Problem.......Battery dies randomly...Help

M

mguindon10

Founding Member

Mar 2, 2001

53

0

0

Monroe MI

Nov 12, 2004

#1

• Nov 12, 2004

• #1

Heres the problem. Every so often I'll go to start my car and I'll get a click when I turn the key over. It doesn't do the click,click,click like when your battery is drained, it just does a single click. Then I'll try to start again and my battery will be so drained it won't have enough juice to start.

Ive cleaned the battery terminals, checked all the connections for looseness. I've tested the battery with one of those eyedroppers with the balls in it and it says my cells are good, and obviously the starter works because most of the time my car starts right up. I tested the alternater voltage and its 12volts + so it looks like its charging.

My guess is either the starter relay or the battery is going. What do you guys think???

 

J

JB66

New Member

Aug 21, 2004

565

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0

New York

Nov 12, 2004

#2

• Nov 12, 2004

• #2

Take your battery and have them do a CCA test. Also have them test the Alt. You should be getting 13.7-14.5 volts when running. Other than that, starters are funny. When they work, they do and when they don't, they don't.

 

M

Matts89LX5.0

Founding Member

Nov 1, 2002

1,314

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36

Long Island, NY

Nov 12, 2004

#3

• Nov 12, 2004

• #3

check where you ground the battery, may be rusted or loose.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

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Nov 12, 2004

#4

• Nov 12, 2004

• #4

JB66 said:

Take your battery and have them do a CCA test. Also have them test the Alt. You should be getting 13.7-14.5 volts when running. Other than that, starters are funny. When they work, they do and when they don't, they don't.

Click to expand...

agreed. no way to load test the charging system decently at home. BTW, the eyedropper with balls is a specific gravity tester.
it gives you an idea, but does not really show what will happen with load.

about the only thing i can think of that you can do at home is: put a jumper battery on (like jump starting) and see if it starts. if not (and the jumper is known to be good), i would really go over cable connections. also might note the volt reading during cranking. i bet it is severely low.

good luck.

 

D

Daggar

New Member

Jul 19, 2004

3,902

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0

Nov 12, 2004

#5

• Nov 12, 2004

• #5

Let's also not forget the ignition switch and the diode on the alternator as possible culprits. With a bad diode, the alternator will charge everything up while running but drain the battery rather quickly when the motor stops. Ignition switch... well... don't need to explain why it might be a problem.

 

wht93gtEd

Active Member

Nov 11, 2004

0

9

29

Jersey Shore, New Jersey

Nov 13, 2004

#6

• Nov 13, 2004

• #6

actually I had a similar problem......it turned out that 1 cell in the battery died. Sometimes it started, sometimes I couldn't even jump it.

I also had the same problem in my 74 Apollo when the starter died.

I'd say go to walmart and get a cheap battery & see if it fixes your problem.

 

Skoobie

Damn...Tyler65's hot!

May 25, 2003

655

0

17

Vancouver, WA

Nov 13, 2004

#7

• Nov 13, 2004

• #7

This is gonna sound stupid but I had the same problem. It turned out that the lights in my sunvisor were turning on. The flap that covers it also holds down a little button that turns off the light. The velcrow got too weak to hold it down and it would turn on randomly. Eventually my battery would drain. Or course I also had a six y/o batter, go figure

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

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129

Nov 13, 2004

#8

• Nov 13, 2004

• #8

Skoobie said:

This is gonna sound stupid but I had the same problem. It turned out that the lights in my sunvisor were turning on. The flap that covers it also holds down a little button that turns off the light. The velcrow got too weak to hold it down and it would turn on randomly. Eventually my battery would drain. Or course I also had a six y/o batter, go figure

Click to expand...

not stupid at all. the glovebox light is another common one to have stay on. anything over ~300mA draw on even a DD can be too much.

good idea.

 

T

TheUser

Active Member

Jul 25, 2003

1,859

1

36

Springfield, MO

Nov 13, 2004

#9

• Nov 13, 2004

• #9

I have the same problem, but it's generally when i'm actually driving the car and I kill it and it won't start back up. I've had this problem before and went and bought a red top optima battery about 2 months ago and the alt isn't very old either. I have a huge engine to chassis grounding strip; terminals are clean and tight. Beats the hell outta me. Getting ready to put the car up for winter, so guess I'll have something to do next spring

Just out of curiosity...is there anything that would prevent it from starting when hot, but after it cools, it's fine? This generally happens and I involuntarily leave it sitting for 10+ min and then jump it and it's fine. Twice, I've had a spare battery with me, put it in and it wouldn't start the car either.

 

five_o_stang

New Member

Jan 8, 2004

92

0

0

Georgia

Nov 13, 2004

#10

• Nov 13, 2004

• #10

hey....i had the EXACT same problem for almost a year w/ TWO separate stock sized batteries and new wires...got a bigger battery and haven't had a problem since..and my passenger side window rolls down almost as fast as the driver side now...hehe...good luck

 

J

JB66

New Member

Aug 21, 2004

565

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New York

Nov 13, 2004

#11

• Nov 13, 2004

• #11

ECT sensor or TFI module for hot soak no starts usually.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

33

129

Nov 13, 2004

#12

• Nov 13, 2004

• #12

TheUser said:

Just out of curiosity...is there anything that would prevent it from starting when hot, but after it cools, it's fine? This generally happens and I involuntarily leave it sitting for 10+ min and then jump it and it's fine. Twice, I've had a spare battery with me, put it in and it wouldn't start the car either.

Click to expand...

heat soak on the starter is one possibility. also if you dont get anything at all when it wont start (no cranking, clicking etc), i would check the ignition interlock devices. a bit of resistance (which goes up with temps) can cause you to not get enough of a signal to the solenoid to latch the solenoid. you should see 12 volts while cranking at the slide-on wire on the solenoid. if none, check the wire itself, clutch safety switch (first place to check) and ignition switch).

good luck.

 

M

mguindon10

Founding Member

Mar 2, 2001

53

0

0

Monroe MI

Nov 17, 2004

#13

• Nov 17, 2004

• #13

Well thanks for the info guys, im just gonna get a new battery since its 4 years old and see if that fixes it. I'll keep ya posted.

 

7

7upstang

New Member

Sep 20, 2004

75

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Calgary, Alberta

Nov 18, 2004

#14

• Nov 18, 2004

• #14

If your car is an automatic, check the neutral safety switch as well.