Broke down at Subway!

[Strugglebucket]

well i was just on my lunch break and my '88 dx broke down. i had to run through a swamp with "no tresspassing -air force" signs all over the place to get back to work. please help me get home!

here's the problem, when i go to start it it won't crank. when i turn the key to the acc position the dash lights and everything come on but when you turn the key to start it it does one of two things.

thing 1) the lights dim and the beeper thing makes a dying beep sound.

thing 2) the lights flash bright for a second and then everything goes dead. no lights unless i unhook the batt for a couple minutes and rehook it. then it will either do the same thing again or do thing 1.

all the fuses are good and the battery is fully charged. the starter is only a couple months old and i don't see any shorts in any of the wiring.

help! i need to fix this in the dark in a subway parking lot with minimal hand tools so i can get home!

[mouchyn]

how do you know the battery is fully charged?

sounds like a dead battery to me. either that or really fucked up battery cables.

[Strugglebucket]

multitester:12.6v

the batt cables are cool.

[FyreDaug]

I know it might sound wierd, but try getting someone to boost you. Even though your batt reads full it could be fucked up and not creating enough current.

[Strugglebucket]

anybody got any other suggestions? it's almost quitin' time and i won't have the internet later.

[TheWatcher]

Strugglebuckets,

12.6 V is the VOLTAGE, you didn't measure the CURRENT (amps) :) . Do what FyreDaug suggests and get someone to jump start your ride. Like FyreDaug said, you might not have enough current (amps). For example, the digital clock reads 12 V, but no way there is enough power in the digital clock harness to start the car!

If you can't find anyone to jump start your car, call a towing service and have them jump start you (or call a friend for help, I assume you have jumper cables in your trunk). Or catch a cab, buy a battery, catch a cab back to the car, install the battery, etc.

Peace.

[Strugglebucket]

alright guys, IT AIN'T THE BATTERY. thanks though.

[mr eff]

i had something similar... was a bad ground that was caused by poor connection at the battery terminal, as well as the starter ground having been severed.

it would behave as though the battery were dead, but the battery tested fine

shrug, good luck

chris

[mr eff]

i can't remember the symptoms exactly of what happened when my main relay died. i remember that it was a no crank no start though ... try banging the coin box dash area while cranking the key, it'll sometimes loosen the connectors in the relay and signal the start.

i could edit my prior post, but i need the activity percentage!!

chris

[Strugglebucket]

thanks. i'll trying bashing the shit out of it.

[mr eff]

at the very least you'll feel better :D

[Vinny]

It sounds like a bad ground IF the battery is checking good. If not a ground possibly a stck starter and if neither then possibly the ignition switch in the column

[ropponmatsu]

so these occurances happen when your car is on or when the motor is on? cause if this happens only when the car motor is on it might be your alternator if not then i dont know what to tell you but keep banging the shit out of it
good luck

[FyreDaug]

I know weve said it, but unless you jump start the car you wont know for sure. + to + and - to engine.

[Blkblurr]

If your sure the battery is good (you can tell by jump starting it) it has to be one of your battery cables. The symtoms you describe are exactly what happens when you have a corroded or loose cable. Either cable and either end can cause it.

[88accordalltheway]

Its the battery, im 99% positive thats what it is.

[Forgar_88]

I had the same thing happen once...check the clamps from the cables to the battery. Make sure they are clean and tight fitting. Have a friend try starting the car and you wiggle the cables to see if that is what i am talking about.

[mouchyn]

if you don't want to have someone give you a boost, then take your multimeter and measure voltage at the battery when someone tries to start the car. If the voltage drops considerably, the battery is fuckered.

then you can have someone jump start you.
you can also push-start the car -- if it's a manual.

this problem is most definitely a lack of power somewhere. the ECU can be completely disconnected and the starter will still crank the engine. If the starter won't crank the engine and your lights dim and stuff, there isn't enough juice being delivered to move the starter. simple as that.

no matter what you say or how you rationalize it, it's a lack of power problem.

[mia]

It sure WASN"T the battery guys. He hit the crap out of it like suggested by mr eff and it started. :kekeke: which makes me laugh. Now he's pretty sure it's the relay thingy. (yes, i said thingy)

[AccordEpicenter]

i dont think its the batt... i still think its the starter, not main relay

[mouchyn]

It sure WASN"T the battery guys. He hit the crap out of it like suggested by mr eff and it started. :kekeke: which makes me laugh. Now he's pretty sure it's the relay thingy. (yes, i said thingy)

so, the engine was cranking, but not starting? if that's the case, of course it's not the battery or starter since they're both working properly.

smacking the coin tray and rattling the main relay was a good move. now you can pull it out, open it up, and fix those solder joints!

[mr eff]

might makes right, what can i say!

i wonder if this is why i had to get out of the computer programming field... :D

[Blkblurr]

thing 1) the lights dim and the beeper thing makes a dying beep sound.

thing 2) the lights flash bright for a second and then everything goes dead. no lights unless i unhook the batt for a couple minutes and rehook it. then it will either do the same thing again or do thing 1.

The above is what makes me think it's a cable. Bashing the hell out of it would cause a loose or bad cable to make a better connection for a while. A bad starter would do the same thing all the time and not make the dash lights dim unless it was drawing more power than the battery could produce. That would then cause a cable to heat up and smoke or melt.

[3G Jester]

mia did you drive out to help him? looks like your crap-box truck made a trip afterall....but then again....vaccaville aint too far away from you.

[mia]

mia did you drive out to help him? looks like your crap-box truck made a trip afterall....but then again....vaccaville aint too far away from you.
Don't ever talk about my beautiful truck(89 toyota) again :rofl: 289,000+mi and still going. But yeah...took him around for parts the next day.

[Strugglebucket]

might makes right, what can i say!

i wonder if this is why i had to get out of the computer programming field... :D
i know this was three days ago, but thanks for the effing advice. got me home.