Car wont start. Makes a loud clicking noise. Battery good. Went out bought, and installed a new starter.?
Car wont start. Makes a loud clicking noise. Battery good, brand new. Wont take a jump either. Went out bought, and installed a new starter. Manual transmission, will work when push started.
ideas?
2009-02-23T17:54:58Z
At first, it took 5 or 6 tries to get it to start. It'd click, click, click then turn over.
Then it got to 10 or 20. Then 5 minutes of trying.
Now it just wont go at all.
2009-02-23T18:19:17Z
I'm fairly amateur, as in I've never even replaced my oil myself.
There is a lot of corrosion on the positive cable connection; but would all the electrical functions (radio, lights) still work fine, but not be able to start?
annyda2009-02-23T18:12:39Z
Favorite Answer
sounds like a bad connection to starter motor recheck your wiring. was pinion gear on old stater badly worn? u may also have a badly worn ring gear and starter wont engage properly.
Do you own a voltmeter? This sounds like a wiring problem. The clicking noise that you hear is probably the starter solenoid pulling in. Sounds like you don't have enough battery amperage to the starter to make it turn over.
Check the voltage at the battery. You should meter between 13 and 14.5 volts with the key off. Meter the voltage when you turn the key, if it drops below 10 volts then you may have a battery problem. Could be a broken cell.
Check the voltage at the starter's positive terminal. You can test between the terminal (usually positive) and the frame (usually negative). If the battery is good and you don't see 12 volts at the starter then you have a wiring problem.
Possible cause is the battery ground cable is not tightly connected to the frame or the battery post. Did you clean the cable ends when you replaced the battery? Check the end of the negative cable connected to the frame of the vehicle. Is it loose or corroded?
If you don't find a problem with the negative cable, check the positive cable. BEFORE putting your wrench on any of the postive terminals, disconnect the negative cable from the battery (for safety). If the battery is connected to the frame and you touch your wrench between the positive terminal and the frame, the battery could explode. VERY BAD.
make sure the interior light dimmer wheel is not turned to dome, at its full turn. you can hit that with your knee by accident on a merc sable. its by the light switch on the dash, low. Parasitic draw. you said you can hear something working inside when the keys are out. You said its basically a brand new battery. Find the component making the noise and shut it off or un plug it. but at any rate. take the battery to get it charged back up by a tech who knows how to charge an automotive battery. like a tire store and service center. Or, since it has been 1000 miles ask the carlot for help. they might even bring you a battery and get you back to their favorite shop to get it handled. When you are done, you should have a charged battery, a load test on that battery, a starter draw test, and a check of the cable connection at the starter dammit. these things for those years changed the use of a bite washer. some look ok but have poor connection. an alternator out put test, and very important, a parasitic draw test.