Doesn't want to start
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Doesn't want to start
Got new battery 30 days ago. Replaced it 1 week later because car woudn't start. Now 3 weeks later, nearly every day the car won't start. I use a jump box and off we go. Sometimes 30 minutes later it won't start, sometimes it is next day, we use jump box and off we go. Ran 10 amp charger all last night, drove car 4 miles, stopped, had breakfast, drove to Home Depot 2 miles away. Wouldn't start. Used jump box and off we went. Please help, I am very frustrated.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,103
Likes: 7
From: pine island ny
I had similar problem,come find out there was i slight crossion on the terminals cleaned them and haven't had a problem since.You might want to check your altenator it could be bad hope this helps.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by scaperman
I had similar problem,come find out there was i slight crossion on the terminals cleaned them and haven't had a problem since.You might want to check your altenator it could be bad hope this helps.
It sounds like something more than just the battery. Strange it starts on a jump box though. Alternator and ground terminals may be a good start.Hope you fix it, that must be very frustrating.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 16,135
Likes: 5
From: Newberry FL
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by 7th Vette
Can I check the alternator?, If so what do I need? Or should I just take it to the local Auto Zone to check the alternator
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 14,604
Likes: 3
From: Glendale, AZ
Originally Posted by mph1972
Remove the alternator and take it to Autozone or some place that can do a check on it.
also, is it a 6sp or an automatic? if it's an automatic and the alternator is not putting out enough juice and the battery is "dead", i would think it would have a hard time shifting (at least my truck acted this way a few times when my alternator was bad)
if it does turn out to be corrosion, and you do replace the corroded cable - i highly recommend getting a battery that will practically ELIMINATE all corrosion
yup, you guessed it OPTIMA! do a search and see - i would say 3 to every 20 people have problems with their optimas - perhaps only 2 to every 20 - it's hard to say - but I'M A FAN!
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 2
From: Bakersfield Ca
Another possibility is that you may have something like a power amp that is always on and it is draining your battery down. Do you get a spark when you touch the battery cable back to the battery terminal? If you do get a spark, then something is on and you need to find out what it is. But I suspect you have a corroded battery cable or a bad ground connection. Good luck. 
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 16,135
Likes: 5
From: Newberry FL
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by Togo
if the jump box is getting him started - doesn't the alternator take over at that point? if the alternator wasn't working, wouldn't the car die immediately? seems to me that BOTH could be bad - while you are taking the alternator off, you might as well take the battery with you and save a trip - they both could be contributing to the problem.
also, is it a 6sp or an automatic? if it's an automatic and the alternator is not putting out enough juice and the battery is "dead", i would think it would have a hard time shifting (at least my truck acted this way a few times when my alternator was bad)
if it does turn out to be corrosion, and you do replace the corroded cable - i highly recommend getting a battery that will practically ELIMINATE all corrosion
yup, you guessed it OPTIMA! do a search and see - i would say 3 to every 20 people have problems with their optimas - perhaps only 2 to every 20 - it's hard to say - but I'M A FAN!
also, is it a 6sp or an automatic? if it's an automatic and the alternator is not putting out enough juice and the battery is "dead", i would think it would have a hard time shifting (at least my truck acted this way a few times when my alternator was bad)
if it does turn out to be corrosion, and you do replace the corroded cable - i highly recommend getting a battery that will practically ELIMINATE all corrosion
yup, you guessed it OPTIMA! do a search and see - i would say 3 to every 20 people have problems with their optimas - perhaps only 2 to every 20 - it's hard to say - but I'M A FAN!
Saving yourself a trip by taking both is a great recommendation.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Bakersfield
Another possibility is that you may have something like a power amp that is always on and it is draining your battery down. Do you get a spark when you touch the battery cable back to the battery terminal? If you do get a spark, then something is on and you need to find out what it is. But I suspect you have a corroded battery cable or a bad ground connection. Good luck.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 2
From: Bakersfield Ca
A power amp is your audio power amp if you have one. Since you don't have any mechanical skills or electronic skills, your best bet is to take it to someone who you trust to help you with it. Unless you have some idea of what you are doing, you could waist a lot of money and time working on it yourself. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Good luck.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 349
From: Layton Utah
If it were mine, I would use the jump box one more time and take it to a local dealer. I'm not sure what year you have or how many miles on the car but you may have a warranty that you could fall back on. If not, I would still trust a dealer before I would some other place that it not as used to Covettes. In spite of what you read on this forum, not all dealers are crooks or incompetent. Ask other vette owners in your area for suggestions on where to take it. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 2
From: Bakersfield Ca
And if you do take it to a dealership, do a walk around with your service writer and note any and all body dings. That way if there are any new ones, you and he will know the dealership did it and they will have to fix them. Good luck and enjoy the vette.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: Sacto Kalifornication
Put a meter on it, If it is charging 13 volts at Idle, the alt is working fine. Red lead to large nut on back of alternator, blackl lead to any ground. If you have at least 13 volts you probably have a dead short somewhere. 3 batteries dont go bad over that time period, i dont care if they came from k-mart 