not starting...NOTHING

[ThirteenthCurve]

so, get up...go out to the ex....put key in...turn....click NOTHING. take key out...key in...turn...nothing...not even dash lights...not even a click....

so, pop the hood. try a jump start w/ brothers truck. still nothing. found that the + side of the battery was loose. i tighten that up. nothing. try another jump, nothing. ok, i need to be at work now, so i put the charger on it, and have my brother take me to work.

i get home, take the charger off, try it...again...nothing. the dash lights came on the first try, but then dead. nothing, try another jump from friends honda...nothing........

fix me plz?

 

[Creager]

clean those battery terminals!! i bet its all cruded up with corrosion.

hehe be careful, that stuff with eat through your clothes/rags/skin/eyes.

 

[410Fortune]

classic bad + or - battery cables. Replace them is a good idea, not to expensive or hard.

the ground cable you need to check from battery to frame.

 

[ThirteenthCurve]

ok, cleaned the terminals. helped a little. but no candy. the dash lights and what now came on, but when i went to start it just killed over...again.

uhm...well not at home now, but aparently there is a buzz comming from the rear of the vehicle, i was told its near the left rear wheelwell. could this be causing something??????? ugh, damn thing....

 

[etc]

That buzz is the fuel pump.

 

[ThirteenthCurve]

thought so...should it be doing that...w/out the key in tho?

 

[410Fortune]

yes it should be running. If the power came back a little when you cleaned the terminals it sounds like you need to dig deeper.
Just because the cables look okay at the battery does not mean that they are.

 

[spindlecone]

As 410 said, just get new cables, at the connection point of the neg cable, if to the frame, grind back to new steel, you have a connection problem, plain and simple

 

[falls guy]

Check the connections on your starter and your ground wire.

 

[Exploderpilot]

just replace all the battery terminal wires. i had exactly this problem, but i ended up buying a new starter, battery and alternator before finding out it was an eight dollar lenght of wire at fault! the wire will corrode under the insulation, and as long as there's a connector on the end, you'll never notice!

 

[ThirteenthCurve]

well tomorrow, im guna take out my power inverter and use that cable to re-install it.

 

[Exploderpilot]

how funny, that was the 108th post for both of us.....

 

[DeRocha]

As mentioned by others the Buzz is the fuel pump. It should only be on when the engine is running/cranking or for 2 seconds when the key is turned to the acc position (to pressurize the fuel line). If the fuel pump is constantly running without the engine running then it is draining your battery all the time. It would be sucking the juice faster than your battery charger can charge it. I have a fuel pump indicator light which comes on whenever the fuel pump is getting power. It only comes on for 1-2 secs when you turn the key to acc to pressurize the fuel lines. When I turn the key to start it comes on an stays on the entire time the engine is running. If your battery is ok then I would remove the + cable before charging. This will prevent any parasitic drain while you're trying to charge it. If you just want to stop the fuel pump you can pull it's fuse, or unplug the inertia switch located under the glove box (pictured below).

 

[410Fortune]

FYI when the battery is weak, or the juice to the PCM is low, it is not uncommon for the fuel pump to run continuous for whatever reason.
I suspect once he fixes his cables/connection issue the fuel pump will again run like normal.

I like the fuel pump indicator idea though Can never have enough blinking lights

 

[ThirteenthCurve]

ok, battery was charged over night w/ it disconnected. still wont start. now im off to replace thoes cables.

 

[410Fortune]

You can use a voltometer to test for 12V at the battery (might be overcharging it)

Once you get it running then test for 14.4 volts at the battery, this shows a good voltage regualtor/alternator.

 

[ThirteenthCurve]

ok now, exactly how do i go about replacing the + wire...and where is it connected on the other end? i found the ground connection, but not exactly sure where the + side connects. pictures would be nice...

 

[ThirteenthCurve]

and SHES FIXED! woohoo. just replaced the power cable, needed to buy a new battery connector for the ground, so i just said might as well try it w/out replacing it. and it fired right up! aaaaah well now i can drive to class tonight at least...lol altho, im still selling her .