R33 Not Starting, Possibly A Battery Problem.

[Timmy11]

Hey,

I was driving home yesterday night when I started having some strange electrical problems. First the radio started cutting out, later the airbag light started flashing periodically, then the rev counter went dead and the headlights became dim. Just before I got home the tacho went dead everytime I hit the brakes (whenever the brake lights came on) and at one point the power steering died, but worked again a few seconds later.

This morning I tried to start the car but it wouldn't turn over, so I hooked the battery to a recharger. Couple of hours later I went to try and start the car and this time nothing at all happened when I turned the key. The battery/alternator light did not come on at any time yesterday or today other than when I tried to start the car, together with all the usual start up lights.

I've pretty much no idea when it comes to mechanical or electrical issues, all I can think of is that the battery is dead. But before I go and buy a new battery I thought I'd see if anyone has any ideas or input.

The car is a 1995 Skyline R33 GTS-T, only modifications on it are an air filter and exhaust, nothing to do with the electrics.

First time posting on Skylines Australia, so be nice

[89CAL]

Can you jump start the car? If you cant jump start it (hook it up and it still wont start) then I'd say the battery might have dropped a cell

It sounds like it could be either without further investigation.

Grab a multimeter and another car to jump start. Hook the multimeter up to the battery and jump start the car. If it puts out between 14v-15v then your altenator should be O.K.

If this is fine then then let it run and charge for a bit, turn the car off and leave the multimeter hooked up. Battery voltage should be about 12v (will probably sit slightly under) with the car off. Now you might need two people but measure the voltage while cranking the engine. If it drops below 8V theres a definate problem. I think anything below 9V isnt real great but I'm pretty sure you may still start the car with that

Do some of these tests and report back what you find

[The Bogan]

Dirty connections somewhere maybe, but to me it sounds like a Alternator fault ???

Reason being is that when the car is running the battery just gets charged as the alternator takes over to supply power, if the battery was going out you wouldnt see it whilst the car was running, I once had a dead as battery, it would only start with a jump, but when it was running it was fine.

You may have killed the battery by running it dead.

Saying that Im not 100% on modern car electrics, with my old pre ECU cars you didnt even need a battery, park on a hill and clutch it, no problems, I do know that the new cars need a battery with some volts to let the ECU send signals to injectors and stuff.

Stick in a fresh battery from a mates car and see if it starts, if it does put a meter on it and see if it recieving volts, I think it should be around 13.5 volts (not 100% sure) or so when the car is running, if its not switch it off or you will drain your mates battery flat.

[t_revz]

Can you jump start the car? If you cant jump start it (hook it up and it still wont start) then I'd say the battery might have dropped a cell

Jump starting should overpower a dead cell and allow it to start.

Sounds like alternator. If its shorted within it could be taking the power from the charger and not allowing battery to charge. Or you had charger backwards hence why it got worse after charging

[Timmy11]

I don't currently have any way to measure the voltage on the battery beyond what the lights on the battery charger showed, started out on a yellow light when I first put the charger on it and was green when I tried to start the car later on.

I'll try to jump start the car to see if it'll start at all.

[The Bogan]

You can buy a cheap multi meter for around $20, they are a good investment for your tool box as you will use it heaps for lots of little jobs.

[Timmy11]

It jump starts just fine, but the lights and clock are dim and the radio doesn't start up at all, I also noticed a slight dip in idling revs when I turned the headlights on. After that I tried starting it by itself and all I got was the sound of the starter motor trying but nothing more.

Does the electrical stuff work through the battery even when the car is running or is the battery used only to start the car, and everything after that goes through the alternator?

Edit: Never mind that question, just had another look at one of the posts above where that is answered. So from what I understand the alternator may not be working and my driving it home with that problem killed the battery thus not allowing me to start the car now. While the car was running yesterday and just now the alternator light was never on though..

Edited July 8, 2012 by Timmy11

[blind_elk]

Have you checked the tension on the alternator belt? Lights dimming as you add more things to the electrical load suggests a slipping belt. Or the regulator in the alternator is stuffed, and you are overcharging the battery (and killing it).

[gotRICE?]

Id say the alternator is dead. You can drive a car just fine without a battery once its started.

Has happened to me before too. Exactly as you described. The further i drove the more and more things stopped working. Right down to indicators.

[ARTZ]

Timmy you didn't feed the Mogwai after midnight did you??

[t_revz]

Timmy you didn't feed the Mogwai after midnight did you??

Or get it wet

[89CAL]

Jump starting should overpower a dead cell and allow it to start.

Sounds like alternator. If its shorted within it could be taking the power from the charger and not allowing battery to charge. Or you had charger backwards hence why it got worse after charging

My parents car wouldn't start one day not even from a jump. New battery and it worked fine. Not common but just throwing it out there

He needs to get in there with a multi meter. Best way to work it out

[Timmy11]

I checked the alternator belt as suggested and found that it is worn and at one point frayed, and after a bit more research I've come to the conclusion that the belt was slipping (I did have noises for a while after starting the car which apparently fit the bill for a slipping belt). As blind_elk said the slipping belt may have been the reason for the lights dimming and electrical things turning off, not sure if that can also damage the battery, which seems to be the case since the car jump starts fine, but won't start under it's own power.

I'll get a multimeter next chance I get, after that I'll probably have to get a new battery as well, and I've already got a new alternator belt arriving soon.

Edited July 10, 2012 by Timmy11

[Pattey21]

I checked the alternator belt as suggested and found that it is worn and at one point frayed, and after a bit more research I've come to the conclusion that the belt was slipping (I did have noises for a while after starting the car which apparently fit the bill for a slipping belt). As blind_elk said the slipping belt may have been the reason for the lights dimming and electrical things turning off, not sure if that can also damage the battery, which seems to be the case since the car jump starts fine, but won't start under it's own power.

I'll get a multimeter next chance I get, after that I'll probably have to get a new battery as well, and I've already got a new alternator belt arriving soon.

hey champ definately try the belt first, hopefully its not the alternator. Definately get the multimeter its your best friend for electrics. When you get the belt check the plug as well makes sure its clean fire her up and throw the multimeter on it should be reading between 13.5-14.8v approx. If its lower then your alternator is stuffed or you have open/resistance in your connections.

PS if cleaning engine bay avoid getting degreaser on the alternator, good luck

[Timmy11]

Got myself a multimeter, only measured when the car was off and when it was running as I didn't have a second person to measure when starting.

Battery measured 7v when the car was off, so very low on that one. It sat at 14.5v while the car was running, still with the old belt in as I haven't got the new one yet. Am I right to assume that this means that the slipping belt may have caused some damage to the battery (or that the battery was on its way out already and just happened to break cause of the cold or something..), and that my alternator (sans belt) is fine but the battery needs replacing?

Also, thanks for all the help thus far, has been very useful.

[The Bogan]

Replace battery and check belt tension, tighten and/or replace if necessary.