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Mechanical Question

 
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bryan



Joined: 30 Aug 2004
Posts: 143
Location: Atlanta, GA

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 7:42 pm    Post subject: Mechanical Question Reply with quote

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 Crying or Very sad
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Tom S.



Joined: 28 Aug 2004
Posts: 264
Location: Farmington, MN

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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. Mad
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Tom S.

'85 ASC Coupe #607910--sold and crushed RIP Crying or Very sad
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negusm
Site Admin


Joined: 25 Aug 2004
Posts: 5183
Location: Charlotte, NC

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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
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bryan



Joined: 30 Aug 2004
Posts: 143
Location: Atlanta, GA

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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!
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Sandy



Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 6205
Location: Northern New Jersey GSP Exit 148

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check the Cables, or look to see if a terminal is loose, better still, how's the Alternator ??????
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bryan



Joined: 30 Aug 2004
Posts: 143
Location: Atlanta, GA

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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tfs2121



Joined: 29 Aug 2004
Posts: 1823
Location: Commerce, MI

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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
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svo413



Joined: 29 Aug 2004
Posts: 752
Location: San Mateo, California

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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!
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bryan



Joined: 30 Aug 2004
Posts: 143
Location: Atlanta, GA

PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 3:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the advice, everyone. It was the battery.
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