1987 Vert - won't start

[JJS]

A buddy of mine owns and 87 that had been running perfectly and now won't start. It's a beautiful low mileage (~30K miles) white on red vert that he takes meticulous care of.

He told me the battery read ~10V, so he took it back to Sears where he bought it last year and they said it's fine - it's something other than the battery.

Any ideas on where he should start looking?
He say's it tries to crank but just won't turn over - I'm thinking Opti.

Thanks in advance for any help.

-JS

 

[gmjunkie]

A buddy of mine owns and 87 that had been running perfectly and now won't start. It's a beautiful low mileage (~30K miles) white on red vert that he takes meticulous care of.

He told me the battery read ~10V, so he took it back to Sears where he bought it last year and they said it's fine - it's something other than the battery.

Any ideas on where he should start looking?
He say's it tries to crank but just won't turn over - I'm thinking Opti.

Thanks in advance for any help.

-JS

Well,It ain't the OPTI,87 don't have one!

10 volt ain't enough,11.5 would I think be a minimum to start it!~!!
A good fully charged 12v battery is closer to 12.8 -13 volts.I'd charge the battery and clean all grounds and B+ connections and then go from there!

 

[JJS]

Junk,

Thanks for setting me straight. I wasn't sure if '87 had the Opti but I thought I'd throw it out there.

I told him he should be seeing close to 14.0V on a good battery. He told me it's not getting over 10V while on the charger!!! Either he's got a bad battery or something is shorted.

This was all over the phone (messages), and I don't know ANYTHING about C4's!

 

[boomdriver]

Junk,

Thanks for setting me straight. I wasn't sure if '87 had the Opti but I thought I'd throw it out there.

I told him he should be seeing close to 14.0V on a good battery. He told me it's not getting over 10V while on the charger!!! Either he's got a bad battery or something is shorted.

This was all over the phone (messages), and I don't know ANYTHING about C4's!

Charge rate and storage rate are slightly different...

After sitting for a few days the battery VOLT meter should show 11.3V or maybe 12. Thats the stored available voltage. In the 11+ range is normal. Amps is what you're concerned with for the starter motor and how long it will rotate the engine.

While running the Volt meter should show 14 (or close) after start up then settle to 12-13.5V depending on engine speed and what accessories are running. That shows what the alt is producing and that number comes from what the voltage regulator 'senses' the system needs. A system is decent condition will always show 12v or more when the engine is idling, with accessories on. The alt should always be able to keep up with discharge. If not, the alt needs to be replaced.

10V is enough to maybe make the starter motor engage but not enough to crank the motor and fire it. The HEI ignition takes at least 10v to even generate a spark.
Charge the battery, check the alt output. Voltage regulator is built in the alt and can fail if there was ever a single spark from crossed jumper cables or a shorted battery.

 

[JJS]

It's an '88!

Just got off the phone with my buddy and I told him it can't be his opti because they didn't have them in '87 - then he told me it's an '88!

I know he told me it was an '87 when he bought it a couple of years ago.

Anyway, I told him a lot of people fried them by hosing down the engine compartment - he then told me he was using the hose on the front spoiler and spraying in that direction!

If the '88's had Opti (I don't know if they did) then he probably fried it.

 

[boomdriver]

Just got off the phone with my buddy and I told him it can't be his opti because they didn't have them in '87 - then he told me it's an '88!

I know he told me it was an '87 when he bought it a couple of years ago.

Anyway, I told him a lot of people fried them by hosing down the engine compartment - he then told me he was using the hose on the front spoiler and spraying in that direction!

If the '88's had Opti (I don't know if they did) then he probably fried it.

Sorry....better let go of that "opti" hatred...
Those did not appear for another 3 years...

Hosing the eng compartment down is a great way to short the alternator and ruin the voltage regulator.:ugh

Now I'm getting a little confused...

is the car cranking but not FIRING, OR is it not cranking at all, OR is it barely cranking?
Believe it or not, the accurate description means everything ...

 

[Jeb]

The wiring connections to/from the battery, ground and starter are all clean and tight, right?

If it wants to crank but won't it could very well be a loose connection to the starter.

Did Sears load test the battery or just put a multimeter across it?

 

[JJS]

The wiring connections to/from the battery, ground and starter are all clean and tight, right?

If it wants to crank but won't it could very well be a loose connection to the starter.

Did Sears load test the battery or just put a multimeter across it?

Guys, part of the problem is that he's leaving voice mail on my home phone and I'm not getting enough info - such as if Sears did a load test.
I can only "assume" they did because they told him it's "defnitely not" the battery.

Shortly after I posted my thoughts regarding the "opti" I did a search to find out when GM started using the Opti and found that it wasn't used until the '90's.

My buddy is having the car towed to a dealership this morning so I'll let you know how things work out - sounds like it's probably the alternator.

Thanks for all your inputs!

-John

 

[joe paco]

Guys, part of the problem is that he's leaving voice mail on my home phone and I'm not getting enough info - such as if Sears did a load test.
I can only "assume" they did because they told him it's "defnitely not" the battery.

Shortly after I posted my thoughts regarding the "opti" I did a search to find out when GM started using the Opti and found that it wasn't used until the '90's.

My buddy is having the car towed to a dealership this morning so I'll let you know how things work out -

"sounds like it's probably the alternator."

Thanks for all your inputs!

-John

does not sound like alternator if we don't know what the effects are when trying to start it. until he can answer "boomdriver's" questions anything is simply guessing. those logical questions are common to gasoline engines, not just Corvettes.
ign switch activates start solenoid, solenoid activates starter -electrically and mechanically.
if engine spins at rapid RPM it isn't a low source of electricity , whether the battery or a connection. if it spins but does not fire, it needs either fuel or spark.
have been thru low voltage problems many times, if you hear the "clicking" when ign is turned to start, the solenoid is activated, but does not have sufficient current -at the starter- to turn the starter motor -for many possible reasons, including the copper washer and/or lug inside solenoid. you can jump past solenoid to find out.
the former owner of my '91 had replaced battery and alternator, but battery was low after a while with no starts. turned out that the dash interior light was always on, switch failed in on position.

have I left anything out?

 

[boomdriver]

Dealer? :ugh


last time I went to a dealership I hurt my back bending over.......hnoes

Look in the local ph book for a Corvette shop or join a Corvette club. The members always know who is fair and who is good at diagnosing Vette issues.

When it comes to dealerships they often turn into "stealerships"..

 

[JJS]

Dealer? :ugh


last time I went to a dealership I hurt my back bending over.......hnoes

Look in the local ph book for a Corvette shop or join a Corvette club. The members always know who is fair and who is good at diagnosing Vette issues.

When it comes to dealerships they often turn into "stealerships"..

I told him to take it to the guy that I take mine to - they only work on Corvettes, old & new. Apparently he chose the dealership. You can lead a horse to water....

 

[boomdriver]

I told him to take it to the guy that I take mine to - they only work on Corvettes, old & new. Apparently he chose the dealership. You can lead a horse to water....

..oh well,

thats how I learned. At least he's working toward a solution.

 

[JJS]

He called me last night and told me they were charging him $98 to run diagnostics on it. He said they "believe" the problem is in the fuel system but they weren't sure what the exact problem was - they were still diagnosing. He said he'd call me today.

 

[boomdriver]

He called me last night and told me they were charging him $98 to run diagnostics on it. He said they "believe" the problem is in the fuel system but they weren't sure what the exact problem was - they were still diagnosing. He said he'd call me today.

My back's starting to ache just thinking about it...