Need Advice With This Weird Electrical Prob (Pretty long)

[notdrphang]

Ok...I changed the starter a few weeks ago and all was well with the SHO for a week or two then a weird electrical prob started to pop up, here is what is going on.

Ok the car would run like crap it would hesitate and buck, the check engine light would come on and go off but the car would throw no codes. I let the car sit for a few days and then started it up to take for a test drive. The car ran like crap for about 5 min's and the started to run as if nothing was wrong, so I decided since I was out I would pay a visit to a friend of mine. I got out of the car kncoked on his door and found no one was there. Went to start my car 45seconds later and it was DEAD! Got a jump....started heading back to my house saw a friends car at another person's house stopped by for a few and palyed some video games. Came out and the car started fine, got home parked the car for a day or two.

Ok this is where it gets weird...

Started the car to take it around the block....drove pretty nice, not much and also no check engine light. Put the car in it's usual parking space and turned it off. Waited 10 seconds and tried to restart it....DEAD! Then I took the battery from the SHO threw it my Tbird and the bird started right up, with what appeared to be a dead batery. Put it back in the SHO.....Nothing. Hook Up the Jumper cables and it starts.

What is going on here? Where do I even start to look?

 

[LaTechSHO]

you start with the battery cables......

AT LEAST the battery cable ends....

Louis

 

[notdrphang]

Lol good advice lb-sho...my quest for beefy ass wire strippers begins. thumbs_u any other things I should look at.

 

[Jon Klein]

check the starter solenoid...sometimes they act up and do the things that you are experiencing.

hope this helps,

Jon

 

[LaTechSHO]

the fact that you get enough power to turn the motor over and the next time it doesn't.... that sounds like a bad connection... especially being that you checked the battery out on another car....

a bad connection can be in several places...but the easiest place to start is the battery terminal ends.....

cars can do crazy things when not supplied with ENOUGH power....

the starter solenoid could be an issue..... but the fact that it jumps off just fine also leans me towards the battery terminal ends

and you asked the place to start..... thats where i'd start... take your starter off and bring it to any auto parts store..they will test it for you for free.... that way you can eliminate that....

good luck

Louis

 

[Slo-Sho]

I would check the connection at the starter itself. Trapped motor oil in the plastic wire loom tends to rot away the insulation.

 

[notdrphang]

I know this sounds stupid....but can anyone tell hook me with with some info on replacing the battery terminals? What shoudl I use to strip that big ass wire LOL

 

[rangerj]

NOTDRPHAN,

Ah, a big ass wire stripper? Sorry, I couldn't resist. Try a sharp knife, or better yet a pipe cutter. If you opt for the knife carefully cut a circle in the insulation. Cut deep enough to hit the wire, then peel away the insulation and clamp on your new connectors.

This assumes that you already cut away your old terminal connectors. Again, a tubing cutter works very well for this. rangerj

 

[pjtoledo]

Back to basics. None of your posts say anything about cleaning the battery terminals and the inside of the cable ends. The fact the battery works in another car would seem the battery terminal posts are clean. Being able to jump it suggests the cable ends are good at the connector and solenoid. Following this "logic" points to the inside of the connectors, but we know reality isn't that simple. Check all parts of the cables for corrosion. Loosen then tighten the bolt that secures the ground to the engine. Turn the lights on when attempting to start, do they dim? If they stay bright there is power in the battery and the cables are good. If the cables have any green stuff on them, thats corrosion and new ends may not work as well as needed. Do you have a meter or test light to check the small lead to the solenoid?

Perry Toledo,Ohio