Starting Problem

When you say the starter is spinning, do you mean that the starter is turning the engine or is the starter spinning without turning the engine?

On the engine, there is a big plate at the back of the engine with a big gear on it called a flywheel. If the teeth on the gear are worn out, the starter could spin without turning the engine.

If the starter is turning, it is probably not the battery cable.

Or possibly 20 other things.

I think you need a new mechanic.

Jeff

I meant the starter is making a noise meaning it's working.

The AAA guy tested the battery and cables and said that the negative cable should be replaced because the reading is not quite right on his meter.

Not sure if this is accurate or not though.

It could be a bad starter, or a bad cable or something else.

Without looking at the car, we can't tell.

I think you need to take the car to a competent mechanic.

Jeff

If the starter spins but the cars engine does not, its a bendix or overrunning clutch in the starter. In the 70's they sold replacements for about $12. I don't think most autoparts stores sell replacement starter motor parts these days.

Sounds like the good old stripped ring gear issue.

Maybe we have a problem of semantics here. When I used to do auto repairing a good customer called me and said his car would not start. I asked him if it would turn over and he said no. I told him several things to do such as clean the battery cable clamps and check for loose connections in all the battery cable connections. He reported that it still would not turn over. I went over to his place and turned the key, RRRRRRR - it turned over OK. His problem was that he did not know the difference between "turn over" and "start". Engineman