Another Electrical Question.... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

GteFreak · 01-16-2006, 04:36 PM

My car will start for a couple of times and then not start at all, I tested the alternator 3 times at adworkvance auto and auto-zone it passed all 3 times, i checked all my grounds and there good, ive checked for any loose wires and found none, when i disconnect the battery when the car is running it dies.....the battery is brand new.....what am i missing!!! the battery is now reading 11 volts....

motor:95 jdm 3s-gte, the car was a N/A before....it ran good for almost a year.
any suggestions?

NESW20 · 01-16-2006, 05:35 PM

when it doesn't start, what kind of no-start is it? cranks but doesn't fire? doesn't crank? tries to crank? half-fires but doesn't quite make it? clicks once? clicks repeatedly? cranks really slowly? cranks really fast?

-Mike

GteFreak · 01-16-2006, 05:52 PM

Turns over half way then clicks a couple of times....

Rexinre · 01-16-2006, 05:57 PM

ELD??? Fuses? Grounds?

What kind of battery is it? Where did you get it?

Did you take the alternator out to test it?

GteFreak · 01-16-2006, 06:05 PM

Yes I did all that....It's in my post...Except for the ELD...what is that?

GteFreak · 01-16-2006, 07:16 PM

Please guys, I need help...I'm stumped. Ant body know where I can find the answer?

turbonatormr2 · 01-16-2006, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GteFreak

Please guys, I need help...I'm stumped. Ant body know where I can find the answer?

It could be your starter or the seloniod that sits on the starter

NESW20 · 01-16-2006, 07:38 PM

hmm, sounds like it might be your starter solenoid. if the hold-in winding isn't functioning, that would explain the half-crank and clicking.

have your starter and solenoid tested (might as well check them both since they're attached

).

-Mike

***Tercel GTS*** · 01-16-2006, 09:27 PM

Your post never says that you tried another battery nor that you had the battery tested. 11volts is too low. Did you have the alternator tested while it was on the car or off?

NESW20 · 01-16-2006, 09:44 PM

ooh, Tercel is completely right. i missed the part about the battery voltage. try a known good battery and see what happens. if you get the same thing with a GOOD battery, then proceed to check the starter and solenoid.

-Mike

GteFreak · 01-16-2006, 10:12 PM

I got the alternator tested off the car....I found a short a few minutes ago....My freind's brother is a master tech for toyota of orlando he taught me how to check for bad grounds and shorts. This is what I did.

Make sure everything on the car is off
disconnect the negative battery cable ONLY.
Connect the gator clamp of the tester to the negative battery terminal
Now make contact with the pointed part of the tester to the negative battery cable
If the light comes on bright you have a short
have a freind hold it for you in place and start pulling fuses one by one until the tester turns off

In my case when i pulled the dome light fuse the tester shut off....that was my short

Hope this helps others....

***MR2Jedi*** · 01-17-2006, 02:09 AM

11 volts is too low. maybe a dead cell. but with 11 volts, car will not function properly..a good battery will read 12.5-13.5 or even a little higher.

todd0305 · 01-17-2006, 02:46 AM

I had the same problem not with my 2 but another car and turned out to be the starter.

Rexinre · 01-17-2006, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GteFreak

I got the alternator tested off the car....I found a short a few minutes ago....My freind's brother is a master tech for toyota of orlando he taught me how to check for bad grounds and shorts. This is what I did.

Make sure everything on the car is off
disconnect the negative battery cable ONLY.
Connect the gator clamp of the tester to the negative battery terminal
Now make contact with the pointed part of the tester to the negative battery cable
If the light comes on bright you have a short
have a freind hold it for you in place and start pulling fuses one by one until the tester turns off

In my case when i pulled the dome light fuse the tester shut off....that was my short

Hope this helps others....

So it turned out to be a bad ground that you claim you already checked stated in your first post?

Glad you found the problem!

***MR2Jedi*** · 01-17-2006, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GteFreak

I got the alternator tested off the car....I found a short a few minutes ago....My freind's brother is a master tech for toyota of orlando he taught me how to check for bad grounds and shorts. This is what I did.

Make sure everything on the car is off
disconnect the negative battery cable ONLY.
Connect the gator clamp of the tester to the negative battery terminal
Now make contact with the pointed part of the tester to the negative battery cable
If the light comes on bright you have a short
have a freind hold it for you in place and start pulling fuses one by one until the tester turns off

In my case when i pulled the dome light fuse the tester shut off....that was my short

Hope this helps others....

great tip!