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HELP new battery,wont start

S

sanman

Guest
every couple of days i had to jump her off,so i bought a new optima batterie.worked fine but i noticed that i really had to push the clutch all the way to the floor to get her started,went to my dads house for a couple of hours and now shes just plain dead.
tried to jump start with cables,no good. i did her a little ticking noise coming from the passengers side dash,alt gauge said it was charging the batterie when i started it earlier.i have no clue
what could be draining two batteries down. the new one drained in one day,could it have something to do with factory alarm?
or am i suppose to reset something when charging or replacing
batterie. HELP SOMEONE
 
hmmm

Okay well I am not at all adept with cars but I would say that your problem is not the battery. Atleast not if you tried jumping it and it didn't work, provided that you know how to jump (not meant in any offense). If you didn't do it this way then you may want to try again. place the jumpers on neg and pos on the dead battery first. Then connect to the other running car black first then red. Then let the other car run a little bit, gassing it or whatever, I don't think it matters (just means the alternator charges more but doesn't increase the amps the battery puts out. I could be wrong) Letting the car run builds a larger initial charge, you'd probably wanna do this with a larger car (higher cold cranking amps). If your car does then start then I would have your alternator tested (although a quality battery shouldn't drain in one day unless you are using the bose system or something :p )

If the jump doesn't work then I am going to dare say that it's not your battery or alternator that's the problem. If you don't hear ANY noise when you turn the key then I would check the ignition system. If you hear a noise like a "packing" then it might be the starter solenoid. If the car cranks but just doesn't want to turn over then it can still be a multitude of things. Although a car should still start, you might wanna check all the plugs and wires and distributer and stuff. Make sure everything is tight.

Hopefully in the process of jumping you didn't switch the pos and neg, cuz the ECM is on the passenger side of vettes and hopefully you didn't fry it and that's the noise your hearing.

Well those are all the thing I can really think of, but like I said I am not that knowledgable and I have no clue as to what changes were made to your year of corvette.

But its all worth a try! Hope that helps!

Chris
 
Not exactly

If the battery has a dead cell or has lost so much of it's original charge that it can't be revived, then all the jumping in the world won't start the car. Start with a proven good battery. If that doesn't work it might be your solenoid.
--Drew:w
 
Could be the STARTER?? Do your lights come on bright whan you turn them on? Do your gauges, dash and instruments all work fine?
Try this. Have some one turn the key to the START position and hold it there. Then, crawl under the car (this part is tough) and tap the starter with a hammer. If you have worn armature brushes this will sometimes get her to kick over. If it works, dont shut it off until you get it home.
My wife was stranded 75 miles from home with a bad starter. I went to rescue her with ALL the tools in the back of the truck!
Fixing it with a hammer was cool!!! Even if it doesnt work, it could still be the starter. Check the battery voltage with a meter. It should be 12 volts. If you have 11 - 12 volts, the battery is probably good.

Chevy staters are nortorious for this problem!

I hope it solves your problem!

Bill C
 
my.02

I agree with Len Try the clutch safety switch or even the key they have that chip that gose bad. If battery was bad aiarm will be going crazy. Thats my .02


Hope it helps :w

Garry
 
thanks , yes i connected the cables properly and the lights and horn all looked bright and worked.i was jumping it with a suburban so iam sure i had plenty of power to the vette,i guess i will try things mentioned, the clutch sounds like it could be the
culprit.but then again it could be any of those things mentioned
man i hope its not a starter or alt that could be pricey.
 
Or the dreaded VATS

If the key is old ( the two side pins on the key blade) are worn... the Vats will not allow the starter to engage.

IF the battery is good, and you get a SOLID CLICK from the starter solnoid then it's the starter motor.

BUT if you turn the key and get no power to the ( purple wire) I believe on the back of the starter It's etiher the clutch saftey switch OR the Vats


I'll have to post the fix on this tonight!

Mike
 
VATS

The chip (resistor) on the VATS key doesn't usually fail, but I have seen several VATS ignitions fail due to the fact that the part that actually touches the resistor on the key are brass and have a tendency to get weak over time. I've seen a few loose chips (resistors) but for the most part the keys don't go bad. Resistors are the most stable electronic component known to man. Doesn't it figure that GM stoped using them recently in favor of transponders.
--Drew:w
 
Try disconnecting the battery for a few minutes,if its the vats chip its could be seting a theft code.A friend of mine had the same problem on a Caddy,a new key did the trick,if that doesn't work unplug the clutch switch and try a continuity tester to see if thats the problem.
 
VATS cont

It's typically not the key that fails...it's the wires flexing in the column OR the key switch fingers.....

Remember a 10% value change ( typically higher due to poor contact) will kick you to the ground.

When the wire fails.. one side shorts to ground.

And the last evil

When the new alarm or other electronic toy is installed when the drivers side hush plate is re installed the connector gets caught and ripped out of the switch!


Just my .02

Mike
 
Another 2 cents

Just a fine point. That wire that Mike is talking about is super thin and it doesn't take much to break the contact. You can (if you have to) replace the ignition without changeing the VATS value. (any good locksmith can check the operation of the connection and ignition without removeing your steering wheel)
After re-reading your post I would check your clutch switch to make sure it is working properly.
--Drew:w
 
well heres what we got so far,put a new batterie in and started up fine,took old batterie back and it is charging,the guy said theres no way that batt could have discharged that fast.we could not find anything wrong.so for now just waiting to see if this one discharges.
 
My 2c's worth !
Had the same problems. Dead battery, would not jump. bought new battery, would not start. Happened to notice the positive threads on the wire. They are so far in that I overlooked them. Very corroded. Hard to get to. Took a small nail and carefully went round and round and cleaned the threads. Put old "dead" battery back in and started right up. Returned new battery to store and still using original battery. Sometimes the simplest things !!!
George
 
That "ticking noise" that you are hearing....

I'd like to know what that is myself. The times when I have also had a dead battery, I have also heard that clicking noise. If you open your glove box door, you will also see that the light inside there is flashing in conjunction with the ticking.

Any guesses, anyone??
 
uh---yeah

The clicking is the battery trying to move the starter/solenoid but failing because it doesn't have the power. The reason the lights dim is because the battery doesn't have enough power to start the car and it is using what power it does have to try to move the solenoid/starter motor.
 
Drewser...

I know what you are talking about....and that's not it. I know what it sounds like when the battery is trying to move the starter, and the noise that we are referring to is not the same one.

The constant, rapid clicking/ticking comes from the passenger side glove box area only. When the key is removed - it still clicks constantly. The light in the glove box will blink in conjunction with this rapid clicking/ticking.

Do you have any other idea on what it may be?
 
the only thing i found so far is a burnt fuse,a small one inside next to the dash its a 5 amp that says batt.i havent replaced it yet,but the car starts ans charges fine so far.the optima has side post and top post,i belive the top post was too close to the metal
that holds the cruise control and was arcing and ran the batt down.as for the clicking noise i still havent got that one solved.
 
It might be the alarm

1)Does the horn work on your car?
2) Is the clicking coming from behind the drivers information panel area?

IF the alarm is tripped it will pulse the relay for the horn AND will activate the starter lockout.

Does the clicking go for 2 or so minutes at a repeatable rate then stop by itself?

AND do you just have the factory alarm....


Mike
 
Whoops..93

Replace the batt fuse.....

and check my posts about DIC error codes



CCM error polling ( Repost )


If your ALDL connector looks like this, you can proceed,If not ( more pins than this) STOP! This is for ODB style 1

F E D C B A
G H J K L M

I think 94 was the first year of ODB 2

But..My Actron scanner states it will check up to a 95.. which I have not done personally


If your looks like the above..proceed


You can pole the CCM and get ALL the error codes for the CCM system

TURN OFF KEY..FIND ALDL CONNECTOR
(UNDER DASH LOWER THAN YOU KNEE WOULD BE)

To read the CCM

Key Off
Have pen & paper ready
Jump pins a & g in tha ALDL connector paperclip will do (Top left A bottom right G)

turn key on
This will start the Auto diag of the CCM
The numbers where the speedo lives will give you codes eg C 51 or H 51
(the C means current H means History)
and below there will be another number
( eg 1.1, 2.1 etc)
These will tell you the MODULE at fault.

Write this info down
Repeat as needed
To exit
Key off
Remove the jumper

Manual Navigation
At the end of the AUTO Error display it will park you into Manual diagnostics mode.You can have all kinds of fun here.

There are many different MODULES CCM,ECM,ABS, ETC
Each of these modules has TEST?s ( more than one)

Some TEST?s you can input VALUES ( eg from the CCM you can put in a number to test the door locks..and from the number you input you see a result, and you can reverse it so you hit a switch.. the CCM will tell you that it see?s that input..Neat HUH?)

So on the DIC buttons
FUEL info= Previous value
ENG/MET= Next value
GAUGES= Previous test
TRIP ODO=Next test
FUEL RESET=Previous module
TRIP RESET= Next module

Terms
CCM= central control module
ECM= engine control module
ABS= Automatic Braking System



Modules
Display CCM DTC?s =1.2
Display CCM status= 1.3
Cycle CCM outputs= 1.4
Clear CCM DTC?s= 1.7
Display ECM DTC?s = 4.1
Clear ECM DTC?s-= 4.7
Display ABS/ASR DTC?s = 9.1
Clear ABS/ASR DTC?s = 9.7


Clear CCM errors

Jump pin's A & G
Key ON
Press the Trip/ODO button till the 1.7 appears in the module window.

HOLD the ENG/MET button till ( --- ) shows up in the speedo window.

You have now cleared the CCM errors,
( now if there is still a problem.. this will come back and report an error the next time you poll.)

Key off

Remove Jumper

Display CCM status
MODE 1.3
Hit TRIP/ODO till 1.3 is selected.
Hit ENG/MET(next test) till your at the test you want to see.
If you overshoot hit FUEL INFO( last test)
This will let you run thru all the inputs the CCM "see?s"
Input ID
01= Pass Key/FUEL
02= English or Metric
03= Door Key Switch
04= Right Door Ajar
05=Left Door Ajar
06= Key in the Ign.
07=Rear Hatch ajar
08=Power locks Unlock
09= Power locks Locked
10=Parking Lights
11=Rear defogger (press the button a few times so see the state change)
12=Seat Belt ( drivers only)
13=High Beam ( lights need to be on DUH!)
14= Low Oil level sensor

Test CCM outputs
MODE 1.4
Hit TRIP/ODO till 1.4 is selected.
Hit ENG/MET(next test) till your at the test you want to see.
If you overshoot hit FUEL INFO( last test)
This will allow you to make the outputs of the CCM switch on or off
The last digit of the odometer will indicate a 1 for on and a 0 for off
HOW DIGITAL CAN YOU GET!


Outputs
01= Change oil light
02= Check gauges light
03= Fasten seatbelt light
04= Security light
05= Hi Beam
06= Chime slow
07= Chime fast
08= LCD Blank
09= Rear window defog
10= interior lights
11= Low oil light
12= Starter Enable relay ( IF you have the right key in)
13=Delayed acc.buss relay
14= BBBBBBEEEEEEEEPPPPP ( horn)


Mike
 
well heres what i got so far,i took my loaner batterie back where
my optima was charging. and the guy told me he has never seen this before , but the optima i had in the car was no good,it was charging for 3 days and would not hold a charge. so he gave me a brand new optima and it works fine. it would have to be me that
buys a brand new batterie and is no good from the factory.hey
who else but me would it cost $280 bucks for a batt,tow,mechanic
to check everything ,5 days down time just to replace the batterie. oh well, thanks again to everone that replied.
 

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