View Full Version : Tried starting my car today...


rx8thunder
03-31-2010, 06:29 PM
...and was dead. No aparrent power at all. Strange because I had the battery out and charged. Took the battery to crappy tire to check it and they said it needed 15 minutes af charging. Did that and brought it home and nio change. No lights inside the car or anything. If it's not the battery, what else could cut power off to the entire car?:Wconfused

TheWulf
03-31-2010, 06:42 PM
Check the connection terminals for rust, battery acid or anything else, and check your grounds.

Else, maybe the battery can't hold a charge anymore. Check the voltage after trying to crank. Also check the amperage while cranking. You may need a new battery.

Mazurfer
03-31-2010, 07:36 PM
If it's not the battery or connections, then you may have blown the 120A main fuse. Did you hook up the battery backwards in the car at anytime...even for a second?

rx8thunder
03-31-2010, 07:57 PM
Thx for the feedback. Will try another battery because terminals are clean and didn't have any issues with hooking it up wrong. Will also check fuses anyways...

Neo
03-31-2010, 09:05 PM
You can quickly check to see if it's the battery by attempting to boost the car with another car. If the car gets power, and she starts, then you've got a dead battery.

I ran into this problem recently. Also ran into it awhile back by leaving the battery hooked up the entire winter months. The battery had barely enough juice to turn the lights on. Let alone turning over the engine.

Boost that sucker. If she starts, get a new battery.

rx8thunder
03-31-2010, 11:59 PM
Hey Neo, I tried boosting it but the car is completely dead. No lights inside the car or anything! WTF?

Mazurfer
04-01-2010, 06:40 AM
Wipers work?
Cig lighter work?
Sounds silly, but check those with the key to the on position. A list of what lights work and what don't can help us.
Still sound like the 120A fuse after what you have described now.
It's in the engine bay fuse box, towards the rear and left when looking from the front. It's kinda on the side and doesn't look like a normal fuse. It basically looks sort of like a strip of metal between two posts/contacts.
It usually blows when people hook up the battery, a charger, or jumper cables backwards.......that's why I asked you about that. Anyway........go over all the fuses in the enginbe bay box and in the cabin.

Neo
04-01-2010, 07:28 AM
I'm curious, why would the fuses play a part in this? Especially when you attempt to start the car? Usually when you feed power from another car, the minute you hook up the jumper cables properly, there should be power going to the inside cabin. You'll start to hear a few systems intialize before you even insert the key into the ignition.
At least that's the way the FD gives me indications there's a dead battery.

I don't know if the fuses would stop another car from providing power to the dead car....

Stranger things have happened.

Let us know where the car stands Thunder.

Footman
04-01-2010, 07:41 AM
Neo,

There is a primary fuse on our cars rated for 120A right at the positive terminal of the battery. It's to protect the battery. If that is blown, jumpering a car to it by connecting to the terminals will do nothing because the positive terminal is effectively cut off...

Thumper3322
04-01-2010, 08:11 AM
Yes as footman said as well check that fuse.
There is no reason you shouldn't be getting some kinda of power somewhere, if a fuse isn't blown.
Are you trying with that little battery you have? Pros battery was pouched, but still enough to turn lights on. Fuses make sense.
This is starting to worry me for getting mine out on Sat :(

Footman
04-01-2010, 09:34 AM
electrical problems are simple to diagnose... just start doing traces and continuity checks along the wires!

Kafka
04-01-2010, 01:19 PM
Neo,

There is a primary fuse on our cars rated for 120A right at the positive terminal of the battery. It's to protect the battery. If that is blown, jumpering a car to it by connecting to the terminals will do nothing because the positive terminal is effectively cut off...

I think thats pretty much the case if Thunder don't even got any sign of electrical signal at all...

or its the wires...

Thief
04-01-2010, 01:43 PM
Yes as footman said as well check that fuse.
There is no reason you shouldn't be getting some kinda of power somewhere, if a fuse isn't blown.
Are you trying with that little battery you have? Pros battery was pouched, but still enough to turn lights on. Fuses make sense.
This is starting to worry me for getting mine out on Sat :(

Am I gonna be the only one who had no problems with taking their car out this year? o_O

Mazurfer
04-01-2010, 02:20 PM
Again..........I'm not sure about your Canadian cars, but on US cars, the 120A is on the engine bay fuse box and not at the battery as described by someone above.
Neo........I ain't jerking the guy around. If he has nothing at all inside the cabin, then it's most likely the actual cables. But........If his wipers work, that eliminates the Ignition 30A fuse and the ignition relay, but doesn't check the 120A fuse. If the cig lighter works, then this verifies the 120A, the ACC relay, and the ACC 30A fuse, but doesn't verify the first two I mentioned.
It's just a real easy check to do. Sometimes people say nothing in the cabin, but don't check the two things I mentioned which will narrow it down real fast!

I'll make it even easier, if your horn works but you cig lighter doesn't, then it's most likely the 120A fuse!

Footman
04-01-2010, 03:50 PM
just run a continuity test with a meter over the battery fuse!! 5 seconds you'll know!.. then if that works, start running continuity at the ignition fuse.... easy as pie!! :)

rx8thunder
04-01-2010, 09:19 PM
Hey evereyone, thanks for your input. Figured it out., duh! One of the lines was tucked away and I didn't notice. The only line i thought was for power, was just powering the audio. So added the second line and she started up right away and purrs like a kitten :) Man i really missed driving her this winter... no the car ;)

Neo
04-01-2010, 09:47 PM
You kill me Thunder! lol :)

Mazurfer
04-01-2010, 09:58 PM
:spank:..................:wallbash:

Well.....least it was an easy fix!

hackdss
04-02-2010, 09:11 AM
This car is meant to be used all year round at least I use all year round

Thumper3322
04-02-2010, 03:00 PM
oops!!! least she is alive again

01Racing
04-02-2010, 03:18 PM
Well I pushed Christine out of the garage this morning, havent talked to her since November when she went in. Put my ratchet on the end of the crank and hand turned it to make sure a seal wasnt stuck or anything. Then hooked her up to my Tundra to make sure I had enough cranking power. Cranked it without fuel or spark for about an minute to ensure I had oil pressure and oil in the bearings etc. Turned on fuel pump and looked into carb to ensure no flooding from a stuck needle and seat (premixing you know). Had a bit until the fresh fuel cleaned it out. Pumped the gas pedal about 10 times to get fuel into the rotors, turned on the spark and then................................annoyed the neighbors real good when she fired right up! lol
Now to find a track day to a bit of testing..............