Help! R33 Won't Start, Only Clicking.

[madmoomoo]

Hi folks,

I've been driving my extremely reliable '93 series I R33 for about 3.5 years now. Not a single problem the whole time. 2 nights ago, whilst driving around, the hicas light came on and I lost power-steering, so I pulled over and parked. The engine just stopped before I even turned the key. I had a friend jump start me, and I got down the road, (left the car idling whilst getting a couple of slices of pizza cos I was reaaaally hungry), and the thing was dead again when I got back about 90 secs later. So in Brunswick street I had my mate jump me again, this time we got about 500m, then the hicas light was going again at lower revs, then the engine just stopped mid-flight. (that was a bit scary)

So, fortunately there was a servo open across the road. I took my batt across and the guy tested it, and yep, no charge at all. I bought a brand spanker, hooked it up and drove home. Next day, thought I'd start her up, put the multimeter across to see what the alternator was doing, but the thing didn't start! Tried to jump the car off portable jumper - no luck. Tried off my mum's car - no luck. All that happened was clicking! Something upfront was ticking when I tried to start, but nothing more. The starter didn't even crank over.

So I took the (ever-so-handy) multimeter out and found the following:

Batt- to Batt+ (whilst connected to car) = 3V

Batt- to Batt+ (disconnected from car) = 9V

Batt- to Batt+ (whilst +ve connected to car) = 9V

Batt- to car chasse (whilst +ve connected to car) = 9V

Batt+ to car chasse (whilst +ve connected to car) = small amount, can't quite remember, but <1V

What the?

Before I had my multimeter, I was thinking that either the battery was dead (it was over 3.5yrs old) or the alternator had karcked it. Does my testing indicate that there is a short somewhere? or is some electrical component (even alternator?) broken, and thus shorting? Basically, the night it happened, then the next evening when I tried again, the battery appeared dead. Couldn't put the windows up, interior light was dim, headlights almost non-existant.

Needless to say, I've disconnected the battery altogether from the car while the poor thing is in the drive.

can anyone PLEASE HELP? My automotive knowledge is pretty limited. can anybody give me some steps to try and troubleshoot/fix my problem? any help would be greatly appreciated...

[white33gtst]

it does sound like the alternator isn't charging the battery. so you put the new battery into the car drove home all fine and then next time you went to start it the battery was dead? at night aswell when you drove it so with the lights on etc it would've drained the battery pretty badly.

if you put in a new battery and everything seemed fine it wouldn't be a short anywhere? cause it would do the same thing with the new battery, as in not deliver the right amount of power. definately get the alternator checked.

hope that helps

[RBwhatever]

Hmmm... ^^^^ I second that. The voltage regulator on the alternator may have karked it. You can check this and see if its all melted. Or the the spring loaded bushes in the regulator have worn short.

Being a 93 model it probably wouldn't hurt to just get it reconditioned, and they'll change the bearings inside and the regulator etc. Should cost about $100.

Edited February 28, 2007 by KeyMakeR33

[MANWHORE]

clicking is not enough power. Starter motor is clutching.

The skylines do it very obviously (compared to some other cars).

[madmoomoo]

So manwhore, you reckon it's the starter motor + not enough juice?

I guess it could be a combination of things - because the night it happened, i was able to jump start the thing off my friends battery (MY03 wrx), but then, 24 hrs later, with 9V in my battery and jumped off portable charger & mum's battery, nothing at all?

Because I bought a new batt, which was 75% full when I bought it, do you think it could drop to below 9V in 24 hours? The drive home was only about 7-8 mins. Although I guess it was only 75%, and the alternator IS supposed to charge the thing up... But if this battery is wired up AND my mum's car is cabled in, shouldn't that at least get the starter engine to do SOMETHING??

Do you guys know if it's a big job to get the alternator out? and where might service it (melb)? If anyone had some step by step instructions that'd be great. From my brief look, it pretty much just looks like remove a couple of hoses & unbolt the sucker. Although it looks pretty tight in there...

Thanks for the help guys... really really appreciated!

[Dahtone Racing]

i had a similar issue on my car

battery used to always die

turned out to be a shitty connection from the battery negative to the chassis