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Car will not start!!!


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helpme
New User

Oct 2, 2007, 6:17 PM

Post #1 of 7 (1691 views)
post icon Car will not start!!! Sign In

Hi, I have a old 84 Buick century and it will not start up. When I try to start it nothing happens. The lights don't come on and the car makes no cranking sound. I checked the battery and its OK. Someone said its the alternator but I have no clue. HELP ME! PLEASE!


DrElectrics
Enthusiast
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Oct 2, 2007, 7:14 PM

Post #2 of 7 (1688 views)
post icon Re: Car will not start!!! Sign In

This could be a few things. DEFINATELY NOT THE ALTERNATOR. The ALT is your charger for the battery. If the battery is fine, then your ALT is working fine also. The problem might be: The starter solenoid - Current from your ignition goes to the solenoid on your starter motor. If it is busted, the plunger that makes the drive engage will not activate. This will make NO SOUND. So when you turn the key, nothing at all will happen. If you turn the key and it clicks, that means the solenoid plunger is firing, but the starter motor could be cooked.

For the "no warning light" problem, check your battery posts, and make sure the terminals are clean and on it properly.

Hope i helped.


Guest
Anonymous Poster
dass2004_5@hotmail.com

Oct 3, 2007, 10:28 PM

Post #3 of 7 (1677 views)
Re: Car will not start!!! Sign In

I have a 1995 Ford Mercury Sable and it won't start.
I left my car for about 10 or 15 minutes today. I shut it off and locked it. I went back to get in and start it and it didn't start. I noticed my interior lights were on but when I checked my int. light switch it was off. It seems to me that when I got out of the car and shut the door something didn't trigger right and my int. lights stayed on instead of shutting off like they had done 20 minutes before when I shut the door. When I turned the key to start the vehicle it clicked a couple times and the lights on my dash flashed on and off real quickly. I tried getting a boost from someone I work with and still nothing. When they took the cables off their battery and touched them together there was a spark but I couldn't even turn my lights on. No radio no door locks no nothing.
Could you tell me what kind of a problem I could have? What could all this mean? Could it be just a dead battery? Or could it be my alternator or starter?


DrElectrics
Enthusiast
DrElectrics profile image

Oct 3, 2007, 10:41 PM

Post #4 of 7 (1675 views)
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Leaving interior lights on for 10-15 minutes wouldnt drain the battery so bad that you couldnt start the car. They are 3-5w light bulbs, so they dont take much juice. The clicking means your starter is fine, it just doesnt have enough power to push the drive into mesh (thing that makes the car start). Could be ALT or Battery. I would go for the simple fix 1st, NEW BATTERY. As i have recommended before, go a GEL CELL BATTERY. No maintenance, longer lasting, but a little more expensive.


Quote


When they took the cables off their battery and touched them together there was a spark but I couldn't even turn my lights on

Your battery might have enough charge in it after being boosted to give off spark. Make sure when your boosting, the other car helping you revvs the engine to a constant 4-5rpm. And boost for about 5 mins like this. This allows their ALT to keep charging the helpers battery because its working twice as hard. after 5 mins of this, keep cables connected to both batteries, tell helper to ease off, and try and start you car. Did you do this??


Guest
Anonymous Poster

Oct 4, 2007, 7:29 PM

Post #5 of 7 (1666 views)
Re: Car will not start!!! Sign In

I am writing you back to tell you that I got my 95 Sable working. The problem was that my battery cables weren't tight so they kept "shorting out" not connecting properly and that caused the power to go on and off!! Thank you anyways. Hopefully this helps other people in the future with their cars.


DrElectrics
Enthusiast
DrElectrics profile image

Oct 4, 2007, 7:53 PM

Post #6 of 7 (1665 views)
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Glad it got fixed mate, i think i may have over diagnosed the problem. Glad your on your way anyways!


jtgreek
Anonymous Poster

Oct 9, 2007, 1:01 PM

Post #7 of 7 (1653 views)
Re: Car will not start!!! Sign In

if the battery is good-take battery to autozone or mechanic to have load tested to be sure-assuming its ok,make sure both cables are intact,clean and tight at battery,starter solenoid and engine ground.if ok,its very possible to have a fried fusible link wire at the starter solenoid.hope this info helps....






 
 
 






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