[Z06] Another battery issue thread. Only fires up 3 times.
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Another battery issue thread. Only fires up 3 times.
My car is having a battery issue. I have a year old AC Delco stock battery. Problem is, it only fires the motor about 3 times before it "dies" and then you cant start the car anymore. If I drive somewhere and get out, that 1 time. Get back in to start the car thats 2 times, if I stop for gas and get back in, thats 3 times. If I need to stop again, the car wont fire up again. Each time I should mention, when I start the car, the battery fires weaker and weaker. Starter is new, battery is like new and tested fine at Autozone reading 675CCA. Went to start the car right after and...wouldnt start. A little puzzled. Car is at the shop today getting looked over.
#2
Melting Slicks
Alternator might be bad. You test that? Also sounds to me it is because if the alternator doesn't put out power. Your car is going to be running off your battery. All the battery is there for is to start the car. Once started the alternator powers everything and also charges the battery.
#5
Back in the old days you could test the alt by disconnecting the battery. Would not recommend that with newier cars. With all the electrics and computers you could get a surge and cause more problems. Autozone can check your alt the right way with the proper equipment.
#6
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Oct 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
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Check the battery connection on the starter.
Bill
Bill
#7
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Alternator is new. I can test it though. Thanks guys. My tuner is thinking the starter is the issue but that is also new. He checked everything around the starter all connections are good. It's either the battery itself or the starter
#8
Instructor
Yep, no such thing as a small electrical problem - hang in there. Bad ground somewhere else ? Something draining ... didn't leave on a courtesy light ( I've done it ). Just thinking out loud here -
#10
Burning Brakes
What happened to simply taking a multimeter and testing voltage at the battery. Car not running with meter hooked to pos and neg battery terminals should read 12V. Start the car and perform same test should read ~14.2V at the battery. Sorry if I am missing something here. I am sure others will chime in.
#11
Burning Brakes
Not knocking your answer and maybe you know something I do not. I am not so sure this is sound advice. Never, never disconnect a battery with the car running or you run the risk of blowing a diode in the alternator.
What happened to simply taking a multimeter and testing voltage at the battery. Car not running with meter hooked to pos and neg battery terminals should read 12V. Start the car and perform same test should read ~14.2V at the battery. Sorry if I am missing something here. I am sure others will chime in.
What happened to simply taking a multimeter and testing voltage at the battery. Car not running with meter hooked to pos and neg battery terminals should read 12V. Start the car and perform same test should read ~14.2V at the battery. Sorry if I am missing something here. I am sure others will chime in.
#12
Not knocking your answer and maybe you know something I do not. I am not so sure this is sound advice. Never, never disconnect a battery with the car running or you run the risk of blowing a diode in the alternator.
What happened to simply taking a multimeter and testing voltage at the battery. Car not running with meter hooked to pos and neg battery terminals should read 12V. Start the car and perform same test should read ~14.2V at the battery. Sorry if I am missing something here. I am sure others will chime in.
What happened to simply taking a multimeter and testing voltage at the battery. Car not running with meter hooked to pos and neg battery terminals should read 12V. Start the car and perform same test should read ~14.2V at the battery. Sorry if I am missing something here. I am sure others will chime in.
#13
I had something similar, it turned out to be a loose battery cable. Those clamps are a little strange, they feel like they are tightening but apparently they weren't.
#14
Burning Brakes
I had same thing happen on a car I had years ago. Starter would heat up while being driven, and expand just a hair, dragging and finally seizing inside its case. I changed out the starter, and all was good.
#15
Safety Car
Thread Starter
This is what we have come to the conclusion of. Its the starter. All grounds are good, wires are good, battery is good, etc. Ill keep everyone posted.
#17
Instructor
I had a problem like this with a new braille battery on my 350z (tuner shop recommended and bought). The battery was new and the voltage always looked good but it was toast on the inside. After I got stranded downtown and had to call a friend to jump my car I just went out and bought a Die hard platinum. 5 year free replacement warranty is hard to beat.
Braille was supposed to be this high end battery, but they don't warranty past a year. After that you are on your own.
Braille was supposed to be this high end battery, but they don't warranty past a year. After that you are on your own.
#18
Pro
My car is having a battery issue. I have a year old AC Delco stock battery. Problem is, it only fires the motor about 3 times before it "dies" and then you cant start the car anymore. If I drive somewhere and get out, that 1 time. Get back in to start the car thats 2 times, if I stop for gas and get back in, thats 3 times. If I need to stop again, the car wont fire up again. Each time I should mention, when I start the car, the battery fires weaker and weaker. Starter is new, battery is like new and tested fine at Autozone reading 675CCA. Went to start the car right after and...wouldnt start. A little puzzled. Car is at the shop today getting looked over.
One thing I have learned is regarding the load test at Auto-Zone.
The battery should be subject to load a min of 3 times.
I've observed Batteries to pass Load Test once or twice. In many cases, the third showed the drop of the Battery when load was applied.
Not saying it is or it is not the Battery. Test static voltage, test dynamic voltage, test charge voltage at the Battery and compare to the source.
If the car is being difficult to start, test for 3 starts. Record all 3 voltages.
If you have an inductive amp meter, record the amps also.
These test will tell you if the "Hard to start" condition is from a Battery without sufficient charge/recharge potential or from an increase in cranking load.