help, stuck at a gas station
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 100
Likes: 2
From: Ypsilanti Michigan
help, stuck at a gas station
car was running just fine, now it wont even crank. just clicks. fuel pump IS functional, injectors are new, its not the cold start injector. and I know how to turn off vats if I get locked out. I read that it could be that starter solenoid, but it has a really long crank time as of late. please reply in a hurry, stranded.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
Sounds like a dead battery to me. A battery can have enough in it to run the pump for the short time it is on but not have enough to operate the solenoid on the starter. At least it's a starting point.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
Turn OFF VATS?
That's not a possibility...VATS is either installed or its NOT.
If this were a VATS event it would reset after 5 minutes and you would not get a click....nada.
The last days its been cranking over for a longer than normal time before it fires?
If its been cranking longer to start...that's not the starter. That's a start up problem caused by any number of things. THAT CAN kill the starter though...Never ever grind a starter for more than 3 seconds at a time. Give it time to cool off. The cables will start to smoke if you just grind the starter on and on...
Make sure you have the voltage...12v min. The battery must be fully charged. This battery is barely big enough to run this car...they fail fast. grinding the starter repeatedly will drain a battery quick and an old battery may not recover.
. You can TRY to tap the starter with a hammer from below...tap the solenoid IF you can get at it. Sometimes a dying starter sticks and will not throw the solenoid. Tapping on it frees it for one more start up...IF you are comfortable with your knowledge, you can also see if jumping the solenoid makes it crank.
That's not a possibility...VATS is either installed or its NOT.
If this were a VATS event it would reset after 5 minutes and you would not get a click....nada.
The last days its been cranking over for a longer than normal time before it fires?
If its been cranking longer to start...that's not the starter. That's a start up problem caused by any number of things. THAT CAN kill the starter though...Never ever grind a starter for more than 3 seconds at a time. Give it time to cool off. The cables will start to smoke if you just grind the starter on and on...
Make sure you have the voltage...12v min. The battery must be fully charged. This battery is barely big enough to run this car...they fail fast. grinding the starter repeatedly will drain a battery quick and an old battery may not recover.
. You can TRY to tap the starter with a hammer from below...tap the solenoid IF you can get at it. Sometimes a dying starter sticks and will not throw the solenoid. Tapping on it frees it for one more start up...IF you are comfortable with your knowledge, you can also see if jumping the solenoid makes it crank.
Last edited by leesvet; Jul 7, 2013 at 09:19 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
Is that 11.4 just with the key on or is that with the key in the start position? If it is 11.4 in the start position it is not the battery, as AGENT 86 said, check the terminals, just see if you can twist either one, if they are loose enough to twist they are loose enough to fail.
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Racer
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 433
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From: Gig Harbor WA
What happens to the voltage when you turn the key to the "Start" position? If it drops precipitously, it is likely a bad battery (dead cell) or a dirty/corroded battery terminal. In either case, attaching a jumper battery will probably still not crank the starter.
Remove the ground terminal from the battery. Make sure it is relatively clean. Hook up a jumper battery to the +12 volt cable and to the ground cable. The car battery should not be in the circuit. Try to crank the engine. If it cranks (or starts) you have a bad battery or a bad connection.
I just got done with this exercise. I had a dead cell in my year-old battery. It would neither charge nor crank as long as the bad battery was in the circuit. With a new battery it started instantly.
Remove the ground terminal from the battery. Make sure it is relatively clean. Hook up a jumper battery to the +12 volt cable and to the ground cable. The car battery should not be in the circuit. Try to crank the engine. If it cranks (or starts) you have a bad battery or a bad connection.
I just got done with this exercise. I had a dead cell in my year-old battery. It would neither charge nor crank as long as the bad battery was in the circuit. With a new battery it started instantly.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
Did you try to twist the terminal? All you need for that is fingers. If you can twist the terminal then the bolt is loose and the terminal is most likely corroded, THEN you will need tools,,,,,,,,,,,,, on second thought, just wait for the tow truck.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9,758
Likes: 49
From: Houston Texas
Did you try the horn lights and all Like I asked you to. If you did and they all work then its probably the starter. If you get lots of fast clicks it more than likely a voltage/battery problem.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9,758
Likes: 49
From: Houston Texas
This is just a quick maybe? Once you get home I suggest checking connections and taking the battery and starter out to have them tested if the connections are good.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9,758
Likes: 49
From: Houston Texas