Not Starting Question

[headpeace]

So here's the story, when I left work yesterday it seemed to start a little slow - made a mental note. Stopped to get gas on the way home and it started even slower, I check my on board voltmeter and while running it's about 13.8. Get home and on board volt reads around 12.4 or so not running, check the battery with a real voltmeter and it concurred with the on board reading. Try to start it this morning and it barely turned over enough to start but it did start, left it at home thinking maybe a cell is dead (it is 4 years old) and it's holding volts but the amps are gone and it's not enough to get started. Go and get a new battery this afternoon put it in and turns over maybe twice - no start - and now it won't turn over at all. Yay, I just wasted $100 for a battery I didn't need. So now my thought is the starter wiring and the whole relay mod business. My question is - is this a common symptom of bad starter wiring - the progressively slower starting until nothing at all?? What thoughts do you guys/gals have??

[devonianwalk]

Check the engine grounds?

[adamzan]

In my experience on a pathy that needed the "relay mod" it was either it started or it didnt. As the wiring you bypass with the mod just triggers the starter. The big thick cable is what transfers the current. Could your starter just be giving up? How old is it?

[headpeace]

would a starter giving up act that way? My experience has been they do that clicking thing but my experience is by no means exhaustive.

[ahardb0dy]

did you happen to check the output of the alternator?

 

The voltage getting lower from the first time you checked it to when you checked it when you got home, could be an indication that the Alt is not charging the battery, so installing a new battery as you discovered did not fix the problem as once the new battery drains down you have the same problem as you did with the old battery.

Edited August 22, 2013 by ahardb0dy

[headpeace]

I didn't but, I just went out and banged the starter with a hammer and a long pry bar and what would ya know, it turned over ever so slightly, I guess it is the starter after all. I banged on it some more and with much resistance the damn thing started. Now I'm off to remove the starter, wonder if I can get my money back for the battery from O'reilly?? The stupid starter is lifetime from O'reilly, which will be the third time I've replaced it.......................freakin lifetime warranties

[Precise1]

Your voltage test, both running and not, and then a new battery rules all that out. I would check the ground connections for the battery and the starter connection for positive as well. Then set up your meter on the positive at the starter and see what voltage it gets when it cranks; it could be the cable, several people have replaced theirs. If you still get good voltage to the starter, then that might be the issue.

 

My experience with a battery with a failed cell was 8 volts and no cranking power what so ever and that was after a no issue 2 mile drive to work and 9 hour rest.

 

B

[Nefarious]

Check the alternator wiring first (power and ground wires), like was said if your alternator isn't charging properly it will cause this. I had bad alternator wiring that caused a similar issue on my pathy. Just replaced the connector and all has been well since.

 

After that check with a voltmeter how much V is read by placing the red lead on the positive cable on the starter, place the black lead to any unpainted metal surface (or the body of the starter, although its pretty tight, one arm down there can be easier) check for >12v. If <12V then check battery and battery cables/grounds. I doubt its the starter relay, I would check all other things first including alternator wiring.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Nefarious

[Alkorahil]

^{I agree that it sounds like a harness issue. If you have poor contacts or a corroded harness it will not be able to draw enough power through the cables from the battery to the starter. When you turn the key over the vehicle nedds ALL of the volts it can draw for the starter to rotate the flywheel.}

^{Check the fusible links for corrosion. You have a two connector one at the top connecting to the positive terminal and two next to the battery between the battery and the power steering tank. One these is to the starter the other to the headlights, I dont recall which color with which though.}

^{Unhook them and look inside to see if they are corroded. I have seen many that look 'good' visually on the outside but when you inhook the connector and look at the contacts they are green with corrosion.}

Edited August 26, 2013 by Alkorahil

[devonianwalk]

^{I agree that it sounds like a harness issue. If you have poor contacts or a corroded harness it will not be able to draw enough power through the cables from the battery to the starter. When you turn the key over the vehicle nedds ALL of the volts it can draw for the starter to rotate the flywheel.}

^{Check the fusible links for corrosion. You have a two connector one at the top connecting to the positive terminal and two next to the battery between the battery and the power steering tank. One these is to the starter the other to the headlights, I dont recall which color with which though.}

^{Unhook them and look inside to see if they are corroded. I have seen many that look 'good' visually on the outside but when you inhook the connector and look at the contacts they are green with corrosion.}

 

Hehe! You Texans talk funny. (font and size change)