Alright here's the lowdown. I bought an optima red top battery about 7 minths ago. I'm away from home 2 weeks at a time and recently I've had issues starting the car when I get home. I bought a trickle charger that I can leave plugged in while gonna and when I got home last night it started fine. This afternoon however, I got a series of rapid fire clicking for about 2 solid seconds when I turned the key, then it started up just fine. Its been an intermittent issue though. When it does the rapid fire clicking it also kills all electronics (my radio time is reset).

I've read about issues with the starter solenoid and the starter itself. Do these symptoms sound like either one? Battery checked out OK at auto zone and car shows 13.9 volts idle on startup.

Thanks for the help! Please forgive typos as I'm on my phone.

 

Did Autozone load test the battery? If you're SURE the battery is good move on to connections. Check the connections at the starter as this is a common spot for problems to develop. If the wiring and connections are good you are probably looking at a solenoid but it sounds like it is not getting enough juice. Those battery connections need to be tight.

 

Yeah sounds like something is loose somewhere and the car isnt getting enough power

 

Like our learned colleges eluded to a good connection is probably the culprit. Remove the connections at battery and starter (scuff with scrubby, no steel )and coat with dielectric grease upon reassembly.

If the symptoms continue, check the solenoid.

 

Yes. They do. Possibly a loosened battery cable connection on the solenoid as well.

P.S. I noticed you're from Athens. My mom was born and raised there before moving to the "big city". Been many years since I visited there.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! The last time I changed the battery I stripped the negative screw that screws into the battery so I wasn't able to get it as tight as I wanted. I noticed it was sticking out some when I was checking all my connections. I went ahead and replaced that screw so it's in tight now. Also the last time I changed the battery I dropped the "secondary" screw that went on my positive terminal screw (the sub-screw that goes on top, in particular my stereo was hooked up to that screw). I ended up cramming the main screw through both the stereo loop and the primary positive loop so that was real tight and probably not as secure as it should have been. I went ahead and bought a new one of those as well so now the connections are more secure and my stereo is hooked to a solid screw now. I also took this opportunity to put some solid contacts on the top poles for my trickle charger as I had them zip tied to the poles before. The battery wasn't bolted down either so I scooted it forward and bolted the lip down. See the picture for the final product. Overall I'm satisfied with the cleaner look on everything and I think this will fix the issue.


Hey Lonestar. I'm originally from Tyler, I only moved out here a year ago or so because my roommate got promoted to a different job in Athens. There's a few other vettes here in town and we give each other the wave usually. It's a great town, but I really want to move back to Tyler.