The motor won't even turn over

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Yesterday, the engine wouldn't even start. It kept turning over and over, and wouldn't catch.

I tried again today, it turned over a few times, and just "froze"...I checked the battery voltage and it's at 12.3. Hooked up a battery charger and set it to "start" mode. The engine still is like frozen. When you turn the key, you hear the starter for a split second, then nothing...like something's hanging up. Could this be the alternator, or starter motor? Thanks in advance.

[Craig 94 TA GT]

I tried it again, and it gives a "clicking" noise...like it's trying to start, but just makes a loud clicking noise where all the internal lights blink on and off with the clicks.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

12.3 volts sounds like the battery isn't charged. Probably the alternator is not charging.

It takes a lot of juice to start a car. Battery cable or a high amp starting cart just don't work with a dead battery. I would suggest charging it for an hour and try it again. If after an hour, you are only getting 12.3 volts out of the batter, the battery is bad. If it starts, disconnect the negative battery cable, get in the car, rev it to like 1500 and start turning on stuff. The alternator should be able to power everything. If not, the alternator is bad.

[Christopherrr]

Originally posted by Jeff 95 Z28
12.3 volts sounds like the battery isn't charged. Probably the alternator is not charging.

It takes a lot of juice to start a car. Battery cable or a high amp starting cart just don't work with a dead battery. I would suggest charging it for an hour and try it again. If after an hour, you are only getting 12.3 volts out of the batter, the battery is bad. If it starts, disconnect the negative battery cable, get in the car, rev it to like 1500 and start turning on stuff. The alternator should be able to power everything. If not, the alternator is bad.

It's the battery dude that's why it won't start...you could just invest in a new one...wait, invest??? Bad choice of words... But if the battery dies on you again, it's the altenator...I keep an eye on my voltage gauge like a hawk.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Originally posted by LimTeng99TransAm
It's the battery dude...you could just invest in a new one...wait, invest??? Bad choice of words...

Not necessarily. If the alternator is dead, he can put a new battery in it and it will be dead again in 3 days. It very well could be the battery but the alternator needs to be checked or it could be a waste of money to buy a battery and not fix the underlying problem.

[Craig 94 TA GT]

OK thanks...I am charging it right now...gonna see how many volts in an hour...and try to start her up. Before my car was sabatoged with sugar in the tank, I did notice that when idling, the voltage gauge was barely just over the yellow. When I turn my fan switch on high, it just bogs and holds in the yellow area...maybe 10-11 volts. If it is the alternator, could this be why the car runs bad from 500-1000 RPM? It isn't getting enough electric power at the lower RPMs?

[Steve95formula]

That could very well be the alternator. Your car won't run long with a bad alternator.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Originally posted by Craig 94 TA GT
OK thanks...I am charging it right now...gonna see how many volts in an hour...and try to start her up. Before my car was sabatoged with sugar in the tank, I did notice that when idling, the voltage gauge was barely just over the yellow. When I turn my fan switch on high, it just bogs and holds in the yellow area...maybe 10-11 volts. If it is the alternator, could this be why the car runs bad from 500-1000 RPM? It isn't getting enough electric power at the lower RPMs?

Yep

[Black97]

In my experiences "clicking" ment low or dead battery.

You may want to have it checled. If it's an older one 4 - 5 yrs. you may want to replace it.

I had a battery for my Vette charged before I went to install it at the storage unit to drive home. It showed more than 13 V at home with the Voltmeter but the car wouldn't even turn over.

If the battery is good, check the alternator next.

[Craig 94 TA GT]

After charging it for about 1/2 hour, it's well above 13 volts, almost at 14 now. Hmmm...makes me think the alternator now?
Is that voltage sufficient to try and start it? Should I leave the charger on it when I try to start it?

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Originally posted by Craig 94 TA GT
After charging it for about 1/2 hour, it's well above 13 volts, almost at 14 now. Hmmm...makes me think the alternator now?
Is that voltage sufficient to try and start it? Should I leave the charger on it when I try to start it?

Try starting it. I leave my charger on when starting all the time. Sometimes it trips the auto circuit breaker but it usually helps.

[Craig 94 TA GT]

OK, it now turns over well...but it hestiates once in a while. If I pressurize the fuel system, then quickly turn it on, then it will turn over correctly. If I wait for the fuel pressure to drop to 0, it will hestitate turning over...then a few seconds later, turn over. Not sure if it's because I'm using up the battery's charge quickly - which maybe what's causing the hesitation?

On a side note, the car will not start because I have a bad fuel leak in the system. Maybe the battery died from me trying to start it so many times previously.

When I try to start the car for several seconds, and it doesn't start, I can hear a "whooshing" sound coming from the engine. The "whooshing" stops as soon as the fuel pressure drops to 0. I cannot feel any fuel leaks exterior. But of course, I posted this problem before, and nobody could figure out where's the leak coming from!! O well...will take it in. At least they won't try to rip me off for a new battery!

[fastTa]

Craig I have my stock FPR off my 97 WS6. You can have it if you want it. It would probably be worth at least ruling that part out. Let me know.

Sounds like you just wore down the battery from repeatedly powering the fuel pump. If it is holding a high 13 volt charge it is likely still good.

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Thanks Kevin...I will notify you if I need the FPR. Just let me know how much you want for it + shipping.
I had it towed back to the shop (with the help of Steve93Z ) because the insurance won't reimburse me for anything I do to the car. They said I'm not a licensed mechanic, so I'm on my own if I do anything myself. Hopefully they'll cover me for a new FPR and injectors. If not, I'll take your offer
I just hope I don't have a fuel leak somewhere other than those two places. I can actually hear fuel dripping now when I try to crank it over, however, cannot see nor feel any fuel anywhere! I can smell it a tiny bit, but I'm not sure if that's just the smell from me constantly testing the fuel system before.

Regarding the battery, I think it's OK, but I checked it this morning, and the charge was down to 12.5 volts (from ~13.5 yesterday). I think it's on its way out. I tried to crank her over and it just stopped. Tried again, then cranked fine. I even had the charger on "start" mode, yet sometimes the battery didn't have any juice to crank it over. I'm not sure if it's not making good contact, or if it's just that weak. Maybe when I get it back, I'll try to clean the terminals and see.

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

A battery is nominally 12.6 volts (2.1V/cell X 6). A charged up battery will actually hold more voltage than that, but some of it will taper off after a little use. It also doesn't do much good to only measure it under no load situation, because the starter will draw several hundred amps and the voltage will dip to 10 volts or so on a healthy battery. If your voltage dips much lower than that while cranking, it is probably no good or discharged, and that really low voltage will play hell with the electronics and injectors too. The current reserve capability will drop off on an old battery due to ageing of the internal plates and it is worse on a battery that has been deeply discharged a few times. That can take the life out of a lead acid battery unless it is a deep cycle type (and even those don't last that long). If you get the car running, you can measure the current going into the battery which should only be a few amps (measure with a clamp-on meter) and also measure the battery voltage which should be about 13.8V if the alternator is working and the battery isn't to bad off. You can't trust the instrument meter to within a couple volts - it is not that accurate, you need a VOM or DVM right on the battery.

As an example, you could put a bunch of watch batteries together in series and make 12 or 14V, but you could not crank over your car with it. The voltage would drop to nearly zero and the current would rise to whaterer that combo could put out until the thing was out of juice. This is an exaggeration of what can happen to an old car battery that seems to charge up a little, but will not start the car.