starting probs
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
starting probs
Just put in a new battery in my 92. Charged it to show over 13 volts with a meter and when i connect it to the car the dash showed 12.8 but i still only got a click and the voltage goes to 12.2 ,does anybody have any ideas please ?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,753
Likes: 9
From: Louisiana
Where there any problems before the new battery? That is enough volts to turn the engine over. Have you checked the connections to the starter. Might even want to tap it with a hammer to unfreeze it.
Last edited by RRT vette; Mar 23, 2006 at 03:24 PM.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 670
Likes: 1
From: charlotte nc
It's normal to see acouple tenths difference in voltage between a meter reading directly on the battery and that of the dash voltmeter. It sounds like you have a poor ground or the starter is bad, most likely the solenoid. One thing to try is to tap the starter smartly with a hammer and see if it turns over . if it does , for sure you have a bad solenoid although that crude test is not totally conclusive. 
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
The starter solenoid causes the starter motor pinion gear to engage the flywheel ring gear at the end of its stroke and also at the end of its stroke, two copper contacts make connection to supply current to run the starter motor. These contacts get pitted and burned and eventually make poor or no connection and you get the symptom you have, you can hear the starter solenoid click but the starter won't crank. You can replace the starter or take the starter to an auto electric shop and have them replace the contacts, or do it yourself. Tomorrow I get my 87 back for the same symptom you have!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 762
Likes: 2
From: Huntington ma
Just to point out that a fully charged "12 volt", 6 cell, lead acid battery should be showing 13.2 (the exact, perfectly correct, answer is 13.2 and change) volts. It's 2.20v and something per cell, in a perfect world. All a charger does is "float" a voltage across the battery terminals that is Higher than the normal fully charged amount. If you can't get the battery up to 13.2v (and it should be showing somewhat higher than that right off the charger...) after all that time on the charger - check the battery for a bad cell...
