Wont start

[dthquazi1]

I just got the tranny in from 2 months of sitting. While it was sitting i moved the battary to the back. I grounded the battery it onto the 10mm in the little compartment and cleaned around it. When i turn the key to engage the starter everything dimsin and stays dim until the ecu shuts off. The starter wont even turn at all. Could it have somethign to do with the flywheel or is it most likely the ground. If its the ground where can i ground it?

 

[luv2rallye]

You've got 70-100 amps going through the plus AND minus cables of the battery when you start. I assume you have the plus going to the starter but you also must have the minus going to the starter frame (or tranny frame) with just as heavy a gauge wire to handle that much current. You cannot just bolt it to the car body (the wire from the car body to the engine/tranny is way to small to handle that much current).

 

[dthquazi1]

thanks but i am still a little unclear. If i take the ground that is with the starter cluster and bolt it to the frame will it work.

or

If i make the wire from the front of the tranny to the passenger side frame a bigger gauge it will work?

 

[BUCK]

I'd do a Search - there are several good Threads on Battery relo - & several good relo kits mentioned in the Threads - PLEASE tell us you have that Hot Lead fused right AT the Battery...

 

[dthquazi1]

yes i do but i have searched and there has been nothing about my problem. That is why i think it may be something else. I hooked the ground up to where it says in the vfaq. The vfaq says nothing about a diff ground gauge though.

 

[splattj]

Your battery could have discharged from sitting 2 months. Have you checked the voltage at the battery? My may just need a new battery or a jump/charging.

 

[BUCK]

http://www.vfaq.com/FAQlocator-index.html

From the VFAQ...

Now you will need a negative cable which will run to a good body ground. A very easy place to connect your negative cable to is a bolt just inside the jack cover panel. It's easily found as it's the only black bolt in that whole area (around where the side marker is). Clean off any paint or dirt with a wire brush, solder another flat ring connector onto your short negative cable and attach.

AND...

At this point you have to mount a circuit breaker or fuse block somewhere near the battery. I chose to cut a rectangular hole out of the plastic and bolt up my Rockford Fosgate 140A circuit breaker in there. It turned out looking very clean and it will be right next to the battery. The reason you need this is if your positive cable shorts out to the body somewhere, it could set your car on fire. That's why this circuit breaker near the battery is VERY important. DO NOT skip this step.

 

[dthquazi1]

battery is fine, the stereo runs fine and all other things run. I did everything in accordance to the vfaq. Yes the one that was quoted. I cleaned around the 10mm bolt that is stated in it and bolted it down there.

 

[splattj]

The stereo will come on as will the dome light at 9-10v but the car won't start. Get a volt meter or have autozone/sears check the battery. (unless you've checked) If you have 12v at the battery you probably need a better ground.

 

[luv2rallye]

I would run a separate heavy guage cable from the battery negative to the tranny so you don't have that much current going through the body (to reduce voltage drop and fire hazard).

But if you insist on going to the frame only, then you must insure that ALL points the current will travel back to the battery will be at least as heavy guage as the positive cable is. Otherwise you will drop too much voltage and the starter will not receive 12 volts (other devices like radios, etc that don't draw as much current will work however). Check the voltage at the starter WHILE THE STARTER IS ENGAGED to see if this is the case (it sounds like it is since you say things dim when you start - this is the voltage drop). If not 12 volts at the starter, (the frame may be big enough but) there's a wire or 2 connecting the frame/body to the engine that is not heavy enough guage to carry that much current without having a BIG voltage drop there. In electrical terms you need a connection of not more than 0.05 ohm from the battery all the way to the starter frame to not drop too much voltage while starter is engaged.

 

[luv2rallye]

Also, even if you get it to work through the body/frame, Arc welders run 80-100 amps through the body/frame to weld the car. That's what you will be doing (during cranking) if you use the body/frame instead of a separate heavy guage cable to the battery negative.