Help: Will not fire up?

[eSCAPEist_]

I'm having a problem with my first DSM, which is a 97 GS N/T. I turn the key with the clutch in as usual, the car cranks and TRY'S to turn over for a half second or so and then it just clicks if I hold the key there for a sec. Yesterday morning at about 7:35am I had the same problem, It was a little cold outside and it just wouldn't turn all the way over, then that afternoon at about 3:00pm, it was warmer outside, I tried it and it did the same thing. I hooked up the jumper cables to jump it off with another car and at first it still woudn't turn all the way over, but after about 7-8 tries it fired right up and I drove it to work and it sat off for 4 hours, then it fired right up after work and I drove it home. It is now 8:00am the next day, still a little cold outside and it still tries to turn over but no fire. I've been trying to jump it off all morning and it's still a no-go. I'd really appreciate it if anyone has any ideas on this problem. Thanks,

-eSCAPEist_

 

[razrman8]

What do you mean exactly by "it clicks"?

 

[safirenside]

it sounds like you have a bad battery. Id get it checked out at a autoparts store they usally do it for free

 

[eSCAPEist_]

What do you mean exactly by "it clicks"?

The ignition clicks excessively after you hold the key cranking

 

[ChiTownHussla]

Either your battery is shot, or your alternator is taking a crap. E

 

[eSCAPEist_]

As we speak on here I am in the process of charging up a newer battery to try it out on my car and see if that's the problem

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Your battery is junk. Get a new one and you should be good to go.
Your alternator must be good or you wouldn't be able to drive the car once you got it running. Good luck

 

[eSCAPEist_]

Your battery is junk. Get a new one and you should be good to go.
Your alternator must be good or you wouldn't be able to drive the car once you got it running. Good luck

I truly hope so man, hoping that's all there is! I'll let you all know in a while when we get a newer battery in if it's good to go,

 

[BoostedBeater]

May also have a draw on the system...

 

[eSCAPEist_]

May also have a draw on the system...

What do you mean?

Well guys, I took a newer and bigger battery I had laying around and charged it up and dropped it in and filled up my gas tank and my car and it was working fine all day yesterday, leaving it off for a couple hours and it still starts up perfect and sounds great. This morning at about 4:30am I tried to turn it on and it did the same not turning all the way over freakin thing, even though I put that newer battery in it. It seems like something it just isn't getting enough power to fire up and run. It's killing me.

-eSCAPEist

 

[95talongirl]

Check for bad grounds as well. Anything connection that looks like the terminals turned green is corroded and needs to be cleaned off with a wire brush or something to that effect.

A "draw on the system" means there is a circuit somewhere that is drawing the power from the battery when the car sits. This is also a likely culpurit. Do you have a circuit tester? You'll need one to pinpoint where the draw is.

 

[XiKeiyaZI]

Check the wiring at your starter as there is a ground there and also ensure that there is a ground running from the battery to a secure location on the firewall. This isn't so much a battery issue as it is a grounding issue.

 

[eSCAPEist_]

That's some good info I need to look into. Could it be my alternator somehow?

 

[ChiTownHussla]

I say if you changed the battery, the alternator is taking a dump on ya. Or theere is a loose wire somewhere either the alternator or the starter. I would change the alternator anyway just for piece of mind....keep me posted so we wcan help

 

[army94e]

You can also get the alternator tested at a local parts store that tests batteries. I agree with checking to see if you are getting a draw from somewhere, i had that problem a few years back with an old car

 

[eSCAPEist_]

I say if you changed the battery, the alternator is taking a dump on ya. Or theere is a loose wire somewhere either the alternator or the starter. I would change the alternator anyway just for piece of mind....keep me posted so we wcan help

Yea man I changed the battery and it still does the same thing. Yesterday it kept conking out on me like 3 times within a 2 miles radius, as I was stuck in the road I popped my hood and pulled the spark plug wires out to take a look... Some of the spark plugs had to be fouled and half of them were covered in a rusty carbon build up from a liquid that had gotten down in the chamber on top of the plugs. The build up became less and less on the tube of the spark plug wires as I checked each wire tube going away from the oil cap... so could that oil leakage from the oil cap be causing my car to do this? As soon as I got it started after I found that out, I flew up the road (luckily that close) to Autozone and I bought new spark plugs in and new spark plug wires because my old plugs were pretty burned up. I installed those on it myself and the first time that I tried to fire it up after I put the new plugs and sp wires in, it fired up better and quicker than it ever had with me. All the rest of that day I would periodically go out side (every hour or two hours or so, and this was around 7pm-10pm) and it would fire up just as clean and crisp as the first time. Now around 3:30am the next morning I tried to fire it up... It was a no-go as before with my first post. Keep in mind that during the day that I have been getting it to start up, it has been relatively warm outside (I'd say around mid and high 70 degrees outside), and in the early morning it is relatively cold (Around low 50's) and every morning that I try it, it doesn't start up. Then later when I get back in the afternoon, it might start up the first crank like it did yesterday afternoon after it failed me in the early morning. What a day.

My problem is extremely similar to this guy's problem on this thread check it out and tell me what you guy's think...
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/420a-bolt-tech/380291-car-wont-start-please-help.html

-eSCAPEist_

 

[eSCAPEist_]

Alright guys, my problem has so far ceased to exist. I intalled new NGK spark plugs and new Duralast lifetime warranty spark plug wires one day and it still wouldn't turn all the way over and fire up, and then one day I was looking in my car and I found that my defrost button I suppose, that one that has the little snowflake emblem on it, was pushed in as if it were on... I pushed it back out like it's supposed to be when it's off and ever since then my car has been starting up as good as new (Glad I bought those spark plugs anyway ). But yea, I'm not sure if this is plausible but it almost seems like when that button was pushed in, even when the car was off, that that's what was drawing the power from my battery. I guess I'll never know for sure, but ever since I turned that button back off my car has been starting up every morning and driving great. Thanks eeryone for all of the advice and info on my ex-problem. See you all around the site,

-eSCAPEist_

 

[KRRZ350]

It would be a great opportunity to learn how to check for a parasitic draw if you ever want to know how to diagnose stuff like this. Disconnect ground terminal, measure current, hit the a/c switch, measure current again.

 

[eSCAPEist_]

It would be a great opportunity to learn how to check for a parasitic draw if you ever want to know how to diagnose stuff like this. Disconnect ground terminal, measure current, hit the a/c switch, measure current again.

Deffinately should.

 

[turbo24]

Wouldnt hurt to have a starter draw test performed eiter ... Never know the starter could be on its way out easy test and quick

 

[eSCAPEist_]

Wouldnt hurt to have a starter draw test performed eiter ... Never know the starter could be on its way out easy test and quick

True that, I'm due for a tune up anyway.

 

[empie1]

Stupid idea, but if your terminals arnt tight it does exacty what your describing.

 

[eSCAPEist_]

Stupid idea, but if your terminals arnt tight it does exacty what your describing.

Interesting

 

[Ben4g63t]

well i had this same problem with mine, turns out if i wiggled the positive wire and bent it into different positions it would go from a click to a start. i've re-wired it and havnt had a problem since.

 

[ChiTownHussla]

So it says resolved, but what was the problem and how did you fix it?