My Vette is still dead
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Lake Worth Florida
My Vette is still dead
Can anyone diagnose this problem?
The car was fine all the way home from work (35min) I came into the house and ate dinner (15min) I went outside to pull the car in the garage and ...nothing. All I hear when I open the door is a low frequency buzzing sound like something is draining the car of all its power. I tried to jump it but it could not overcome whatever is killing it. Many people suggested the battery went south so this am I had it checked.It is fully charged. So I came home and installed it. When I tried to start the car, it did nothing except you can hear clicking noises coming from the nose cone area. Inside the car the HUD is going nuts, each gauge is flickering back and forth.
Thanks for any assistance.
John
:confused:
The car was fine all the way home from work (35min) I came into the house and ate dinner (15min) I went outside to pull the car in the garage and ...nothing. All I hear when I open the door is a low frequency buzzing sound like something is draining the car of all its power. I tried to jump it but it could not overcome whatever is killing it. Many people suggested the battery went south so this am I had it checked.It is fully charged. So I came home and installed it. When I tried to start the car, it did nothing except you can hear clicking noises coming from the nose cone area. Inside the car the HUD is going nuts, each gauge is flickering back and forth.
Thanks for any assistance.
John
:confused:
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington NC
Re: My Vette is still dead (a6fan)
Run a new ground (temporary) from the battery to the engine and see if it starts. :flag This is assuming the battery is charged as stated.
Usually, when they show low voltage problems when hot it is corrosion somewhere. Check all the connections from the battery to the starter motor and from the battery to ground.
Also, did you make sure the batery isn't leaking? Is it original?
[Modified by Richin Chicago, 7:34 AM 2/14/2004]
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 235
Likes: 13
From: Raleigh NC
Re: My Vette is still dead (nothingbutavette)
I love questions like dis, 'cause I've been there one time or another. If you still have the factory battery, there's your problem. My 1st 2 Vettes had the same thing happen. Dealer couldn't figure it out, but I did. Went to what I know, Interstate batteries. The biggest & baddest they had for about $79-89. Never had a problem with dat again.
Dis is how I figured out the battery. Put a charge on it overnight after I took it out of the car, just happen to unplug the charger next morning. Decided to put it back in the Vette around NooN, happen to place a multimeter on it to see voltage. Voltage had drop down to 10v without it being hook to anything. Delco batteries had a problem awhile back with leaking. Saw the result of dat. One Vette at the dealer had paint destroyed from the bottom of the battery given way. Check post for other victims.
Dis is how I figured out the battery. Put a charge on it overnight after I took it out of the car, just happen to unplug the charger next morning. Decided to put it back in the Vette around NooN, happen to place a multimeter on it to see voltage. Voltage had drop down to 10v without it being hook to anything. Delco batteries had a problem awhile back with leaking. Saw the result of dat. One Vette at the dealer had paint destroyed from the bottom of the battery given way. Check post for other victims.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 389
Likes: 1
From: Denver co
Re: My Vette is still dead (nothingbutavette)
Check the connection to the ground as specified also check the plus to connection.
if everything ok I agree some battery can give you 13V but when they are dead as soon as you apply something the voltage drop dramaticly. then it is the battery.
good luck
if everything ok I agree some battery can give you 13V but when they are dead as soon as you apply something the voltage drop dramaticly. then it is the battery.
good luck
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Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Lake Worth Florida
Re: My Vette is still dead (C599)
Hi
Today is Sunday. Yesterday I found out that if I take both cables off the battery and then re-attach them, the car will start. The next time I turned it off, same thing...dead. Until I take both cables off the battery and then re-attach them...then it starts. Could it be a relaty on the starter or something?
Still :confused:
Today is Sunday. Yesterday I found out that if I take both cables off the battery and then re-attach them, the car will start. The next time I turned it off, same thing...dead. Until I take both cables off the battery and then re-attach them...then it starts. Could it be a relaty on the starter or something?
Still :confused:
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 23,220
Likes: 3
From: HOUSTON
St. Jude Donor '06 thru '15, '19
Re: My Vette is still dead (nothingbutavette)
Maybe the cylinoid is sticking then releasing when the juice is cut off?????I am no expert on this though,but that is a strange thing.
[Modified by mojo1, 8:36 AM 2/15/2004]
[Modified by mojo1, 8:36 AM 2/15/2004]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 0
Re: My Vette is still dead (nothingbutavette)
When I had these probs I found that the original battery had leaked and it took awhile to show up, the pos original battery had caused corrosion on my starter and the starter cable and even some damage to the ground and the cable going to the fuse box under the passenger foot section, when we put in the stroker we replaced the PCM as it appeared to be the worst for wear as well, a 10 dollar battery in a 50K car it really pisses me off, the bulk deal GM could get on a good battery probably wouldn't cost them 20 dollars a car to do and I would have been glad to spring for the extra 20--my car how ever would not start if I reattached the cables but when they get eaten up weird stuff happens, you could not even see the damage to my cables it had gotten under the plastic insulation on the cables themselves. I know you are pissed and maybe more pissed off before this is over with.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Re: My Vette is still dead (nothingbutavette)
nothingbutavette
Check the DIC when the engine fails to start and copy all of the codes down. After you copy them, reset them and see if it will start.
Then remove and replace your cables and start it. See if you get any codes. If not cut it off and attempt a restart. Chack for codes again.
Have some one monitor the battery voltage with a volt meter as you attempt to start the car when it is in a "fail to start" condition. See what the voltage reading is. Do the same when it starts. I would like to compare the two.
See if you can pin piont what that low frequency buzzung sound is coming from. That sounds like something is not getting enough voltage/current when you attempt to start it.
Let us know the answers to all of these questions and we may be able to shed some light on your problem!
BC :thumbs:
[Modified by Bill Curlee, 2:10 PM 2/15/2004]
Check the DIC when the engine fails to start and copy all of the codes down. After you copy them, reset them and see if it will start.
Then remove and replace your cables and start it. See if you get any codes. If not cut it off and attempt a restart. Chack for codes again.
Have some one monitor the battery voltage with a volt meter as you attempt to start the car when it is in a "fail to start" condition. See what the voltage reading is. Do the same when it starts. I would like to compare the two.
See if you can pin piont what that low frequency buzzung sound is coming from. That sounds like something is not getting enough voltage/current when you attempt to start it.
Let us know the answers to all of these questions and we may be able to shed some light on your problem!
BC :thumbs:
[Modified by Bill Curlee, 2:10 PM 2/15/2004]
Instructor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 246
Likes: 0
From: Prescott Arizona
Re: My Vette is still dead (nothingbutavette)
John,
If the service people didn't do a "load test" on the battery anything else they did was worthless. I had the same problem 2½ years ago and replaced the battery with an Optima RedTop and haven't had a problem since. :yesnod:
Chuck
If the service people didn't do a "load test" on the battery anything else they did was worthless. I had the same problem 2½ years ago and replaced the battery with an Optima RedTop and haven't had a problem since. :yesnod:
Chuck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 928
Likes: 12
From: Space Coast, FL
Re: My Vette is still dead (Chuck2KC5)
John,
If the service people didn't do a "load test" on the battery anything else they did was worthless. I had the same problem 2½ years ago and replaced the battery with an Optima RedTop and haven't had a problem since. :yesnod:
Chuck
If the service people didn't do a "load test" on the battery anything else they did was worthless. I had the same problem 2½ years ago and replaced the battery with an Optima RedTop and haven't had a problem since. :yesnod:
Chuck
You've probably already exhausted all the easy solutions, but I it can't hurt to pop a new battery (Optima :yesnod:) in to be completely satisfied that's not the culprit. Probably not that easy, but my fingers are crossed.....
(edit)whoops! looks like you are farther along than I thought, sorry.. hope you get it figured out.
[Modified by thegypsie, 3:53 PM 2/15/2004]
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: Gainesville va
Re: My Vette is still dead (nothingbutavette)
I do not know if this will help, but for your info to piggy back off of some of the other posts. My 98 coupe was running great. Played 18 holes and went back to the car to start it. Nothing. I had a new Delco with only 6 months of action. I took the battery to have the tests done and it stated that it was fully charged, no problems. Still would not start the car. All I got was a clicking noise from the lights. I finally said screw it and went right to Sears and got their monster Die Hard. Car has been great ever since. The Delco had problems with the metal side terminals where the cables touched. If this doesn't help fix the problem, hopefully it will be good info for the future.
Semper Fi!
Semper Fi!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,172
Likes: 4
From: Central Coast CA
Re: My Vette is still dead (nothingbutavette)
You are getting very similar problems that I had until I got fed up with GM and on the third time and told them to fix it or I would pull the Lemon Law. First, they replaced the alternator and claimed it was fixed. The Second time they claimed the battery was no good and replaced it with a 7 year Delco. The Third time, the Information panel finally showed a "System Charge" error and I took it in for the last time and said "It's yours until you prove to me the problem is fixed". The symptons I had were the voltage gauge would bounce around from 11.2-16.4 at speeds above 1500 rpm; the dash would light up like a Christmas tree (ABS shuts down etc) while driving and it would take longer each morning to start the engine. It turns out that the starter was draining the battery from either a ground or open short. I haven't had a problem with the charging system since. But then, the passenger side electric fan motor started whistling at shut down and I took it in for that last Friday. Whew...what a high maintenance Corvette!