 car dead, now what? |
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| SirAndy |
  Aug 4 2007, 04:37 PM
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#1
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Resident German  Group: Admin Posts: 42,254 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California  |
last night i went to start up my car, i turned the key (gauge lights come on), i try to start her and everything went dead.
gauge lights went out, no starter, nothing. tried the blinkers, horn etc. nada. so i think the battery might be dead, take a voltmeter to the posts, ~13V. hmmmm ... now what? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Andy |
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| Spoke |
Aug 4 2007, 10:00 PM
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Jerry Group: Members Posts: 7,185 Joined: 29-October 04 From: Allentown, PA Member No.: 3,031 Region Association: None 
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Did you measure voltage at the battery post or the terminal? Measured with no load or parking lights on? The slightest corrosion or oxidation between the battery post and terminal can cause 3-6V drop and no power to the entire car. Measure with the parking lights on to find the source of the voltage drop unless the battery dumps when under heavy starting load.
Spoke |
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| SirAndy |
Aug 4 2007, 10:51 PM
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#3
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Resident German Group: Admin Posts: 42,254 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California |
QUOTE(Spoke @ Aug 4 2007, 08:00 PM)  Did you measure voltage at the battery post or the terminal? Measured with no load or parking lights on? uhmmmm, like i said, nothing electrical works. nothing, nada, zilch ... all dark & dead. battery has ~13V on the terminals. can't test under load, because nothing electrical is working ... all dead, no idiot lights, no fuel pump, no relay click, no nothing ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Andy |
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| Spoke |
Aug 5 2007, 06:35 AM
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#4
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Jerry Group: Members Posts: 7,185 Joined: 29-October 04 From: Allentown, PA Member No.: 3,031 Region Association: None
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QUOTE(SirAndy @ Aug 5 2007, 12:51 AM) uhmmmm, like i said, nothing electrical works. nothing, nada, zilch ... all dark & dead. battery has ~13V on the terminals. can't test under load, because nothing electrical is working ... all dead, no idiot lights, no fuel pump, no relay click, no nothing ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Andy What voltages have you measured around the vehicle? A 12V fuel pump or idiot light will do nothing with less than 3-4 volts across it. Like Harry Truman said, "the buck stops here". Likewise, the electons stop somewhere between your battery and loads. If the battery is measuring 13V and nothing works, chances are your battery is ok and there is some major open circuit. Do you have a fusable link in the positive voltage path from the battery? Start with the battery and radiate outward. If battery is 13V and voltage at parking lights is 0V, 13V is being dropped somewhere. With key on, lights on, ..., check battery posts, then battery terminals, then follow wires from the battery. Like to the starter. To the ignition system. Somewhere you will measure 13V, then 0V. Check battery posts to their terminals. This is where I found 7V of drop when my car wouldn't start. Measure all voltages from chassis since this is the ground return for the entire electical system. Check battery ground wires to the battery by measuring voltage from chassis to battery ground. BTW, I love an electrical challenge like this. The problem will be a simple one: a battery, a wire, a fuse, or a ground/power connection. The electrical systems in these cars are so simple (but not trouble-free) that everything can be worked on unlike modern vehicles with multiple computers, processors, sensors, servos, and miles of wiring. If I were closer, I'd help you fix this so I can take a ride in your 3.6L and compare it to my 3.7L (1.7L and 2.0L (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ) Good luck. Spoke |
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Posts in this topic
SirAndy car dead, now what? Aug 4 2007, 04:37 PM
Tobra Short in ignition switch? Maybe something groundi... Aug 4 2007, 04:42 PM swl what happens to the voltage when you try to crank ... Aug 4 2007, 04:58 PM McMark No starter? Did you try the screwdriver trick? T... Aug 4 2007, 05:07 PM john rogers Do you have a kill switch? If so, jumper over the ... Aug 4 2007, 10:33 PM Type 4 Unleashed Sounds like a connection issue, pull the cables an... Aug 4 2007, 10:58 PM
WaideS
Sounds like a connection issue, pull the cables a... Aug 4 2007, 11:20 PM JBart I had something like that happen to an old jeep I ... Aug 4 2007, 11:29 PM swl You really need to do some measurements with the k... Aug 5 2007, 05:45 AM tod914 have a spare volt reg u can swap out andy? Aug 5 2007, 10:53 AM JPB If your battery holds a charge while you hook up a... Aug 5 2007, 11:19 AM kwales This is so catastrophic it has to be simple. It... Aug 5 2007, 12:19 PM Brando Andy, what kind of battery? Gel-cell or lead-and-a... Aug 5 2007, 04:58 PM SirAndy so yesterday afternoon, i go and borrow my friend... Aug 5 2007, 05:33 PM Brando Might as well replace the switch while you have a ... Aug 5 2007, 05:58 PM r_towle loose ground.
Not sure where the wiring is going i... Aug 5 2007, 07:08 PM |
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