Battery dead---odd ticking help please
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Edwardsville Il
Battery dead---odd ticking help please
Hey guys. My battery just up and quit tonight for no apparent reason. I had to have my girlfriend drive 45 minutes or so to jumpstart my car, but the entire time I was waiting there was an odd ticking sound coming from the area underneath the passenger side airbag. I checked all the fuses during my wait, and the ticking would stop if the fuse in the CCM slot was pulled.
I got my car started finally, and the during the drive home, the entire dash light would click off from time to time and I also noticed that the rpm needle would jump back and forth from time to time. The car didn't die at all, but once I got home I did turn the car off and it would not start again. The ticking is still going on though, and I can't figure it out. You guys have helped me out in the past, and I thank in advance whoever helps me out this time :)
I got my car started finally, and the during the drive home, the entire dash light would click off from time to time and I also noticed that the rpm needle would jump back and forth from time to time. The car didn't die at all, but once I got home I did turn the car off and it would not start again. The ticking is still going on though, and I can't figure it out. You guys have helped me out in the past, and I thank in advance whoever helps me out this time :)
Pro
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 565
Likes: 2
From: Chandler AZ
Re: Battery dead---odd ticking help please (Cardshark)
First, have the battery checked. If good pull the altenator and have it checked. Then when you have a good battery and altenator start the car. More than likely your problems will be gone. The clicking was a relay that wasn't getting enough voltage. You shood be good to go. Hope that helped, Robert :cheers: :smash:
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Re: Battery dead---odd ticking help please (Cardshark)
You turn your ECM in when you buy an ECM. Thats not to say there is anything wrong with your ECM though. First charge your battery back up with a 120v battery charger. You may have a battery that is at the end of its life if you drove it home and then couldn't start your car (I'm assuming it wouldn't crank). Your dash voltmeter should have read 14.3 volts cold and drop to 13.3 volts hot which tells you that the alternator is working. Also, I would pull the neg battery cable and measure the leakage current after the courtesy lights time out. You should not have more than 50 ma. leakage current. Since you have one battery terminal off, pull the positive cable and clean both cable lugs and the battery terminals and replace (neg last).
[Modified by jfb, 11:37 PM 9/10/2003]
[Modified by jfb, 11:37 PM 9/10/2003]
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Greeley Co
Re: Battery dead---odd ticking help please (jfb)
try locking and unlocking your door with your key. Mine does this if i lock my door and then reach inside and unlock it, it will start to tick, and all electronics inside will not work. I thought the ticking was part of a security system??? So yeah, just lock and unlock the door with a key. :confused:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,418
Likes: 1
From: NW Chicago Suburbs
Re: Battery dead---odd ticking help please (Cardshark)
I'm betting your battery is very dead. If it's an older battery, I wouldn't even try to charge it, I'd just buy a new one. The clicking you hear is probably a relay turning a load on, then when the load is connected to the battery, the battery voltage drops (because the battery is dead), the relay opens...over and over. The jumping needles et all are caused by the fact that your battery is an open circuit to the alternator, the alternator voltage regulator is running full steam and driving your 12Volt bus to 30-40V.
I wouldn't drive my Vette with this battery, I'd just buy a new one.
Eric
I wouldn't drive my Vette with this battery, I'd just buy a new one.
Eric
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,517
Likes: 1,304
From: Windermere FL
Re: Battery dead---odd ticking help please (Cardshark)
Just take you battery in for a check at any auto parts store. That ticking - what ever it is - is a result of low voltage as a result of dead battery with shorted cell or bad connection.
Always wondered what produced that ticking. Any one got any ideas?
Always wondered what produced that ticking. Any one got any ideas?
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Edwardsville Il
Re: Battery dead---odd ticking help please (GS919)
Well, I just replaced the battery and that was not as hard as I thought it would be! I happily hopped in my car and went to start it, and nothing happened. Obviously it was not the battery :nonod: So I assume I should check the alternator next? Thanks again for help guys :)
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Re: Battery dead---odd ticking help please (Cardshark)
What do you mean by, "nothing happened". Did the starter crank the engine?
You need to provide better symptoms. Do all of the electrical circuits have power, dash, headlights, radio, etc? What is the voltage across the battery terminals when you crank or attempt a crank? Check the tightness of the nut on the jump terminal behind the battery with 8 red wires. Check the ground connection from the battery negative terminal to the frame and from the frame to the rear of the left head.
You need to provide better symptoms. Do all of the electrical circuits have power, dash, headlights, radio, etc? What is the voltage across the battery terminals when you crank or attempt a crank? Check the tightness of the nut on the jump terminal behind the battery with 8 red wires. Check the ground connection from the battery negative terminal to the frame and from the frame to the rear of the left head.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Edwardsville Il
Re: Battery dead---odd ticking help please (jfb)
There is no power whatsoever. The dash lights won't come on, nor the radio, and the starter isn't cranking the engine at all. I also checked the nut you referred to and it seemed to be connected firmly. The ground connections were also fine. Any ideas?
[Modified by Cardshark, 10:18 PM 9/11/2003]
[Modified by Cardshark, 10:18 PM 9/11/2003]
Racer
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
From: Newnan Ga
Re: Battery dead---odd ticking help please (Cardshark)
It sounds like you have somthing shorting out. I had a similar problem with my 87. The positive battery cable is supposed to go through a hook that is under one of the master cylinder nuts. It was not in this hook and had dropped down and was rubbing a bolt head on the frame and finally started wearing through the insulation. It was intermittent at first and then finally totally died. It was directly shorting out the battery and was a wonder that it didn't catch on fire. You need to take a look at your positive feet cables, especially the main battery cable and the battery feed to the alternator. You can disconnect the positive battery cable and use an ohm meter to measure the resistance from the cable to ground.
