Electrical Issue
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,106
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2018 C2 of Year Finalist
Electrical Issue
Two weeks ago I replaced the battery in my 98 convertible. Last weekend I drove it on a 3 hour trip without any problems. Today however the car has no power at all. I re-secured the battery terminal connections without any improvement. Although it was a new battery I decided to put a charger on it to be sure it hadn't somehow discharged. The battery appears good but when connecting the charger there is a clicking sound near the front of the car. It almost sounds like it is below the radiator. Despite a good battery the electrical system is completely dead. Any suggestions on where else to check? Thanks.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,141
Likes: 4,156
From: Kannapolis NC
Two weeks ago I replaced the battery in my 98 convertible. Last weekend I drove it on a 3 hour trip without any problems. Today however the car has no power at all. I re-secured the battery terminal connections without any improvement. Although it was a new battery I decided to put a charger on it to be sure it hadn't somehow discharged. The battery appears good but when connecting the charger there is a clicking sound near the front of the car. It almost sounds like it is below the radiator. Despite a good battery the electrical system is completely dead. Any suggestions on where else to check? Thanks.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 168
2018 C2 of Year Finalist
First thing I'd do is follow the red battery cable to the starter solenoid connection and see if it's loose or corroded. It happens a lot. Disconnect the battery before you stick any wrenches in there, the wire is hot all the time. You can take out the battery box and follow it down, or go up from under the car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,644
Likes: 479
From: OK
Two weeks ago I replaced the battery in my 98 convertible. Last weekend I drove it on a 3 hour trip without any problems. Today however the car has no power at all. I re-secured the battery terminal connections without any improvement. Although it was a new battery I decided to put a charger on it to be sure it hadn't somehow discharged. The battery appears good but when connecting the charger there is a clicking sound near the front of the car. It almost sounds like it is below the radiator. Despite a good battery the electrical system is completely dead. Any suggestions on where else to check? Thanks.
A good battery at full charge will measure from 12.6 to 12.9 volts or more. This measurment should be made with a digital multimeter directly across the battery posts with the neg battery cable disconnected. The electronics in the C5 is especially sensitive to battery voltage. While the car will start with as 12.2 volts (measured as above) the electronics and in particular the column lock electronics, are NOT happy if the voltage is 12.5 or less. Don't bother with dash gauge readigs. Those report the state of health of the charging system and NOT the state of health of the battery. With the engine running they report the approximate alternator output voltage. Approximate because the gauges are after the ignition switch which is known to affect the readings. With engine off and key ON the reading is about worthless since many electrical circuits in the C5 are loading thebattery.
Last edited by 73Corvette; Mar 25, 2015 at 03:57 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 67
From: Bahama North Carolina
Two weeks ago I replaced the battery in my 98 convertible. Last weekend I drove it on a 3 hour trip without any problems. Today however the car has no power at all. I re-secured the battery terminal connections without any improvement. Although it was a new battery I decided to put a charger on it to be sure it hadn't somehow discharged. The battery appears good but when connecting the charger there is a clicking sound near the front of the car. It almost sounds like it is below the radiator. Despite a good battery the electrical system is completely dead. Any suggestions on where else to check? Thanks.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,106
Likes: 168
2018 C2 of Year Finalist
No, and swapped with another fully charged battery without help. I do usually leave a trickle charger on it though since the car doesn't get driven much. I think I'm going to remove and replace the battery cables though to see if that helps.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 67
From: Bahama North Carolina
See post #2. The connections at the starter is the next step.
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Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,496
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From: Walhalla South Carolina
I have read many many post on this forum and they are great but why in the heck would a starter cable get loose on its own without any interaction at all, don't torch me because i know it happens but i have owned many vehicles and have never ever had a loose starter connection. What causes these C5 vets to experience this loose cable thing? Just wondering if anyone has a real good explaination as to why this happens???? I come from the Nuclear Industry and I am taught to have a questioning attitude, sorry.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
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From: Columbia SC
Glad to answer why it can happen. A stud/bolt expands and contracts with heat. The metal can fatigue or metal creep can cause the stud/bolt to lengthen and loosen the connection. This is seen more often in exhaust systems. Remember the bolts/studs in these applications are not high strength like inside the engine.
Mr. Sam P.E.
PS: It could also be a bad crimp issue on the connection lug that weakens over time. I have seen that on at lest one C5 here on the Forum.
Mr. Sam P.E.
PS: It could also be a bad crimp issue on the connection lug that weakens over time. I have seen that on at lest one C5 here on the Forum.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Glad to answer why it can happen. A stud/bolt expands and contracts with heat. The metal can fatigue or metal creep can cause the stud/bolt to lengthen and loosen the connection. This is seen more often in exhaust systems. Remember the bolts/studs in these applications are not high strength like inside the engine.
Mr. Sam P.E.
PS: It could also be a bad crimp issue on the connection lug that weakens over time. I have seen that on at lest one C5 here on the Forum.
Mr. Sam P.E.
PS: It could also be a bad crimp issue on the connection lug that weakens over time. I have seen that on at lest one C5 here on the Forum.
Or the solenoid B+ nut was never sufficiently tightened from the factory, plus there's the question of the quality of the threaded stud and/or nut themselves. Copper? Or steel that's been copper plated.That's a pretty hostile environment down there where it lives too; heat (from exhaust), water, road salts, vibration, etc.
These are some of the reasons I don't jack around trying to "salvage" a troublesome starter by running around trying to find a new solenoid, etc. That's just a Band-Aid fix for a starter with a lot of wear/tear already on it. New starter assemblies are the way to go. I like the Bosch unit, but there's others out there as well. Stick with quality.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,644
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From: OK
I have read many many post on this forum and they are great but why in the heck would a starter cable get loose on its own without any interaction at all, don't torch me because i know it happens but i have owned many vehicles and have never ever had a loose starter connection. What causes these C5 vets to experience this loose cable thing? Just wondering if anyone has a real good explaination as to why this happens???? I come from the Nuclear Industry and I am taught to have a questioning attitude, sorry.
In 1998 Barry Switzer resigned as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, just a few days after a massive ice storm blasted the Northeastern United States. About this same time Monica Lewinsky denied she was smoking the commander and chief's cigar (if you know what I mean)
Wayne Gretzky was named "best" NHL player ever (duh) The Broncos beat the Packers 31-24 in Super Bowl XXXII... Olympic figure skater Peggy Fleming underwent breast cancer surgery and you want to know WHY? This happens... Why? Uh well, to be honest they are probably spot on!
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
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From: Walhalla South Carolina
I understand both explainations and can definately see where these situations can happen but still i wonder why all my other vehicles and yours to i bet haven't ever worked loose. Is the starter on c5 in such a different environment than any other vehicle that causes this, if so i am ok, but i dought it. If that is the case and there is room why not double nut or use lock tight if it wouldn't hamper the conductivity. Mr sam being in the nuc. Industry as i knows if this happend even twice, a root cause invistigation would be launched and a determination would be run to ground and a fix put in place. Just food for thought but i have never seen another vehicle with as many loose wire connections and ground issues as these great cars have. Thanks gentlemen for your explanations.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Not a bad idea generally, but that doesn't explain the intermittent nature of a lot of these problems being experienced with this matter.
If a "main fuse" (usually a 50 to 100 amp fuse) blows, that's an indication of a dead short circuit.
I am convinced that the majority of the problems being experienced in this area are the result of poor/dubious parts quality (specifically the OE starter-solenoid battery post) or the lack of appropriate tightening (at the factory level) of the solenoid battery cable nut in the first place, or BOTH.
I personally, have yet to see or read of this issue coming up when a replacement starter (with new solenoid attached) is installed due to a failed OE starter and/or solenoid.
This would/could also explain the sometimes poor, or troublesome, alternator charging issues, since the ONLY connection to the battery the alternator has, is through this very SAME connection point on the solenoid.
If a "main fuse" (usually a 50 to 100 amp fuse) blows, that's an indication of a dead short circuit.
I am convinced that the majority of the problems being experienced in this area are the result of poor/dubious parts quality (specifically the OE starter-solenoid battery post) or the lack of appropriate tightening (at the factory level) of the solenoid battery cable nut in the first place, or BOTH.
I personally, have yet to see or read of this issue coming up when a replacement starter (with new solenoid attached) is installed due to a failed OE starter and/or solenoid.
This would/could also explain the sometimes poor, or troublesome, alternator charging issues, since the ONLY connection to the battery the alternator has, is through this very SAME connection point on the solenoid.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
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From: Columbia SC
When I teach engineers or perform failure analysis in the Nuclear industry we list every possible reason for the issue and then start the investigation. Sounds like you may think there is only one possible reason for any failure.
All the best Steve, Sam
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,496
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From: Walhalla South Carolina
Not at all Mr sam, I know a RC can take be very exhaustive but my main point and I hope we can agree on this: The c5 seems to be plaiged with loose wires and ground issues that MOST other vehicles don't have or at least to the extent the C5 has. This is my only thought and final comment. Thanks for all the insight U provide to the forum.