is a hell of a lot easier to spell...

Its Battery or Starter. Both Auto Zone and O'Reily will check your battery, and starter for free... If it was your alternator your car would have died while driving it not when trying to start it.

Once my car died while driving it ant it ended up being the battery.

There is one more thing it could be, if thats not it. This only applies if your car isn't fuel injected. It could be an overheating ignition coil or faulty distributor wires. Symptoms would be as you described, trouble starting and even not starting at all when the car is really warmed up.

That is wrong. The coil and dizzy have no effect on cranking speed. If his engine actually had trouble firing, this would be a possibility. But those two have nothing to do with actual cranking. All that affects cranking is battery, cables, solenoid and starter. The coil and dizzy and wires only effect the actual firing of the plugs. When I read his post, I got the flavor that his engine was just cranking really, really slow, rather than cranking fine but not firing.



It actually could be the alternator. If the alternator is putting out less current, the battery will not get charged as high. The battery will sustain sufficient charge to run the ignition, but not enough to crank a starter. A starter draws on the order of 200 A, while the primary on a coil draws much, much less. It's less likely that it is the alternator, but it can happen.

No, it its not wrong. This happened to both of my vehciles (a car and a motorcycle). Bad ignition coil or faulty wires could affect distributor timing/spark energy, both of which will affect cranking speed.