Won't Start

[Rageful]

4 Hours Previous to this My Turbo Timer was Displaying very low voltage readings (10.1). Recent Month the car has been hovering over 12.9-11.6.

When I left work car wouldn't start. Called the girl friend to give me a boost. Car turned on and I went on my way. My Voltage readings pretty much dropped as I drove during a 1/2 Mile road. When It got to 7.0 I pulled over and car instantly turned off. Got another boost and decided to make the 1/4mile sprint to Autozone. Barely made it (7.6v).

Battery was tested, found to be horribly bad and I got a new replacement.

When installed battery only read 12.7. As the day went by it settled at around 11.7.

3 Hrs Later Car would not start. All interior lights OK. I roll start the car, and everythings jolly. When I get home and park it, I attempt to start it and it wont start, its 12pm I go to sleep.

I have a brand new spare alternator, So this morning I go to check the car out and it starts right up. Voltage at 11.7 and dropped down to 11.1 While just idle-ling.

So I have about 4 Hrs until I have the time to do any repair/investigating work. Any Ideas till then? Other possible issues? I don't want to do a alternator swap and find out its something else.

If it helps, when the car wouldn't start upon turning the ignition all I would get is a 'DUUUUHH' and no crank. don't know how else to describe the sound, Came from engine bay.
I imagine It was the starter attempting to start.

 

[g4ebguy90]

Wait did, you put the new alternator on?

 

[gorf]

Sounds like you already answered your own question.

New battery and it drops voltage to the point it won't start - alternator or bad ground/connection

 

[Rageful]

Wait did, you put the new alternator on?

No.

I guess I had made my mind. But when it turned on today morning despite having low voltage I was thrown off.

 

[miguelmcv]

If you are having 11 amp at the battery, your engine will never start, even seen that you have are getting power.
It needs 12amp to start

 

[BoostedYeep]

I agree with gorf. I had a similar issue but could not tell my bolts since I didn't have a gauge like you do. Put in a brand new battery and alternator was fine. Just check the ground wiring. I did the same and the car started up no problem.

 

[Rageful]

So I installed the Alternator and it was in fact the culprit. Volt levels are now exactly where they should be and raise during travel. 14.1v at the battery

Just One Odd Thing..

It has already happened twice and when it does it usually only last 2 minutes while the car warms up.

Car turns on to a reading of 15.3. My Dash lights flickering, Radio turns on..Off..On..Off.

After idleling for a bit. It sits on 13.7 and everything goes back to normal.

After driving @ 65mph Turbo Timer was reading 15.2-15.9 and no radio during the 10min trip home.

I gave things a visual and everything checks out. Parked it, and not touching it for fear of causing damage.

 

[95talongirl]

^^

Sounds like a weak ground. Check the grounds to the radio and the body grounds. Sometimes adding another ground off the battery to the firewall helps.

 

[jmitch]

15 volts is kinda high for a stock/oem alternator. If the car was flickering with the volts that high you need to turn it off it will cause more trouble than you want, i.e. fuses, relays and light bulbs will start to pop. (Dont ask how i know ). MOST vehicles can handle 16v max for a short period of time before any damage occurs. Now the reason youre probably seeing high voltage is because the regulator in the alternator is faulty.

 

[gorf]

^^

Sounds like a weak ground. Check the grounds to the radio and the body grounds. Sometimes adding another ground off the battery to the firewall helps.

Don't skip the obvious - such as pulling battery terminals and cleaning them!!!
I have had TWO different vehicles that tried to start or did start then simply refuse to start again. Cleaned the battery terminals and problem solved.

 

[miguelmcv]

Make a good clean up at the end of each wire.

Trans. location, Fire wall Location, and Terminal locations, (Ground).

Even having a good and clean terminal, It can cause some problem if your other end of the wires are not making a good contact, (Trans. and Fire Wall).