Street Rat

I just went to my buddy's house in my C3. We talked for about two hours. I got in the car and it would do nothing but click once when I turned the key. We jump started it and it fired right up.

I have a fairly new battery that I leave on a tender when the car sits. The amp gauge shows a charge when driving. I've checked the starter connections and everything is tight.

I'm tired of having to pull out my jumper cables whenever I stop somewhere where she sits for a short period of time.

I thought I had fixed the problem but it keeps coming back. I've checked my neutral safety switch and have even gone as far as replacing and adjusting the ignition switch.

Help please. I'm no electrical guru so tell me what to check and how to get to the bottom of this.

'81 with auto

SH-60B

Its not heat soak to the starter since it turns right over with the help from a healthy battery. You can start diagnosis with a DMM. Check the battery voltage before you try starting it. 12.6 before you start it, then 13.7 to as high as 14.7 running. It won't take much drop from 12.6 to have a big impact on the starter circuit.

CanadaGrant

I remember you had a similar problem before. It might be possible that the new battery you bought is defective as it seemed to work fine when you got everything straightened out.

mikem350

If the alt is putting out, suspect bad battery or bad battery connections

Street Rat

Hey CanadaGrant you have a good memory.

I am puzzled as this has been an ongoing problem.

I will be doing some testing this afternoon and will post the results.

Until then it's - "Have jumper cables will travel."

sakins.02vert

I recently had an issue with my battery on my 72. I only had the car for a few months so I just bought a new battery. I would take it out and drive to a store.. then it wouldnt start in the parking lot.. 2 weeks later with the new battery I started having issues starting the car again.. After using a multimeter and determining I didn't have anything significant draining the battery.. I looked to the alternator.. When examining the positive cable on the back of the alternator it pulled right off in my hand.. so for me it was just a bad connection.. All is good now.. Battery reads at 14.4 with car running.. Might be worth double checking your connections.

steffan

everyone always says clean the negative battery terminal connection. for me it was the positive battery cable had a wear mark in it from hitting the drive shaft. although it tested fine the cable could not always transmit full voltage. Just an idea

Mark Riles

Might be a good idea to get under the car and check the integrity of the POS cable to the starter and check the NEG cable to the frame. I have seen some wicked NEG cables that were all kinds of shredded and just were not capable of carrying the load.

Street Rat

I like the ideas but most of those problems have been fixed or redone recently. Please keep the ideas coming in.

suprspooky

I'd suggest disconnecting the Battery after your next drive (you didn't say how long the drive needs to be for the problem to occur), and then do your x hour break, hook back up and see if it starts (to verify parasitic loss). You can monitor Battery Voltage but it really doesn't tell you about your cranking capacity, if your charging system isn't working correctly (over/under charging) it can slowly degrade battery cranking capacity. Two hours and no start would take a fair parasitic drain to prevent starting with a good battery. A small drain (0.x-10A) is detectable with a DMM (if your meter is DC Amp capable, usually 10A max), milli/micro amp drains can be found by placing the Voltmeter (DC Volt range) between the battery post and a disconnected cable end.

lvmyvt76

it could be the starter solenoid, it might need to be taken apart and cleaned with emery cloth on the contacts, easy fix other than pulling the starter, I would also replace the brushes in the starter and clean to contacts in it also. easy and doesn't cost much. DO NOT just replace the starter. you will probably get junk. find someone to help you do this, it will a great learning experience!!!

jim in oregon

Street Rat..Not sure what ALL you have done-refurbished past..
Have you put the ammeter on the detached from battery negative cable with ALL OFF and seen any current draw?.IF so..pulling fuses one at a time will show which part of the electrical system is drawing current when it isn't supposed to..Aside from maybe an electric clock..does your 81 have an alarm system? I had problems with my '78 that had some faulty connection spots in the fact alarm system..I disconnected the alarm system..and the parasitic discharge problem disappeared forever..jim

Street Rat

My dvm failed. Just got a new one. I have the dvm hooked up to the battery now. I'm checking D.C. Voltage at the battery now. It started at 13.0. I'm waiting to see if the voltage drops over a period of time.

I took the negative cable off at a car show recently. When I reconnected the battery it started with no problem. We were there for a few hours.

Checked all starter and alternator connections today. Everything tight.

Street Rat

I have an aftermarket alarm system. It does have some 12 v constant connections. I have had problems starting whether the alarm has been set or not. Those connections should not prevent starting after two hours though.

Going to try the suggestions here next.

Street Rat

I have a power master mini starter on the engine. I do agree that the solenoid is a possibility.

On to testing.

Ryan Menzies

StreetRat,
Let's start with the basics and verify you have a drain. We can put a DVOM in play to check the Ma or AMP draw but something simple is a 12 VDC test light in series with the NEG circuit.
Disconnect the NEG cable from the battery. Clip one end of the test light to the NEG terminal of the battery and the other end to the clamp on the NEG cable. So essential you have the test light between the NEG cable and the NEG terminal of the battery.
The light should be off as in nothing running through the system when the key is off.
If the light is on then you have a drain. The light will be brighter according to the amount of draw on the system. Example. Very bright if you turn your headlights on and fairly dim if you have a single interior light on.

Cheers,

Ryan

Mark Riles

Make sure the door is closed, and you are either in the car or leaning over the door. If the courtesy light system is activated by an open door then obviously the test light will indicate the draw. The test light method only works if the door is closed. If the test light is lit while the doors are closed, then you indeed have a drain. At this point the not fun work begins if you are old and fat like me. No you need to start pulling fuses one by one until the test light is not lit. Basically, pull a fuse and close the door. If the test light is lit, open the door, put that fuse back in, and pull the next one. Eventually you will pull the fuse of the circuit that might be draining the battery. That will help you narrow down where to look for said drain.

CanadaGrant

If you have an electric clock will the test light be illuminated?

USAFVeteran

^^^ This is what I was going to put. And, if I may add, if the test light is on, start with pulling one fuse at a time, until the light goes out. Then you know exactly which circuit it's on. You won't waste time or money chasing a ghost.


If you think a battery draw is hard on a car, try doing it on a 40' motorhome. I worked on RV's after I retired from the military for almost 10 years. I learned a lot in that time.

USAFVeteran

I guess I had an itchy trigger finger. I didn't read far enough to see you had put this. My bad......you got it.


Again, to add:
You can over ride the door switch so you don't have to keep opening and closing the door. Duct tape, clamp, something to hold the button in while the door is open