So I just finished up the great vacuum hose replacement job last week. In the process, I also put on a downpipe and a new AST. I started it up last week and I had a screwy idle, so I figured I must have messed up one of the hoses. I let it warm up, then I pulled it back into the garage and shut it down. I poke around in the engine bay and find that I forgot to hook up the MAP sensor vacuum hose. Duh. So I try and start it today, it turns over, doesn't start, then it dies, like the battery is dead. I tried jumping it with my other car. Nothing. I was gonna try swapping batteries from car to car, but the poles are reversed and the lines wouldn't reach. I measured the voltage across the battery and its a steady 13V. Could the battery still be dead? The car has been sitting for about 6 weeks prior to me starting it last week. The battery is only about a year and half old. What's going on? Thanks guys.

 

If you've got 13V it is probably not your battery. But - take it out of the car and trickle charge it overnight at 1 amp or less and make sure it is full of distilled water and vented with lots of fresh air - preferably outside - before you start charging. (Hydrogen gas ya' know) Do NOT do this in your basement or an enclosed space.

If it is a maintenance free battery you'll need to have it professionally tested (for free) to see if it has any huevos. Have a beer. Try it again tomorrow. You want to do this anyway to take the strain off the alternator since it is not meant to re-charge your battery once the engine starts. Alternators are really expensive for our rides, and the only ones worth buying are OEM new, not remans.

Clean your posts and clamps with a wire brush post cleaner ($3.00 at your auto parts store) and a little baking soda and water as well.

Fire that sucker up!

 

Just out of curiosity, if it's not my battery, then what is it? Like I said, it fired up fine late last week.

 

i'm having somewhat of the same problem. i went and got my starter checked and it works but not like it's supposed to so i am getting a new starter and hopefully that will fix it. i suggest pulling out your starter and having ti tested, it is really easy to get out.

 

What would be involved in testing the starter? And what would cause it to just die like that?

 

my car just did the exact same thing 5 minutes ago. DAMMIT! what's the deal? i replaced my old battery, it started up perfect, and that was only 2 weeks ago. i did that because i had to jump the old one a buncha times and eventually it wouldnt jump. however, tonights the first time it started to turn over and then kinda faded out to nothing, so to speak. i thought it was the glovebox light cuz the glove box is busted and hangs down, but there's no light. Anybody know any details about how to test the starter, or anything else, like if its an alternator problem... please help!