I have the dreaded click click (intermittent) symptom. During an archive search I read that a drop below 9v during crank indicated a bad battery terminal connection.

Mine dropped to 10.4 during crank (the car started this time). Does this sound OK?

I prob started when I removed the battery during a master clutch assy replacement. After reinstalling the battery, I tried to crank and I got a click then NO lights, nothing. I cleaned the hot lead and used Sodium bi to remove some corrosion, and the car started. But over the last 2 weeks I occasionally get a click click. the car will eventually start but I feel that if it was a bad battery connection it would not be intermittent.

3 questions:

drop to 10.4 during crank OK??
shouldn't such an intermittent prob be most likely my starter?
could it be my starter enable relay...the click seems to come from the console?

THANKS


[Modified by cgtarga1, 9:35 AM 12/4/2002]

 

10.4 volts is ok!
Intermittent cranking could be poor battery cable connections, worn start solenoid switch, worn out brushes , poor connection of the ground (neg) cable to the frame, defective clutch safety switch (xmsn selector sw if automatic).

First I would remove both batt cables and clean the cable lugs and the battery posts and replace. You want your battery connections to be just like your lover, bright and tight! :D

If you hear a click from the center of the console, then your start enable relay is operating, but its contacts could be worn. Measure the volts on the clutch switch (jumped) while hitting the start position on the ign sw. You will read 12v if the start enable relay is ok.
Jump the clutch switch and see if it will then crank.


[Modified by jfb, 10:50 AM 12/4/2002]

 

Once you get your battery terminals clean, you can cover them in vaseline (after you reattach the leads) to prevent any further corrosion. This sounds a lot like a bad starter, probably dirty brushes in the motor. If you know how to clean an electric motor, you can open it up and clean it and it should work great. If not, find someone who does, it'll be way cheaper than getting a new starter.

 

I have this same problem on my truck. Sometimes I'll get it to crank, and then sometimes, it'll just "click-click-click"...could it be a bad starter? The battery terminals show 12 volts (via digital voltmeter)... :confused:

 

First thing I want to point out is that the voltage on the battery terminals and the voltage on the battery cables are NOT the same. It has been my experience that most battery problems, especially on the old style terminals, are actually poor connections between battery & cables.

So if you have a voltmeter, first measure the voltage on the battery terminals during cranking & see if it stays at 12 volts, if so the battery is probably good.

Next measure the voltage on the battery cables the same way & see if it stays at 12 volts, if so the battery & it's connections are probably good. If voltages drops, then clean battery connections and try again.

Next measure the voltage between the battery positive and a remote ground during cranking. If voltage drops then clean & fix the battery ground cable connection to frame and try again.

Ultimately you need to measure close to 12 volts on the starting motor. If it is not there & the above checks are OK,then the problem is probably in the starter relay contacts or its connections.

In my opinion 10.5 volts ON the battery terminal is indicative of a weak battery, but that is not what the dash meter sees. On the other hand I agree that 10.5 volts during cranking should start the car.

Poor electrical connections often lead to intermittant performance & problems.

 

Mine is a 96 with side terminals so I can't measure the diff between the terminal and the cable (there is only one spot to measure-the cable bolt that screws into the battery)


Checking the pos with frame ground is a good idea. I was assuming the grd term was ok as it had no corrosion, but I'll make sure.

Thanks to all.

 

I also have 96, and the side terminal design seems to be much more reliable than the old post design. If I remember right the bolt heads which screw into the battery are exposed and part of the ring connector which is part of the cable is also exposed. Checking the voltage between the ring connectors should give a good indication of both the battery & connections to the cables. I would guess just a slight turn on the bolt head would clean-up any concealled tarnish on the joint. You could do this carefully an maintain voltage to everything, even if you had to loosen & then retighten.

My main caution on this subject is before you discard a battery as being bad, just be sure it is in fact the battery & not a poor connection somewhere.