starting and electrical problems.

[raytsang]

Hi Guys.
have some issues with the car yesturday..
Basically was parked waiting for GF, engine off but radio still on.
10mins later went to turn the car back on, got nothing as if the battery went dead.. engine was not ever turning and no cranking noise.

got a jump of 2 different car and a booster pack and still nothing.
i did notice some clicking noises and seemed to come from the indicator relay...

to make things even stranger i tested the battery to have 12.5 volts so battery should be fine. with no key in the ignition the horn or alarm would not work properly only just get a small beep as if there was not enough juice to it.

turn the key to first position i sometimes get power but seems to be very low, secound postion i was getting no power or some but then it worked all the lights inside worked. only thing the would not work was windows (had to manually power the motor to shut the window :annoyed and wipers too.

when then try to start the engine everything dies and radio resets no noise except for thr funy clicking from a relay.

What can the problem be?? is there a relay or something i should be chasing after?

 

[meddler]

It sounds like battery with a dead cell. Without any load the battery seams fine, but as soon as you try to load the battery it dies, even if you try to jump start it. I have had it happen to a motorbike in the past. Try and get the battery load tested. Also is it one of the small odessey batteries. If so, form what I have heard, this is quite common for them.

 

[raytsang]

Humm wound not think its a dead cell battery's only a couple of weeks old (Varta Blue 40ah 330cca).
anyways i tried it with the old battery and it did the same thing.(old battery was working fine just did not hold charge very well )
its as if it shorts circuit when you try to start it.

could it be the starter motor??
would a push start help it???

 

[Yakozan]

Sounds exactly like when my battery was dead in the daily banger
But if the battery is new and you've tried another one it's probobly not that. Maybe a loose earth cable?

Don't think it's the starter as you mentioned everything in the car seemed to be low on power.

tough one. All I can think of is the battery.

 

[meddler]

check your ground cables perhaps as Yakozan said

 

[Endless]

I had a similar problem before with my previous car, turns out is a dead alternator, might want to check that

 

[Auss15]

I had a similar problem before with my previous car, turns out is a dead alternator, might want to check that

If the alternator is not charging it will suck the life out of a new battery in a very short time:nod:

 

[raytsang]

hope its not the alternator...
but the electronics seems good.
gonna do a push start as soon as i can to make sure its not the alarm.
so it narrows it down to 2 possability starter motor or alternator.

 

[Paddy]

Ray
Maybe Ignition fuse, in the engine bay... might have blown would have similar syntoms me thinks. Try bridge it with a wire.

 

[sniffy]

check the earth cables i had a civic that gave the same problem and it was o loose earth cable on the engine bay an easy way to check is connect on end of a jump lead to the chassie and the other to the engine and see if it starts.

 

[meddler]

you can check to see if you alternator is at least putting out the correct voltage.
The car without the engine started should be around 12v. When you start the car it should jump to approx 14v (you may need to give it a rev). If your problems continue, get an auto electrician to have a look. They can load test both your battery and alternator. If these are not at fault, then you have a wiring fault, most possibly grounds or a blown fuse.

 

[Paddy]

Hi Guys.
as if the battery went dead.. engine was not ever turning and no cranking noise.

got a jump of 2 different car and a booster pack and still nothing.
i did notice some clicking noises and seemed to come from the indicator relay...

to make things even stranger i tested the battery to have 12.5 volts so battery should be fine. when then try to start the engine everything dies and radio resets no noise except for thr funy clicking from a relay.

Because you tried to boost start the car, and it didnt even start, it almost rules out battery or altenator. while connected to another vehicle, you are basically using their battery and altenator on your car. so the car should start, even if just for a second or two.
If it cuts out immediately after disconnecting from the jump leads, its more than likely an altenator. if it runs but wont restart after you turn it off, its more likely a battery.

I'd say its something in the electrical circuit of the vehicle. possibilities are, loose battery terminals. the battery would not charge at the correct rate and would begin to drain slowly while driving.

Or there is a break in the circuit or a short earth so that the power in your battery is not getting to where it should be. thats why i think the ignition fuse is gone. afuse is designed to be a weak link in the chain anyway.

I doubt its a starter motor either. you seem to have very little power in the vehicle if the windows are not working etc. if the starter solenoid was gone, you may hear the motor spining or the bendix clicking. i'd say its very rare to get total starter failure.

By the same token, i doubt its your alarm acting up. most alarms just cut fuel to immobilise the vehicle, so your car should still crank. and because of the syntoms being like a low battery, it seems different to a lack of spark etc.

Ray, my best reccomendation is to check all cables from your battery, to see if there is any unusual connection to the body etc (aka short earth), also that the battery terminals are tight and cannot be moved by hand. and that little ignition fuse in the engine fuse bay ( i think its the one closest to the battery).

Let me know if you'd like me to come over and have a look at it

Paddy

 

[japmadlad]

ray as the lads have said check your earths. bad / loose connections will give problems. Also If you have one of those small racing type batteries in your car this cold be the problem. I was talking to muttly recently about it as he has one in his s14A. He said they are great for starting the car but DON'T let them run flat because they are impossible to jump or recharge for some reason. This could be your problem mate. hope you get it sorted:thumbs:

 

[japmadlad]

don't think its alternator as battery light would come on. don't think starter either.

 

[raytsang]

I hear what you guys are saying.
will check out the wire and fuse going to the starter... could be a short somewhere. probably do it tommorow.

 

[raytsang]

you Guys where right it was a ground wire not secured properly. it had been arcing so melted the plastic that was around it.

happy now that i don't need to spend anymore money fixing it.

 

[sniffy]

its a hard problem to figure out when it happend me it took 3 hours and 6 people lookin over the car to figure it out. i changed relays and other stuff before i found the real problem.

 

[japmadlad]

glad you got it sorted Ray. always start with the simple things

 

[Topper]

Bringing up and old thread here, but recently had the same issue, thought it may have been the immobiliser, but turned out to be dodgy negative connection on the battery, fooled around with the connector and got it running - raise it slightly on the netative terminal :thumbs: