Wow this has been a pain,
So one day about a month ago our little 240 that could suddenly couldn't. It just wouldn't start. Thankfully it just wouldn't start about a block away from a mechanics shop, so I got my roommate to help me push her there (I forgot to take it out of drive, so it wasn't such an easy push). The mechanic said that the starter was dead, so a painful $400 later we got a new starter ($300 more and we got a new exhaust system too, ouch). The day later guess what happened, the car wouldn't start. We got it towed to the same mechanic, seething. They told us it was just a dead battery, they charged it up, and we were good to go. 3 days later it dies again, this time we check it out, get it started again, and lo and behold the alternator is out. hmm. I think to myself I'm gonna do it my self. So I do. And it runs fine for a week or so. Then it dies while we're driving out of town. Hmm. Could it be the fuel filter since it was kind of chugging before it died and when we tried to restart it would turn over, just didn't want to start. Ok, so I got a new fuel filter, and just because I could, I put in new spark plugs, a new positive cable from the battery, and a new air filter (just to cover all the bases). And it runs fine for another week. And then, kaput. The battery is dead, again. So the alternator isn't kicking in, but only sometimes. It's like a dice roll everytime I turn the key. I can try to start the car 4 or 5 times, only hearing the solenoid click. And then all of a sudden it fires up. I bought one of those portable jump starter (battery in a box with jaws) just as a backup plan. When the key is in the on position, the battery light doesn't come on, like it used to. And everytime I turn off the car, my aftermarket cd player loses all the preset stations. I know this is a lengthy post, but anyone got an idea?
Tyler