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bryan
Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 143 Location: Atlanta, GA
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 7:42 pm Post subject: Mechanical Question |
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I have a mechanical question, and it's probably pretty elementary to those of you who are more mechanically inclined folks.
Sometimes my car doesn't want to start, and I THINK it's the starter. I get the usual symptoms (doesn't wan't to crank, clicks), but only every once in a while. But here's what puzzles me. If I put a voltometer on the battery, it reads fine. But then when I crank it, it drops WAY down while cranking, and makes a sound similar to a dead battery. However, the battery takes charge just fine. And if I put the battery on a charger after the starter clicks and won't turn, it will start right up (while still hooked up to charger). Sound like a starter, or do I perhaps have some other sort of electrical problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated _________________ '87 Guards Red ascMcLaren (#398) |
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Tom S.
Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Posts: 264 Location: Farmington, MN
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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I've had this happen twice and both times it was a bad battery. The first time we went right for the starter and it was in good working order. Then, we checked the battery and it had something wrong with it. It's much easier to start with something easy first as the starter is a b!tch to get out. _________________ Tom S.
'85 ASC Coupe #607910--sold and crushed RIP
'95 SVT Cobra--sold
'89 Oregon State Police SSP Mustang--sold
'86 LX 5.0 Coupe--sold |
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negusm Site Admin
Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 5183 Location: Charlotte, NC
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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Almost sounds like a sulfated battery. Voltage accross the terminals doesn't tell you much, however, the fact that the voltage drops so low under load is a sign of a sulfated battery.
Next in line would be to check all your connections and grounds.
-Mike _________________ 1985 ascMcLaren Coupe - Midnight Blue
Under Restoration |
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bryan
Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 143 Location: Atlanta, GA
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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All of the connections and grounds checked out. The reason I was skeptical that it was a battery was because it only happens sporadically. Then again, I only know enough about mechanical issues to get me in trouble. Thanks! _________________ '87 Guards Red ascMcLaren (#398) |
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Sandy
Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 6205 Location: Northern New Jersey GSP Exit 148
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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Check the Cables, or look to see if a terminal is loose, better still, how's the Alternator ?????? _________________ Sandy passed away in 2012. He will be forever missed.
1990 Final Car prior to the 12 Silver Anny Editions
1990 Silver Pearl Anny Edition
1986 Coupe Full Pkg #109 of 114.
http://public.fotki.com/ascmclaren/ascmclaren_capris/sandys_mclarens/ |
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bryan
Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 143 Location: Atlanta, GA
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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Cables and terminals seem to check out. I've run the car for long distances at night with no problems, the ammeter reads fine and jumps up when the rpms go up from idle, so I don't think the alternator is the culprit. _________________ '87 Guards Red ascMcLaren (#398) |
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tfs2121
Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 1823 Location: Commerce, MI
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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mike is right sounds like a salfated battery replace it and you should be good
if its only starting with the charger on it then replace your battery
if you have a quick charge charger then quick charge it for 5 min and then mesure volt if its below 14.5 then replace _________________ ~Peter
1985 ASC McLaren Coupe |
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svo413
Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 752 Location: San Mateo, California
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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I had the same problem on my Contour. I all I did was disconnect the battery to reset the computer. The next day, not enough juice to crank the engine over. It turns out the battery had only a partial connection below the battery post. If I torqued the post it got a better contact. The whole time the battery checked out with a volt meter but it had no current. As soon as it started to crank, it went totally dead but quickly came back to life when turned off. This drove me nuts for about a week until I got a new battery. It's a good thing the starter was too hard to get off! _________________ Kevin Gold card MCA Judge for Fox Body
85 ASC Vert #612205
88 ASC Vert #542 20,550 miles
84 SVO 24,000 miles, 84 GT Turbo Vert.
03 Mach I, 89 LX Vert, 74 Mustang II
14 CA Special, 69 Mustang coupe, 07 GT500
67 T-bird, 15 F150 Tuscany, 16 F250 |
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bryan
Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 143 Location: Atlanta, GA
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 3:28 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the advice, everyone. It was the battery. _________________ '87 Guards Red ascMcLaren (#398) |
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