Ok, I did a quick search but couldn't find anything.

Today leaving work, my car would not start. I thought the battery might be dead, so I jump started it and drove to my parents.

I put in the new battery, and the car STILL will not start. Tried to jump start it, no start.

When I turn the key to start the car, all the lights in the car dim very badly, my turbo timer turns off, my SAFC turns off, and my EBC turns off.

Also, and one point I could hear what sounded like rapid ticking coming from where the ECU is located...


So, any ideas before I go tear into the car tomorrow? Where should I even start?

 

you might have a bad harness....i had a friend with a white 89 s5 and paid 90 bux for the guy to find a bad harness connection. There is a main harness that might get a bad connection and will do all of the above. Also it could be a really bad alternator problem.

 

I don't think it's the alt, as after I got it jump started the first time I was showing 14-15 volts all the way to my parents house.

Would a bad harness allow for it to run, and then not start like it's doing?

 

sometimes, but still check the alt

 

yeah... replacing the alt is alot cheaper than replacing the harness.....if u do find that the alt is broken...IM silverrotor....dont know if hes got any more FD alts for sale

 

That definitely sounds like the connectors that go around the battery terminals. I had this same exact problem. Either replace them or clean them very well with sandpaper. Im nearly 100% sure this is your problem.

 

The "clicking" you hear from under the dash (by your cpu) is an alternator related problem. When my alt. was on its way out, it would show good voltage 14V or so, and then when the clicking would happen it would drop to battery voltage, about 12. Im not sure where the clicking comes from, but i believe its related to the alt. sending out a bogus signal, or in-sufficient power to your cpu.

When the alt goes it doesnt just up and stop, it will mess with you a little bit , or at least mine did

 

So, it sounds like tomorrow I should clean up the terminals first, and if that don't work take the alt into autozone and have it tested.

It's an S5 alt, would they have an equal replacement, or should I track down an FD one or what?

 

If this is a new problem i doubt its bat. terminals, but check anyway it only takes a sec. When the alt. was ticking, was that when the car was running/ trying to start it? It shouldnt be doing that when the ignition is on but the car isnt.

Do you have a volt meter, or a turbo timer in your car that you can measure voltage with? What happened with my ride is, whenever it would be ticking, the voltage would drop to 12 volts. As soon as the ticking stopped, voltage would jump back up to normal. It did this for a few days untill i stopped getting alternator voltage at all.

My guess is alternator, almost 100%. Or a problem with related charging wires. When you tried to jump your car the second time, did it even crank?

 

Thanks for the help guys, it turned out to be the alternator. I managed to find one locally on an S5 that was sitting, so I lucked out on that. I think I'm still going to try and get an S6 alt, but we'll see how soon I can convince the wife on that

 

rock and roll

glad it wasnt a bad wiring harness or anything real expensive like that...