clicking noise when trying to start, suggestions please

slowhatch82 · May 24, 2005

alright, been starting fine, no charging problems. I did move the solenoid in the fender last weekend (dont drive car that much.) when i move the key to the acc., the lights light up, i can hear the fuel pump priming, but then i go to start it and it cuts out, no lights(interior light either). So i wiggle the negative cable and the light comes back on. I noticed the mirror light was on all night, but it just doesnt seem like symtoms of a dead battery. first thing im going to try is a different battery though....we'll see..

stangnutlx · May 24, 2005

throw a set of jumper cables on your battery and try firing it off. If you noticed your dome light was on all night than your battery definitly isnt suppling adequete voltage to the starter..

slowhatch82 · May 24, 2005

tryed jumpers already, thought that would have done it, unless its just enough voltage to power the fuel pump, ect. but then trying to start it just drains everything, its wierd that it comes back on though(lights and fuel pump)...??

slowhatch82 · May 24, 2005

btw, its a new solenoid, bought a new one to avoid any problems!

mfewtrail · May 24, 2005

Turn on your windshield wipers, if they're really slow, your battery is probably discharged/"dead."

EDIT: By the way, does your stock gauge cluster have a voltmeter(I know 1992 GT's do, not sure about 88's)? If so, is it registering anything?

stangnutlx · May 24, 2005

probably wouldnt hurt to dust off the ol voltmeter and check battery voltage

any less than 12v will give you fits. Most batteries dont like to be drained once they do usually you can kiss them goodbye. I bought a walmart battery for 50 bucks and have drained it a few times, takes a lickin and keeps on tickin

stang22 · May 24, 2005

Sounds like it could be a bad ground. Double check all of you grounds and make sure they are making good contact with the chassis/metal. Double check the terminal on the battery as well.

If you suspect it is the battery, take it to AutoZone and have them do a load test on it. It might be charged to 12volts, but it might not be able to put much out under load.

Tim

slowhatch82 · May 25, 2005

update:

tryed different battery, no luck. already load tested it (work at NAPA)
its weird, it(lights, ect.) will go completely out if i try to start or turn on the headlights. wipers move ok, radio plays, interior light is bright as it should be.

im going to check my solenoid today, make sure nothing is grounding out.

It feels like the +12v wire on the solenoid is exposed from the boot, maybe pulled far enough away to not make contact, or it is grounding out on something.

not sure yet.

also going to change negative cable, i already changed positive side before.

slowhatch82 · May 25, 2005

ok, replaced negative cable. still wont start, but everything doesnt just shut off like it did before. When I try to keep hitting it, I can see alittle smoke coming from somewhere, and lead from the negative battery terminal(one for computer) seems to be hot.

anyone

ss93cobra · May 25, 2005

Something installed wrong on solenoid perhaps? The ground you're referring to shouldn't be "hot" feeling at all. I know too that if the solenoid isn't making good contact with where it's mounted, it won't start. -did that to a buddy's car. took bolts off holding solenoid to inner fender, car wouldn't start-

slowhatch82 · May 25, 2005

i know its tight on there, i made sure of that...its weird it just started doing this. I've had the solenoid there for about a week or more, drove it about 3-4 times...its raining here so I can't really work on it at the moment...sucks!

I know it didnt get wet or anything either, its pretty far up in there and I havent driven it in the rain or anything.... :damnit:

thanks for the replies so far...anyone else have any other info?

ss93cobra · May 25, 2005

Any way you can figure out where the smoke was coming from? Perhaps a fusible link took a crap on you.

slowhatch82 · May 25, 2005

dont think there are any around that area, im thinking its def. a ground somewhere because of that wire getting warm, i think the smoke is coming from the electical tape around that wire melting??

could the smoke just be from the battery not being fully charged and me trying to start it?

stupid car...haha, i finally got it running nice and smooth, cleaned it all up, ordered o/r xpipe and trac lock rebuild, and now this crap!

jrichker · May 25, 2005

Clean and check all the ground connectioms.

1.) The main power ground is from engine block to battery: it is the power ground for the starter & alternator.

2.) The secondary power ground is between the back of the intake manifold and the driver's side firewall. It is often missing or loose. It supplies ground for the alternator, A/C compressor clutch and other electrical accessories such as the gauges. Any car that has a 3G alternator needs a 4 gauge ground wire running from the block to the chassis ground where the battery pigtail ground connects.

3.) The computer has its own dedicated power ground that comes off the ground pigtail on the battery ground wire. Due to it's proximity to the battery, it may become corroded by acid fumes from the battery. It is a black cylinder about 2 1/2" long by 1" diameter with a black/lt green wire.

See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103#volt for help troubleshooting voltage drops across
grounds

Here's a checklist:

Since some of the tests will bypass the safety interlocks, make sure that the car is in neutral and the parking brake is set. Becoming a pancake isn’t part of the repair process…

Check battery, terminal connections, ground, starter relay switch (also known as solenoid) and starter in that order.

A voltmeter is handy if you are familiar with how to use it to find bad connections. Measure the voltage drop across a connection: more than .5 volts across a connection indicates a problem.
See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103 for help

1.) Will the car start if it is jumped? Then clean battery terminals and check battery.

2.) Check the battery to engine block ground, and the ground behind the engine to the firewall.

slowhatch82 · May 27, 2005

PROBLEM SOLVED!

Went over all my grounds again. the negative cable was alittle loose, i cleaned the connections on my grounds and tighted everything up. Fired right up!

time to install subframes, xpipe and rebuild the trac lock!!

slowhatch82 · May 27, 2005

thanks for suggestions guys!

stang22 · May 27, 2005

stang22 said:
Sounds like it could be a bad ground. Double check all of you grounds and make sure they are making good contact with the chassis/metal.

Tim

Glad you got it working and updated the thread. 10 extra points for you.

slowhatch82 · May 27, 2005

sweet! that means im up to......

10 points!

thanks again though, i kinda ruled that stuff out because i had just moved it and cleaned everything then, kinda weird, but hey, as long as it works!!

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