Car would not crank today.

[Vetruck]

Went out to start the car and I noticed it was a little hesitant on turning over. I wrote it off as being very cold for here in So Calif (Aprox high 30's this morning) I drove it to a store, then stopped at a local liquor store a few blocks from the house and the car was dead when I tried to re start it. Just two very short trips and had the heater blasting and radio on.

When I tried to start it the typical what I've read on here that the lights on dash come on, everything lights up including headlights, but not even a click from the starter motor- Just nothing at all happened when I turned the key. A buddy ran up with a jumper box (hand held unit) and it immediately went from 99% charge not hooked to the car- to 83% charged once hooked. The car turned over but was again a little weak when it did.

I was thinking at first it was the Overload relay (since mine has not been replaced sorting through previous owner service receipts) so I ordered one anyways. But since It did fire immediately with the jumper I replaced the battery (new Diehard Series 49 AGM) it cranks fast, door looks work great, etc etc. All day without issues. I am still putting in the new overload relay when it comes just for cheap insurance of future problems-Reason being? I suspected the battery is toast since the car sat for 3 months waiting for the accident repairs- Have a dead cell now. HOWEVER, from what I've read that when a car is hit and any electrical wiring takes a jolt (the rear tail lense was hit, hood light, lock mechanism on the truck) the overload relay can possible go out with a little spike of current anywhere- doubt my hit was significant enough to render what they designed it for, but hey, as stated it is cheap insurance I feel too replace an already 20yr old sensor with a new one.

That's basically my hopefully helpful review of the car not doing anything other than dash lighting up when I turned the key...and what the solution was -merely a dead cell in the battery made it go completely dead when the key was turned to the starter position.

[97C28O]

Cranksensor!

[RemoLexi]

On a faulty crank sensor the car will still crank just never fire.

[Vetruck]

Cranksensor!

I posted not to ask, but to give a helpful hint what the problem and cure was in case someone were to search this on a later date with a possible same problem.

I've read past posts were other thought it was something else and members suggested it was a bad battery also. Just confirming the same thing happened to me.

As stated, I ordered a new Overload Protection Relay also- which just arrived today yet I have not gone out and installed it tonight. I just bought it for sake of mine has never been replaced in history receipts of this car. It was not the problem but I will replace it anyways to avoid in potential future issues since this car was in an accident 3 months ago and just fixed.

[kowalski]

do you go out on long drives to charge the battery with the alternator?
if you only do short rides battery won't get charged, using constant AC, constant heating, headlights, radio, power windows will eventually drain the battery it will break faster.
in cold climates it's even worse for a half full battery it will die on you fast.
a mechanic once told me battery won't get charging until you drive a distance of at least 30km's and more.

it's a good thing to go for a long ride on and off to charge the battery

[Vetruck]

Car is driven pelnty far to charge things properly. A normal alternator will change a car battery within about 10 mins of run time- if you put a volt metter on the battery prior to starting it, then again after you start it you will see even at idle the Alt is pumping 14.5 volts into it until the regulator lowers it upon draw need.

As I stated above, the car sat for 3 months because of the accident. The battery was disconnected most of that time, but is already over 3 years old and was sitting inactive. That non use of an already active battery will cause cells to start to diminish. It should have had a trikle charger placed onto it to maintain activity- that is why it died.

[taz069]

Ve would a bad/faulty voltage regulator in the alternator kill the battery???? I ran the diagnostic test as described in one of fupabox's vids and I see that my alternator is only putting out 10.8-11.8 volts way low I know. Here be the problem. My interstate battery not even 2 years old I thought took a dump, took it to the shop and they say it holds a good charge. Now since Friday I pulled the battery out of my z-71 Chevy just so I can run and test things on the car. And each morning the battery is flat dead. Have it on charge again now. Keep in mind the truck battery is less that a year old. I cannot find anything running no lights, radio, anything other than the clock in the dash, and the trunk led on the console(ie open hatch)!! Any ideas?? Would the Ovp cause this? I changed the voltage regulator out years ago while the car was in resto mode. Just cannot figure out what is draining the battery?? Thanks D.

[taz069]

Well Ve update it was a bad alternator. I changed the voltage regulator and the low voltage still persisted. So it was a rebuilt bosch unit from car quest that got the voltage back up into the high 13 to low 14 volt range. Now i still have not had a chance to look for the parasitic drain, raining today and i do not have a covered area to work on the car. With that said i do have a few fuses pulled that don't seem to run much mainly the cig, glovebox, etc fuse. After 280$ for the rebuilt alt things are looking up again. Not a bad run seeing it was the original alt heading into its 20th year, and just a lil over 200 thousand miles. Thanks all will post again once i get the power drain figured out.

[Vetruck]

I knew like we discussed on FB it was likely a bad Alternator, but the overnight drain on the battery is going to be one hard thing to find. It could be a short somewhere in the wiring loom. Best thing to do is feel around on wires and see if anything is warm to the touch after a fully charged battery has sat in the car for about an hour.

[RemoLexi]

A bad alternator can cause a battery draw if a diode has shorted.

Looking at voltage is great, but what you want to know is if the alt. can provide the amperage it's rated at while being loaded.

You can check for a draw using a voltmeter hooked up in series with your negitive battery terminal but trick the trunk lock into the locked position, close all the doors and lock the car, you will have to wait a few minutes so the cars network goes into sleep. You should not have more then a 1/10th amp draw on the battery itself on a car that's off and asleep.

Make sure you have a fully charged battery when you install a new alternator, otherwise you can fry the new alternator by forcing it to charge a dead battery.