Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: trigger2 on September 10, 2009, 12:45:30 AM
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Well, our '01 Ford Taurus just threw a tissy fit, here's the story...
My '95 Mercury Villager's battery died. Great, mom just left... Give her a call, "mom, need a jump." So she comes back (thank god) and we set up the jumper cables (+/+ : -/engine block), and try and jump, nope, she doesn't take the jump, she just won't roll over. So later that night, go out, get a new battery, and crapola, same voltage but it's about an inch to short! The battery mount won't hold her! Okay, okay, so I try and jump her one last time, again, no joy. So, I take out the dead battery, hook the new one up, and put the old one on the ground, hooked up the jumper cables (+/+ : -/-) and tried to charge the dead one. It worked, been running it, so I go to pull our Taurus back into the garage, and CRAP! She won't start! All I got was a weird clicking noise, sounded like the starter was tryin, but the battery wasn't giving her anything... But she still had full power! Open the door, all the lighting clicked on. Hook her up to the battery charger, says she's full, try and start her one last time, woah, did I see that right? At 1 click forward (engaging electrical), I got these lights on...
Battery warning
Brake warning
Check engine
and oil.
o.O that can't be right. So I dink around with the battery, and try and give the Taurus the jump this time, to no avail, just made the clicks more rapid. So after a little bit of thinking (about an hours worth of frustration), I decide okay, I'll just disconnect the power and see what that does. So I disconnect the battery for about five minutes. After reconnecting the battery, try and start her up, and she fired up just fine.
What the heck was wrong with her?
For the record, the new battery fit her perfectly so I swapped them out because of acid build up on the old... Soda water FTW. :D
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Well, our '01 Ford Taurus just threw a tissy fit, here's the story...
My '95 Mercury Villager's battery died. Great, mom just left... Give her a call, "mom, need a jump." So she comes back (thank god) and we set up the jumper cables (+/+ : -/engine block), and try and jump, nope, she doesn't take the jump, she just won't roll over. So later that night, go out, get a new battery, and crapola, same voltage but it's about an inch to short! The battery mount won't hold her! Okay, okay, so I try and jump her one last time, again, no joy. So, I take out the dead battery, hook the new one up, and put the old one on the ground, hooked up the jumper cables (+/+ : -/-) and tried to charge the dead one. It worked, been running it, so I go to pull our Taurus back into the garage, and CRAP! She won't start! All I got was a weird clicking noise, sounded like the starter was tryin, but the battery wasn't giving her anything... But she still had full power! Open the door, all the lighting clicked on. Hook her up to the battery charger, says she's full, try and start her one last time, woah, did I see that right? At 1 click forward (engaging electrical), I got these lights on...Ok with the key one click forward on most cars a "warning light check" will occur. This is normal.
Battery warning
Brake warning
Check engine
and oil.
o.O that can't be right. So I dink around with the battery, and try and give the Taurus the jump this time, to no avail, just made the clicks more rapid. So after a little bit of thinking (about an hours worth of frustration), I decide okay, I'll just disconnect the power and see what that does. So I disconnect the battery for about five minutes. After reconnecting the battery, try and start her up, and she fired up just fine.
What the heck was wrong with her?
For the record, the new battery fit her perfectly so I swapped them out because of acid build up on the old... Soda water FTW. :D
So the new battery works sometimes. With out actually being there, lets start with the the battery cables, and any connections from the cables. Make sure that the end of the cables that connect to the battery are clean and free of corrosion. Next follow the ground wire (- or black wire) to the grounding point. While your following the ground wire, check for exposed strains of wire, burnt wire, and corrosion at the point where the cable is attached to the body of the car. Next do the same to the positive, except this time it will go to the starter solenoid, If its a 3.0L Villager shouldnt be to hard to see. If your talking about a Tauras and it a 3.0L also about the same. If its a Tauras SHO with the 3.2L Yammaha V8 the starter is burried and I hope you have small arms. But start with the cables and connections and we'll go from there.
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used to have an old morris 1500 that done that. It was a sticky solenoid that occaisionally required a little violence with a small hammer or large spanner to free it up.
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Battery cable connection problem.
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Lights coming on is a bad indicator of how much charge a battery has. Lights do not pull much at all.
The old battery probably has a dead cell. When that happens you won't be able to start the vehicle with just a jump.
If the vehicle starts only sometimes with the new battery in it then you need to do a few things.
#1. Clean the cable connectors very good with a wire brush and confirm the cables are not frayed at the cable clamps. (this fixes the problem most of the time)
#2 Check the ground cable to the engine block. (be sure it is connected tightly)
#3 Check the hot cable to the solenoid to be sure it is not lose.
If all those check out ok then the solenoid on the starter may be faulty. The clicking you heard before is actually the solenoid. It'll do that when it is not getting enough power. The solenoids job is to engage the bendix with the flywheel prior to it also energizing the starter motor.
I'm betting the cables are just dirty.
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Well, our '01 Ford Taurus just threw a tissy fit, here's the story...
My '95 Mercury Villager's battery died. Great, mom just left... Give her a call, "mom, need a jump." So she comes back (thank god) and we set up the jumper cables (+/+ : -/engine block), and try and jump, nope, she doesn't take the jump, she just won't roll over. So later that night, go out, get a new battery, and crapola, same voltage but it's about an inch to short! The battery mount won't hold her! Okay, okay, so I try and jump her one last time, again, no joy. So, I take out the dead battery, hook the new one up, and put the old one on the ground, hooked up the jumper cables (+/+ : -/-) and tried to charge the dead one. It worked, been running it, so I go to pull our Taurus back into the garage, and CRAP! She won't start! All I got was a weird clicking noise, sounded like the starter was tryin, but the battery wasn't giving her anything... But she still had full power! Open the door, all the lighting clicked on. Hook her up to the battery charger, says she's full, try and start her one last time, woah, did I see that right? At 1 click forward (engaging electrical), I got these lights on...
Battery warning
Brake warning
Check engine
and oil.
o.O that can't be right. So I dink around with the battery, and try and give the Taurus the jump this time, to no avail, just made the clicks more rapid. So after a little bit of thinking (about an hours worth of frustration), I decide okay, I'll just disconnect the power and see what that does. So I disconnect the battery for about five minutes. After reconnecting the battery, try and start her up, and she fired up just fine.
What the heck was wrong with her?
For the record, the new battery fit her perfectly so I swapped them out because of acid build up on the old... Soda water FTW. :D
it's possible the old battery had a shorted cell. 9 out of 10 times, they'll never take a jump.
if you installed a new battery, and still got a no-start, then you need to check for voltage drops. check all of your connections, both positive, and ground.
as for the taurus.....if you were letting it idle, while it was charging the battery, you drained the one in the taurus. the alternator will put out very very low amperage at idle. usually just enough to run the engine and a couple of accessories. most taurus's have alternators rated at 105 amps. this is at 2,000 rpm though. at idle, you'll never generate that amperage.
lights don't draw too much, so they're a very poor indicator of your state of charge. if you light every light on your car, you might draw 30 amps from the battery.
your starter draws around 250-300 amps.
the biggest thing with anything electrical though(5.0 nailed the basics) is keeping all connections clean. small amounts of corrosion will play havoc with your electrical system. i've seen more ground side problems in the last few years than i can count.
hope this helps. is it still acting funny?
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hope this helps. is it still acting funny?
No, with the new battery in her, she fires up every time.
Thanks for the replies, guys. ;)
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No, with the new battery in her, she fires up every time.
Thanks for the replies, guys. ;)
cool.
one more thing to remember. fords sometimes don't run quite right after the battery has been disconnected. it could take up to about 10 miles of driving to let the computer "re-learn".
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Sounds like just a computer problem on the Taurus, which was common on the one my Ex used to have and I took care of. Its computer had two issues, the main one was that the radiator fan wouldn't shut down, even after removing the key form the ignition. Required you to unplug the battery or just unplug the fuse for it and then re-plug it back in. The radiator fan issue was random and sporatic, and the !@#$ing dealership could/would never come up with the source of the problem to it and a solution. The other being its starting problem similar to yours. Involved unplugging the battery for 10-15 minutes so the computer would reset, and walla, car worked fine. Sometime idled rough until you ran it for a bit, as someone pointed out, the computer takes a little time/milage to catch up to speed with the rest of the car's more solid mechanical parts. =P
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Sounds like just a computer problem on the Taurus, which was common on the one my Ex used to have and I took care of. Its computer had two issues, the main one was that the radiator fan wouldn't shut down, even after removing the key form the ignition. Required you to unplug the battery or just unplug the fuse for it and then re-plug it back in. The radiator fan issue was random and sporatic, and the !@#$ing dealership could/would never come up with the source of the problem to it and a solution. The other being its starting problem similar to yours. Involved unplugging the battery for 10-15 minutes so the computer would reset, and walla, car worked fine. Sometime idled rough until you ran it for a bit, as someone pointed out, the computer takes a little time/milage to catch up to speed with the rest of the car's more solid mechanical parts. =P
your fan problem was the "integrated circuit control relay module".
that's the little black box mounted right on top of the radiator. they all to bad. :aok
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Sounds like just a computer problem on the Taurus, which was common on the one my Ex used to have and I took care of. Its computer had two issues, the main one was that the radiator fan wouldn't shut down, even after removing the key form the ignition. Required you to unplug the battery or just unplug the fuse for it and then re-plug it back in. The radiator fan issue was random and sporatic, and the !@#$ing dealership could/would never come up with the source of the problem to it and a solution. The other being its starting problem similar to yours. Involved unplugging the battery for 10-15 minutes so the computer would reset, and walla, car worked fine. Sometime idled rough until you ran it for a bit, as someone pointed out, the computer takes a little time/milage to catch up to speed with the rest of the car's more solid mechanical parts. =P
i almost forgot..your starting problem........was very very simple too.
there was corrosion forming between the battery cable end, and the battery post.
by removing the cable, you were in essence, "scrubbing" the corrosion off of them, and when you re-connected them, you now had a good connection...till the corrosion formed again.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< is very very good at diagnosing electrical and electronic problems. :aok
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Well, our '01 Ford Taurus just threw a tissy fit, here's the story...
My '95 Mercury Villager's battery died. Great, mom just left... Give her a call, "mom, need a jump." So she comes back (thank god) and we set up the jumper cables (+/+ : -/engine block), and try and jump, nope, she doesn't take the jump, she just won't roll over. So later that night, go out, get a new battery, and crapola, same voltage but it's about an inch to short! The battery mount won't hold her! Okay, okay, so I try and jump her one last time, again, no joy. So, I take out the dead battery, hook the new one up, and put the old one on the ground, hooked up the jumper cables (+/+ : -/-) and tried to charge the dead one. It worked, been running it, so I go to pull our Taurus back into the garage, and CRAP! She won't start! All I got was a weird clicking noise, sounded like the starter was tryin, but the battery wasn't giving her anything... But she still had full power! Open the door, all the lighting clicked on. Hook her up to the battery charger, says she's full, try and start her one last time, woah, did I see that right? At 1 click forward (engaging electrical), I got these lights on...
Battery warning
Brake warning
Check engine
and oil.
o.O that can't be right. So I dink around with the battery, and try and give the Taurus the jump this time, to no avail, just made the clicks more rapid. So after a little bit of thinking (about an hours worth of frustration), I decide okay, I'll just disconnect the power and see what that does. So I disconnect the battery for about five minutes. After reconnecting the battery, try and start her up, and she fired up just fine.
What the heck was wrong with her?
For the record, the new battery fit her perfectly so I swapped them out because of acid build up on the old... Soda water FTW. :D
I was going to recommend Cap since he owns one but he must spend hours scanning the boards because he beat me to it.
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I was going to recommend Cap since he owns one but he must spend hours scanning the boards because he beat me to it.
and due to my knowledge, i seem to have gained a new anklehumper. orrrrr.......bigplay is another of lazydogs shades.......
sheesh dude.......give it a rest, could ya/?
i try to offer help to someone, and you're gonna try n bring this thread down too?
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and due to my knowledge, i seem to have gained a new anklehumper. orrrrr.......bigplay is another of lazydogs shades.......
sheesh dude.......give it a rest, could ya/?
i try to offer help to someone, and you're gonna try n bring this thread down too?
:rofl
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when i seen u said a bunch of lights came on in ur dash i though alternator. that happened in my grand prix....but if all the lights are out and u got it started, it was prolly just a bad connection on ur battery.
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when i seen u said a bunch of lights came on in ur dash i though alternator. that happened in my grand prix....but if all the lights are out and u got it started, it was prolly just a bad connection on ur battery.
you'd be surprised at how many people i've worked with, that replace an alternator, and then couldn't figure out why it still didn't charge. :D
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you'd be surprised at how many people i've worked with, that replace an alternator, and then couldn't figure out why it still didn't charge. :D
i have a system in my car and it killed my alternator....but when it went out ALL of my idiot lights came on. it was crazy! but yeah....i clean mine every so often specially before winter hits so that i make sure i dont have the dirty connection problems and find myself stranded some where. and with my system in my car i dont like to get a jump start as i fried an amp doing that. i was so mad at myself for that.....but u live and u learn :)
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i have a system in my car and it killed my alternator....but when it went out ALL of my idiot lights came on. it was crazy! but yeah....i clean mine every so often specially before winter hits so that i make sure i dont have the dirty connection problems and find myself stranded some where. and with my system in my car i dont like to get a jump start as i fried an amp doing that. i was so mad at myself for that.....but u live and u learn :)
what kind of car? if it's a ford, or chevy, you can look into getting an alternator from a police package. these are normally rated at over 120 amps.
there used to be a company that modified the old style gm alternators, to fit into hondas, and they were rated in the 150 amp range.
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i almost forgot..your starting problem........was very very simple too.
there was corrosion forming between the battery cable end, and the battery post.
by removing the cable, you were in essence, "scrubbing" the corrosion off of them, and when you re-connected them, you now had a good connection...till the corrosion formed again.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< is very very good at diagnosing electrical and electronic problems. :aok
Well Cap, I wish you coulda told me that a few years, a couple mechanic/dealiship bills, and a half-dozen batteries ago (ok, so all but two I was able to recharge, still), but she is gone and her car (5 months after leaving me) is dead ( :rofl :devil ), guess whoever it is she left me for didn't take care of her car for her (probabley one of the many things with him she hasn't mentioned yet that she has tried to vent and cry on my shoulder about in the last couple of months) *shrug* women.
Anywho, cars, yeah I cleaned the battery connectors of very minor corrosion when the radiator problem started. Steelwool + that corrosion prevention spray stuff. I would check but it never had more than a pinhead or two of corrosion after that on the connectors, I know because I would check it fairly often whenever I had to recharge the battery, chagne the battery, or had a problem with it starting. I swear to you it was the stupid computer, but that's my hypothesis. Was a good car in my opinion overall, just that the computer/electronics was its only flaw. But it doesn't matter anymore, like I said, what hasn't been scrapped off of it is probabley sitting in a nice little cube at the bottom of the ocean.
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what kind of car? if it's a ford, or chevy, you can look into getting an alternator from a police package. these are normally rated at over 120 amps.
there used to be a company that modified the old style gm alternators, to fit into hondas, and they were rated in the 150 amp range.
it a 2000 pontiac grand prix GT
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it a 2000 pontiac grand prix GT
aahhh.....
i believe that car has the "CS" series alternator. they were notorious for trashing the rear bearings, just under normal load.
i would imagine, that you should be able to find a hi-output alternator for that car though. they're pretty popular still.
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I hate that betty. Sounds like your sound system doesn't stay turned off if you turn it off and the power goes out (or the battery completely dies), so as soon as you get some juice from the jump it turns itself on and then eats a power surge.
There are some car converters (I think that's what they're called... been a couple years since I was around "the biz") you can get to minimize any power surges to your audio system, but they require a bit of wireing sometimes... if your system is worth some $ though, it's worth the trouble. But look into an aftermarket alternator like Cap said if you're eatign through the factory standard ones. The police ones are pretty robust, probabley too much for what you're using, but there are a lot of aftermarket ones that make enough juice for you audio system and other entertainment goodies. You won't have to pay a higher dollar for the heavy-duty police alternators, which could power your system, operate the margarita blender in the back seat, and more after-market lights per square inch than Las Vegas.
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I hate that betty. Sounds like your sound system doesn't stay turned off if you turn it off and the power goes out (or the battery completely dies), so as soon as you get some juice from the jump it turns itself on and then eats a power surge.
There are some car converters (I think that's what they're called... been a couple years since I was around "the biz") you can get to minimize any power surges to your audio system, but they require a bit of wireing sometimes... if your system is worth some $ though, it's worth the trouble. But look into an aftermarket alternator like Cap said if you're eatign through the factory standard ones. The police ones are pretty robust, probabley too much for what you're using, but there are a lot of aftermarket ones that make enough juice for you audio system and other entertainment goodies. You won't have to pay a higher dollar for the heavy-duty police alternators, which could power your system, operate the margarita blender in the back seat, and more after-market lights per square inch than Las Vegas.
ik think you're right. i think they use some sort of capacitor now, to store, and ramp up the amperage for the system.
you can't get too bg of an alternator(outputwise), as it'll only put out what's needed at any time, till something happens that outruns it....kinda like these systems do to most stock alternators.
that car also had an option of a 105 amp or an 85 amp alternator. the 105 still wouldn't be enough though.
check here. i never dealt with them, but just found them on google.
http://www.alternatorparts.com/
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Let the voltage regulator go bad and you'll see your battery go bye bye. :)
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Let the voltage regulator go bad and you'll see your battery go bye bye. :)
aHA!!
99% of the cars and light trucks have the voltage regulator built into the alternator now. :D
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aHA!!
99% of the cars and light trucks have the voltage regulator built into the alternator now. :D
Yup and that is what usually goes bad. Requires replacing the whole alty.
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Yup and that is what usually goes bad. Requires replacing the whole alty.
YEP.
it's one of those things that makes me think bad things about engineers.
on a side note, there is one or two models of the bosche alternators....or is it nippondenso? either way, there's a few that have removable regulators....and a couple that ya can actually unbolt a little plate, and the brushes come out.
problem, is that it;s nearly impossible to buy them.
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ik think you're right. i think they use some sort of capacitor now, to store, and ramp up the amperage for the system.
you can't get too bg of an alternator(outputwise), as it'll only put out what's needed at any time, till something happens that outruns it....kinda like these systems do to most stock alternators.
that car also had an option of a 105 amp or an 85 amp alternator. the 105 still wouldn't be enough though.
check here. i never dealt with them, but just found them on google.
http://www.alternatorparts.com/
Doh!, sorry, meant it might of been too much $ for what she needs. The ones law enforcement use are on the high end from what I remember, but that was 10-8 years ago last I was in "the know". They're not bad (and who wouldn't want to be able to run a blender, hot tub, and capachino maker in their back seat?), but if you're sensitive to your wallet, there are better aftermarket options to look into.
What I used to do back in the day for my car audio needs was research what I wanted (specs and prices) online, then run to a couple after-market shops where I was all chumy with the owners (one of whom was a neighbor, and thus how I first got into this stuff). I'd hagle them for a cheaper price than what I found online and at hte local mega-stores, which often they could beat but sometimes couldn't. Can't hagle the chain or corporate electronic stores, but you can the independent guys, and often they can strike ya a deal that's cheaper than what the corporate guys will sling ya (and the mega-stores deals are really only on merchandise they're trying to clear out because something newer and better is already on the way...).
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Doh!, sorry, meant it might of been too much $ for what she needs. The ones law enforcement use are on the high end from what I remember, but that was 10-8 years ago last I was in "the know". They're not bad (and who wouldn't want to be able to run a blender, hot tub, and capachino maker in their back seat?), but if you're sensitive to your wallet, there are better aftermarket options to look into.
What I used to do back in the day for my car audio needs was research what I wanted (specs and prices) online, then run to a couple after-market shops where I was all chumy with the owners (one of whom was a neighbor, and thus how I first got into this stuff). I'd hagle them for a cheaper price than what I found online and at hte local mega-stores, which often they could beat but sometimes couldn't. Can't hagle the chain or corporate electronic stores, but you can the independent guys, and often they can strike ya a deal that's cheaper than what the corporate guys will sling ya (and the mega-stores deals are really only on merchandise they're trying to clear out because something newer and better is already on the way...).
aahhhh......
well...it's only money. i don't really have a lot either.....and probably never will, as i really suck at saving it. if i see something i want, and have the cash, i grab it.
this past summer, i bought a system(it's frakkin GREAT) from tildeath......shouldn't have really, but you know how this game gets........
shortly before that, i saw a hoyt ultra-tech target bow. beautiful, left handed, and only 500 bucks. it was shiny, so now it's mine. again, shouldn't have.....but i had money in my pocket when i saw it.
i can't take it with me, so i figure i'll have "stuff". :aok
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I swear to you it was the stupid computer, but that's my hypothesis. Was a good car in my opinion overall, just that the computer/electronics was its only flaw.
It's rarely ever the modules fault.
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Anything computer controlled in a car is basically rebooted when you disconnect the battery.
It's a wonder they work at all :)
As Cap and others have said .. clean connections, especially to ground, are required.
If they get intermittent, you get all kinda weird stuff goin on.
-GE aka Frank
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Lights coming on is a bad indicator of how much charge a battery has. Lights do not pull much at all.
The old battery probably has a dead cell. When that happens you won't be able to start the vehicle with just a jump.
If the vehicle starts only sometimes with the new battery in it then you need to do a few things.
#1. Clean the cable connectors very good with a wire brush and confirm the cables are not frayed at the cable clamps. (this fixes the problem most of the time)
#2 Check the ground cable to the engine block. (be sure it is connected tightly)
#3 Check the hot cable to the solenoid to be sure it is not lose.
If all those check out ok then the solenoid on the starter may be faulty. The clicking you heard before is actually the solenoid. It'll do that when it is not getting enough power. The solenoids job is to engage the bendix with the flywheel prior to it also energizing the starter motor.
I'm betting the cables are just dirty.
When I was in college I worked as an associate at Batteries Plus (though far from a mechanic). So I've dealt with hundreds of can battery installs over the years. Without physically seeing the vehicle , I'm going to actually go out and lean towards this being a starter related issue. Especially with the intermittenent starting. It's not taking a jump etc and after it sat for a bit it started etc.
I don't think its terminal/cable corrosion related. You REALLY have to have a lot of corrosion on the cables to really affect a good batter from starting, especially on top terminal batteries, side terminals are a different story. I've see a green christmas tree on top of a '98 Dodge Neon battery and it was still able to start (though just barely). And if there is a lot of corrosion, its generally a sign of a bad battery. The batteries will begin to get really hot during use (car running/driving/alternator charging it) and the acid will begin to boil and either 1) vent large amounts of hydrogen gas through the side vents and/or 2) boil enough to spill out the top caps a bit. Once the acid starts getting to the led terminals and cables, it becomes christmas time.
The Villager's V6 doesn't take a whole lot of power to turn over the engine. It takes a Group 35 battery rated about 450 CCA to do the job, though to turn it over in a normal climate takes a bit less CCA. Interstart/Exide/East Penn batteries in Group 35's range from 500 to 550 CCA, more than enough to do the job. About 95% of your aftermarket batteries are made by these 3 companies, no matter what the label on the side says.
If it was alternator related, either the voltage regulator or the whole unit in general, we would see different symptoms I believe. A bad voltage regulator would definantly harm the battery, but it should still take a jump start. A bad alternator would take a jump, but the car would more than likely shut off after the engine is running since its drawing electricity away from the battery and once the battery cannot fulfill the electrical need of the car, it will shut off everything. Once a vehicle is start, the battery should just sit back and take a charge, unless the alternator (or a cable short somewhere) is draining the battery.
It's possible there is a short in the cars wiring as well. If there is, the amp requirement to turn over the engine may be astronomical. I've seen vehicles with faulty fog light wiring that have maxed out a 100 amp charger trying to do a jump start and still failing to start it.
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When I was in college I worked as an associate at Batteries Plus (though far from a mechanic). So I've dealt with hundreds of can battery installs over the years. Without physically seeing the vehicle , I'm going to actually go out and lean towards this being a starter related issue. Especially with the intermittenent starting. It's not taking a jump etc and after it sat for a bit it started etc.THE very last sentence in this paragraph is the main clue to a bad battery.
I don't think its terminal/cable corrosion related. You REALLY have to have a lot of corrosion on the cables to really affect a good batter from starting, especially on top terminal batteries, side terminals are a different story. the corrosion that's causing the problem isn't what you see on top. it's what has fromed in between the terminal and the post. most al of the cars that have something to keep moisture out, will eventually have this problem, as they let it in, then keep it there. i've also seen batterys leak acid out through one of the posts......add some current, and walah!! corrosion. I've see a green christmas tree on top of a '98 Dodge Neon battery and it was still able to start (though just barely). And if there is a lot of corrosion, its generally a sign of a bad battery. The batteries will begin to get really hot during use (car running/driving/alternator charging it) and the acid will begin to boil and either 1) vent large amounts of hydrogen gas through the side vents and/or 2) boil enough to spill out the top caps a bit. Once the acid starts getting to the led terminals and cables, it becomes christmas time.if the battery is getting hot enough to boil the acid, then there is another problem somewhere. it could be anything from a shorted cell in the battery, causing it to draw too much from the alternator, the corrosion that's causing problems can cause it to draw too much, to an over charging alternator.
The Villager's V6 doesn't take a whole lot of power to turn over the engine.that engine should peak out at 300 amps, then drop to 225-250 under extended crank. It takes a Group 35 battery rated about 450 CCA to do the job, though to turn it over in a normal climate takes a bit less CCA. Interstart/Exide/East Penn batteries in Group 35's range from 500 to 550 CCA, more than enough to do the job. About 95% of your aftermarket batteries are made by these 3 companies, no matter what the label on the side says.
If it was alternator related, either the voltage regulator or the whole unit in general, we would see different symptoms I believe. A bad voltage regulator would definantly harm the battery, but it should still take a jump start. A bad alternator would take a jump, but the car would more than likely shut off after the engine is running since its drawing electricity away from the battery and once the battery cannot fulfill the electrical need of the car, it will shut off everything. Once a vehicle is start, the battery should just sit back and take a charge, unless the alternator (or a cable short somewhere) is draining the battery.
It's possible there is a short in the cars wiring as well. If there is, the amp requirement to turn over the engine may be astronomical. I've seen vehicles with faulty fog light wiring that have maxed out a 100 amp charger trying to do a jump start and still failing to start it.
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Yeah so I don't remember reading that last sentence. I was under the assumption the OP mentioned nothing about corrosion. And all valid points CAP1.
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Yeah so I don't remember reading that last sentence. I was under the assumption the OP mentioned nothing about corrosion. And all valid points CAP1.
:aok
ya...wasn't trying to discount what you put up here.....all this info is good for others to read too. :aok
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I hate that betty. Sounds like your sound system doesn't stay turned off if you turn it off and the power goes out (or the battery completely dies), so as soon as you get some juice from the jump it turns itself on and then eats a power surge.
There are some car converters (I think that's what they're called... been a couple years since I was around "the biz") you can get to minimize any power surges to your audio system, but they require a bit of wireing sometimes... if your system is worth some $ though, it's worth the trouble. But look into an aftermarket alternator like Cap said if you're eatign through the factory standard ones. The police ones are pretty robust, probabley too much for what you're using, but there are a lot of aftermarket ones that make enough juice for you audio system and other entertainment goodies. You won't have to pay a higher dollar for the heavy-duty police alternators, which could power your system, operate the margarita blender in the back seat, and more after-market lights per square inch than Las Vegas.
it does go off when the key is off...but when the bass kicks in..specially at night, my lights will dim. cops dont like blinking lights hehe. i have a thunder cap for it. its just what cap was sayin, it stores power from the batter just for the system so that it doesn't over work the alternator or battery.