I have a 2000 SL2 with automatic transmission. Over the last couple of months it has been causing me fits with the starter not operating. When it does work it works fine. When it doesn't work it doesn't work at all. No slow spin. No solenoid click. No nothing. Everything else electrical is just fine.

First time was 9-10 weeks ago. I drove about two blocks from my home and stopped for gas. Car wouldn't start. I tried manipulating the gear shift from neutral to park and back many times. Nothing. I finally called the tow truck. About 30 minutes later the tow truck showed and the car started just fine with zero assistance.

Got home. Check the obvious. Battery was good. Only about 1 1/2 years old and the load tester said it was fine. Checked cables. Cables were clean. I wrote it off as one of those things.

About two weeks later it did it again after a drive of about 35 miles. This time it would not start at all. Tow truck showed up, took me home. Next morning it started just fine with no trouble. I was taking it in to the shop anyway for routine service so I asked them to check it out. They could find nothing wrong. But I HATE getting stranded.

I picked up a new Neutral Safety Switch and a new ignition switch. (Electrical part.) I had them installed. Car did fine for a month. In fact I called the shop to get a quote on something for my niece and told them that the car was doing fine. Generally speaking I am not a fan of parts hanging but sometimes it works.

Today I drove about 1 1/2 miles to the post office. Same problem. Car would not start. EVERYTHING else was just fine. I moved the gear shift around. I turned various electrical stuff on and off. I even clicked the door locks on and off a few times. Nothing. Called for a lift. My nephew showed up 15 minutes later and I gave it ONE MORE TRY. Started beautifully. Drove it home. Parked it in the drive way and started it 3 more times in rapid succession. Absolutely no trouble at all. Started right up. Started spun up beautifully.

Anybody got any ideas? The car has not quite 200k on it. Starter is original. I am thinking seriously of replacing the starter and the cables just on general principles but I have no idea what it would cost and I don't want to spend a ton of money on a very old car, but I also don't need a car I can't depend on.

 

Have you checked for connections and or corroded connections at the starter?

One of the things all of your no crank conditions have in common is a successful start 15 to 20 minutes prior to the no crank. A lot of current running through the starter motor coils. Heat Heat Heat. whenever you let it cool down for half an hour, it works fine.

The starter probably checked fine in the car at the mechanic because it was cold / had not been started when they brought it in to look at it.

Start the vehicle at home. Drive it for 5 minutes and then back to your driveway near your tools. Get out for 5 min, try to start.
Upon no crank condition, take a good length pipe and a hammer or mallet, but the pipe up against the body of the starter, and give it a few whacks. If the Bendix inside is hung up, this should knock it free. Then try to start it. Do not do the hammer and pipe while somebody else is trying to start it. One then the other. If the starter immediately spins and cranks the engine, replace the starter. Do not buy a cheap remanufactured starter with a lifetime warranty unless you enjoy changing starters every 2 years for the rest of your life. Sure the starters are free, but your time is not.

 

Sometimes the wait was just a few minutes. Sometimes it was a couple of hours. I don't know if I can even see the starter from up top on this car. I have personally not checked the cables at the starter end, I am old and infirm enough that that is not a reasonable idea for me. I have even though about dumping some water on the starter when this happened, presuming I can see it. Generally I don't like mixing water and electricals.

I am seriously thinking of just having the starter and cables replaced on general principles. It is either get the car running reliably or get a new car.

 

Many mechanics these days don't want to have anything to do with working on a Saturn because parts are scarce, new parts are more scarce, and anything that gets complicated is a time sink unless someone is familiar with 25-year-old vehicles and how they did things back then.

Please do not pour water on the starter. Not likely to improve things. Have someone put it up in the air and check the electrical connections at the starter.

There is a wire coming down from the ignition switch that should have 5 volts on it I believe to close the starter relay that is internal to the starter. If that is loose, all bets are off. If the starter ground and the lead from the battery are intact and clean, and the ignition wire previously mentioned does close the relay, the starter should spin.

If all of the above checks out, starter replacement seems like a reasonable next step.

 

If you can smack the starter and see if it hit's. It so the solenoid contact is going bad and the starter needs replacing.

 

Indeed. I suggested it above. The gentleman is not limber enough to perform said troubleshooting task.