PT Won't start...

[morrises]

After a fabulous weekend (we won our class at a car show! yay! our first win!) we stopped for lunch on the way home, got out into our car, went to start it and it wouldn't start. The lights and a/c turn on, but the engine won't turn. We think it's the starter, but then thought possibly it could be the battery?
How hard are starters to put into a 2002 pt? Could hubby do it himself? It's 40 miles from home at the moment, sadly, in a parking lot We had my best friend come save us thankfully.. but our poor pt is all lonely in the parking lot of an all you can eat buffet.

[Hooligan]

Have your battery checked first B 4 you mess with the starter. Even IF the battery is bad your lights will come on. If I remember right you have a older PT, not unusual.
ERNIE

[morrises]

What makes us feel like it's more the starter is that it did it a few times before but then after one or two tries it started up.. this time it just didn't start up..

[ucantcme]

Does it make that clicking sound while your trying to start it?

[jd350b]

Check the battery as Hooligan suggested. However if the headlights come on strong and you don't even hear a click when you turn the key it's probably not the battery. Sears or Autozone can throw a load test on it usually free of charge.

Being that it has happened before it's probably not a fuse or broken wire.

You may be right, it could be the starter (more likely the starter solenoid).
The solenoid is mounted on the starter and the contacts can wear and become intermittent. Starter Relay can also be suspect.

With the key off, tap the solenoid with a dense object like a big wrench. Be careful not to hit the main battery wire (heaviest cable on the solenoid).


Oh and yes, it can be done by a fairly handy person. It's not a big job

[morrises]

ugh looks like I'll be a car widow tonight while Hubby tries to figure it all out