can a loose battery cause a car not to start? Options

[homebuilder]

Hi,

My car every once in a while will not start. The starter turns over but it does not catch. Then if I wait a while it will work.

A mechanic looked at it when it did this once, he went under the hood saw my battery was not tied down properly, he moved it over hit the top of the cable and it started. Now I do not know if it was him moving the battery or just the normal, wait a minute and it works.

So anyone else have this problem? Anyone think it is the battery?

I plan to secure the battery anyway, but just wondering if that's really the problem.

[czwalga]

no, but loose connections to the battery can.

[Keiri]

no, but loose connections to the battery can.

Home, my car did the same thing (I don't have a battery tie-down) and all the movement and vibration was causing the battery connectors to get loose. This caused the car to not start and act like the battery was dead.

Remedied it by tightening the connectors real well I would suggest investing in a battery tie-down and replacement of the positive battery terminal connector 0 might as well knock them out at the same time.

[Smaay]

when you say the starter turns over, that means the engine is turning. if you turn the key and all of a sudden the power drops, thats a loose connection on the battery.

[RabidTRD]

If the engine is turning, it has nothing to do with the charging system.

Typically it's something to do with the ignition in relation to spark. Or you could have an issue where fuel is not getting through fast enough, (weak pump or clogged fuel filter) and when you try to start it the second time, and it works is because the fuel has reached the injectors/gone into the cylinder. A bad ignition module can cause this issue too.

To start, when is the last time you've had a tune up? (New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, air filter, and cleaned out the throttle body) Also, what year is your car, what engine are we talking about and is it California emissions or Federal emissions?

This post has been edited by RabidTRD: Feb 6, 2013 - 10:50 PM

[soulshadow]

If your getting the good ol clickty clack, tighten up the bolts on your battery terminals

[homebuilder]

If the engine is turning, it has nothing to do with the charging system.

Typically it's something to do with the ignition in relation to spark. Or you could have an issue where fuel is not getting through fast enough, (weak pump or clogged fuel filter) and when you try to start it the second time, and it works is because the fuel has reached the injectors/gone into the cylinder. A bad ignition module can cause this issue too.

To start, when is the last time you've had a tune up? (New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, air filter, and cleaned out the throttle body) Also, what year is your car, what engine are we talking about and is it California emissions or Federal emissions?

Thanks,

I have had five different mechanics all tell me different things. Six months ago I replaced the distributor for stopping in the middle of the freeway. I thought then it might be fuel ,but the mechanic said there was an engine code saying the distributor was bad. It was not just a distributor cap, I am unfamiliar with the term, I think it was a distributor with some ignition part in it that was involved with timing, would that be the ignition module? It cost around 300 to fix, 150 was parts.

I was planning on replacing the fuel filter this weekend. I do not have a pressure tester to test the fuel pump. Any other way to test it?

Ummm afraid to display my ignorance again, but what is the throttle body and how do you clean out?

Thanks for the advice.

[xrav22]

If the engine is turning, it has nothing to do with the charging system.

Typically it's something to do with the ignition in relation to spark. Or you could have an issue where fuel is not getting through fast enough, (weak pump or clogged fuel filter) and when you try to start it the second time, and it works is because the fuel has reached the injectors/gone into the cylinder. A bad ignition module can cause this issue too.

To start, when is the last time you've had a tune up? (New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, air filter, and cleaned out the throttle body) Also, what year is your car, what engine are we talking about and is it California emissions or Federal emissions?

Thanks,

I have had five different mechanics all tell me different things. Six months ago I replaced the distributor for stopping in the middle of the freeway. I thought then it might be fuel ,but the mechanic said there was an engine code saying the distributor was bad. It was not just a distributor cap, I am unfamiliar with the term, I think it was a distributor with some ignition part in it that was involved with timing, would that be the ignition module? It cost around 300 to fix, 150 was parts.

I was planning on replacing the fuel filter this weekend. I do not have a pressure tester to test the fuel pump. Any other way to test it?

Double check your cold start sensor it is on the engine at the end of the upper radiator hose. there are 2 sensors in the neck or whatever you want to call it, on the right cold start sensor and on left I think it is for the guage. My cold start was corrode and cracked and my car would randomly die and not start . 15 bucks at autozone solved it all.


Ummm afraid to display my ignorance again, but what is the throttle body and how do you clean out?

Thanks for the advice.

This post has been edited by xrav22: Feb 10, 2013 - 2:43 AM

[homebuilder]

Weird... it happened again twie today. The first time after moving the battery it started right up. Drove home, ten minutes later it again would not start. Tried to not move battery, then moved it, still did nto work. Waited ten more minutes moved battery and it worked... but seems to be sluggish.

I got new spark plugs and I got a fuel pump and filter from a 97 in a junk yard. I wanted to get a new filter, but pep boys was out. I may replace the fuel pump and spark plugs tomorrow, see if that helps.

Any suggestions or warnings on a used fuel pump? used filter?

Curious, can you clean a filter?

[finalate]

If the engine is turning, it has nothing to do with the charging system.

Typically it's something to do with the ignition in relation to spark. Or you could have an issue where fuel is not getting through fast enough, (weak pump or clogged fuel filter) and when you try to start it the second time, and it works is because the fuel has reached the injectors/gone into the cylinder. A bad ignition module can cause this issue too.

To start, when is the last time you've had a tune up? (New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, air filter, and cleaned out the throttle body) Also, what year is your car, what engine are we talking about and is it California emissions or Federal emissions?

Thanks,

I have had five different mechanics all tell me different things. Six months ago I replaced the distributor for stopping in the middle of the freeway. I thought then it might be fuel ,but the mechanic said there was an engine code saying the distributor was bad. It was not just a distributor cap, I am unfamiliar with the term, I think it was a distributor with some ignition part in it that was involved with timing, would that be the ignition module? It cost around 300 to fix, 150 was parts.

I was planning on replacing the fuel filter this weekend. I do not have a pressure tester to test the fuel pump. Any other way to test it?

Ummm afraid to display my ignorance again, but what is the throttle body and how do you clean out?

Thanks for the advice.

I believe the throttle body is what your air intake is connected to .

[RabidTRD]

Your throttle body is the part that controls air flow into huge intake manifold. To locate it, find your air filter housing and follow the black hose up to the engine. It will have a cable and wheel attatched to it.

What it sounds like to me is that you've got an issue with a internally broken battery cable (probably on the positive side) due to the battery shifting around so much without a hold down. Sluggish chugging and slow start indicates the battery is not getting a charge from the alternator. Best way to test this is to bring it to Advance Auto Parts and have them test it with the EXP-1200 (Midtronics battery, starter, and drain tester). That will tell you if you're getting power to your battery or not. Another thing you can do to test is to attatch a volt meter to the battery terminals and while the car is running, move the battery around a bit and see if the voltage changes. Also if your battery is moving around like that, it's possible it may have shorted out on something under the hood and blown the alternator fuse.

What I would do is to wire brush the terminals and terminal clamps then test for a broken cable.

[homebuilder]

Well, I got the fuel pump from a junkyard, decided to replace to see if that was the issue. Easy to replace, andso far its working fine.

There maybe a guide on here somewhere for replacing a fuel pump, but I did not see it so I will give a quick how to:

How to replace a fuel pump:

1. remove back lower seat. On a convertible, it just clips on so you can pull it up. If you like, you can also remove the top section, there are just four bolts that hold it in place. On the convertible, you go behind the seat, lift up the velcro that holds in place the vinyl where the convertible top retracts.

2. remove Four philips head screws to remove the cover plate.

3. Now you can see the outside of the tank/pump. Have two hoses and one electrical clip to remove. The metal hose you need a 14 mm wrench and a 19 mm wrench. Push on the 14 mm toward the driver side of the car, it should loosen without too much trouble. If you need, spray PB blaster to loosen.

The electrical clip is easy, push in on the side and lift up like all electrical clips. The o

For the rubber hose, use a pliers to push together the two sides to open the clamp and move clamp down hose, grip hose with pliers and twist a little but back and forth to loosen and move off of nipple.

4. remove a bunch of Philips head screws around the plate, lift assembly out of car. May want to have a plastic bag handy to put in so less fuel drips. Keep in mind you can now see into gas tank, so maybe don't smoke while doing this.

5. The pump is the cylinder object. You have an electric clip to remove and a hose, again, use a pliers to squeeze the ends of the clip together to make it expand, move it out of the way, remove the clip and then slide the pump out of the holder that holds it in place on the bottom end.

6. since I replaced with a junkyard part, I kept the strainer attached, just popped it in place, attached hose and electrical clip, put everything back together, prayed, and it worked. The pump I got basically for free while buying another part so it was a free fix.

Over all very easy. No need to get a mechanic to do it. Be careful of the fuel lines to not bust. Takes less than a half hour.

What made it easy for me was going to junkyard and "practicing" on that junk car. Even if you do not use the parts, I suggest going to a junkyard and just playing around with the cars. I took almost the entire interior and much of the engine apart to practice.... I am not a mechanic so it helped.

This post has been edited by homebuilder: Feb 10, 2013 - 8:42 PM

[homebuilder]

Did not start again this morning!!!


I pulled a plug wire and put an old spark plug in it to see if it sparked, I did not see a spark. I am not sure if I did that right, does the plug need to be touching metal for that to work?

Someone mention the cold start sensor, could that stop it from starting or sparking?

I replaced the ignition months ago so I did not think it could be that but I am afraid it might be..

[mkernz22]

Get new battery terminals for the wires going to the battery.

This post has been edited by mkernz22: Feb 14, 2013 - 6:53 PM

[SwissFerdi]

investing in a battery tie-down and replacement of the positive battery terminal connector 0 might as well knock them out at the same time.

The tie-down and rods from a Camry fit as well, and there are plenty in junkyards. Easy, cheap fix.

I am not sure if I did that right, does the plug need to be touching metal for that to work?

Shove a bit of wiring into the plug, then touch that wire to anything else metallic.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Feb 14, 2013 - 11:40 PM

[xrav22]

investing in a battery tie-down and replacement of the positive battery terminal connector 0 might as well knock them out at the same time.

The tie-down and rods from a Camry fit as well, and there are plenty in junkyards. Easy, cheap fix.

I am not sure if I did that right, does the plug need to be touching metal for that to work?

Shove a bit of wiring into the plug, then touch that wire to anything else metallic.

I meant to write this above .
Check that darn coolant temp sensor . It is at the back of the top radiator hose and it is the right hand small sensor.
Instead of the battery wiggle the wiring to see if it may have cracked at the sensor. It took me 6 months to find out why my car would randomly not start. Once again wiggle the wiring it has a tendency to get old at the sensors.

[homebuilder]

I am looking around online, can not find a coolant temp sensor, can you please give me a link to it somewhere?

Thanks!

[xrav22]

I am looking around online, can not find a coolant temp sensor, can you please give me a link to it somewhere?

Thanks!

I dont have a pick but if you look at the engine
and follow the upper radiator hose to the enging it should be right there