It wont even start?

[mikeman]

ok well my old battery wasnt doing to well and today i was driving around and the battery light on the dash was on then when i went to leave to go home the car started then died but i got it to start again and made it home so i went out and got a new battery and changed it today but once i changed it i took it out for a quick drive and the battery light stayed on the whole time and the volt meter stays just above 12 but my old battery it always stayed around 14, but it ran fine other then that, but i was thinking that i just needed to run the car some more for everything to reset so i didnt think anything about it, but when i went to go out tonight the car started like normal and i made it like 30 ft and the car died on me so I restarted it and it did the same thing again but this time the car shut everything down so now when i turn the key nothing happens the dash doesnt light up or the car doesnt even try to start, so right now the only thing that works on the car are the lights when i open the door other than that the car wont move? can someone please tell me what i did to my car lol or what might be wrong with it?

[Sunstroked]

When your car was running you mentioned your voltage was just above 12 v, normally with your engine running voltage should be close to 14 v. So what you were reading was battery voltage only. As you drove the car you drained your new battery down until the car died. For some reason your charging system does'nt seem to be working. Check the connections to your alternator first. If all is OK, then pull your alternator and take it to your local autozone, checkers, or whomever you deal with and have them bench check it. Its easy to do, and probably your problem, but dont buy one until you find out for sure. $$$. If its ok, now youre dealing with either broken wires, a relay or voltage reg. If you dont have a shop manual, ( factory service manuals are the best, look for used ones on ebay ) either get one or go to your library and check out the motors or chiltons manual for your car. Its free.

[Key West Jack]

Originally Posted by Sunstroked

When your car was running you mentioned your voltage was just above 12 v, normally with your engine running voltage should be close to 14 v. So what you were reading was battery voltage only. As you drove the car you drained your new battery down until the car died. For some reason your charging system does'nt seem to be working. Check the connections to your alternator first. If all is OK, then pull your alternator and take it to your local autozone, checkers, or whomever you deal with and have them bench check it. Its easy to do, and probably your problem, but dont buy one until you find out for sure. $$$. If its ok, now youre dealing with either broken wires, a relay or voltage reg. If you dont have a shop manual, ( factory service manuals are the best, look for used ones on ebay ) either get one or go to your library and check out the motors or chiltons manual for your car. Its free.

What he said. x2

[gmjunkie]

Originally Posted by Sunstroked

When your car was running you mentioned your voltage was just above 12 v, normally with your engine running voltage should be close to 14 v. So what you were reading was battery voltage only. As you drove the car you drained your new battery down until the car died. For some reason your charging system does'nt seem to be working. Check the connections to your alternator first. If all is OK, then pull your alternator and take it to your local autozone, checkers, or whomever you deal with and have them bench check it. Its easy to do, and probably your problem, but dont buy one until you find out for sure. $$$. If its ok, now youre dealing with either broken wires, a relay or voltage reg. If you dont have a shop manual, ( factory service manuals are the best, look for used ones on ebay ) either get one or go to your library and check out the motors or chiltons manual for your car. Its free.

X3...... Plus,pay particular attention to the Big Red Lead on the back of the alternator The eye has tendency to corrode between the wire and eye,and it's real hard to see most of the time!!! I made a 1200 mile round trip Service call on a car I'd sold over that wire once!! After the customer had the alt rebuilt and to 3 shops trying to find the problem!! I found the problem in less than 20 min. got some sleep and drove home!!

[mikeman]

ok but i dont get how the new battery managed to drain with a 10 min drive and sitting for hour. i have had my old battery die on me before but you could hear the car try to start this is like the battery isnt even there and it didnt have any trouble starting when i went to leave. but i know the alternator was replaced a year and a half ago so i dont know about it being bad but ill go check the connections, thanks guys for the help ill let you guys know whats up with it, i hate seeing just sit there

[gmjunkie]

Originally Posted by mikeman

ok but i dont get how the new battery managed to drain with a 10 min drive and sitting for hour. i have had my old battery die on me before but you could hear the car try to start this is like the battery isnt even there and it didnt have any trouble starting when i went to leave. but i know the alternator was replaced a year and a half ago so i dont know about it being bad but ill go check the connections, thanks guys for the help ill let you guys know whats up with it, i hate seeing just sit there

One of 2 things,Either you have a Bad connection at battery or grounding strap!! Or the Alternator has a bad Diode that is shorted and draining your battery!!

[LT4man]

Originally Posted by gmjunkie

X3...... Plus,pay particular attention to the Big Red Lead on the back of the alternator The eye has tendency to corrode between the wire and eye,and it's real hard to see most of the time!!! I made a 1200 mile round trip Service call on a car I'd sold over that wire once!! After the customer had the alt rebuilt and to 3 shops trying to find the problem!! I found the problem in less than 20 min. got some sleep and drove home!!

JUNK!

I am so dissappointed!!! Why in tarnation would you have to get some sleep before driving home?

And to think you were a role model for me!!!

What is this darn world coming to?

SAVE THE

[mikeman]

ok im have no idea what to do now, the new battery never drained and still is reading 12 volts, i also checked the alternator connections and they all look to be good, and just on a random hunch i checked all the fuses to and there fine, i dont get how the only things that work are the head lights and the interior lights? could it be something with the computer?

[gmjunkie]

Originally Posted by mikeman

ok im have no idea what to do now, the new battery never drained and still is reading 12 volts, i also checked the alternator connections and they all look to be good, and just on a random hunch i checked all the fuses to and there fine, i dont get how the only things that work are the head lights and the interior lights? could it be something with the computer?

Behind the side fender panel,between the battery and cowl there is a small solenoid that has a bunch of fuse-able links on it you need to check all of those links to make sure that one or more are not blown!! (I believe they will be orange!!)

[Edmond]

Originally Posted by lt4man

JUNK!

I am so dissappointed!!! Why in tarnation would you have to get some sleep before driving home?

And to think you were a role model for me!!!

What is this darn world coming to?

SAVE THE

Take it easy on the Junk. He's old!

[John Robinson]

The car ran with the new battery because it had enough charge in it to start the car and keep it running. If the alternator is not charging or you have a weak cable connection the car is not starting because there is not enough charge to engage the starter. The reason you have things like lights and radio is because they do not require a lot of amps to operate. However the starter requires a lot of amps to work that is why battery's are rated not only in volts but more importently in cold cranking amps. You have run the battery without replaceing the charge and it is now unable to produce the amps needed to engage the starter. Recharge the battery and start the car. Take a volt meter and read the voltage from the alternator at the battery. It should be at least 13.9 to 14.5 if it is lower than that then do as others have suggested and take the alternator to a parts store to be tested. Let us know how this turns out.

[LT4man]

John, very well put.

I cannot think of anything to add.

SAVE THE

[Key West Jack]

Originally Posted by lt4man

John, very well put.

I cannot think of anything to add.

SAVE THE

I agree, spoken like a teacher.

[LT4man]

Originally Posted by Edmond

Take it easy on the Junk. He's old!

Gosh, I thought gmjunkie was just a yung'un!

Now I am going to have to start respecting him a whole lot!

Actually, junk, I will have to learn an awful lot just to TRY to catch up to you! BTW, I think I have one of the most solid (transparent) roofs out there. Thanks to you! I traveled to CO Springs and back and my Vette was quieter than when it was new! Thanks again!

SAVE THE

[mikeman]

ok finally i got the car back from the garage and they even thought it was the alternator lol but it turned out to be the wires underneath the battery corraded so i just thought ill tell you guys what it was if any of you wanted to know, but thanks for the help guys