Brand new battery, car won't start, but will if I jump start....
07-31-2018, 09:30 AM
#11
Don't use jumper packs on the S2000, it will damage the rectifier and you will get a flickering gauge cluster. Billman told me this and I had to replace a rectifier($200+ part and labor) to fix the issue I had on my very low mileage S2000. I jumped it a lot. Their is a alternator company that is selling rectifiers for $30 on eBay too.
07-31-2018, 01:01 PM
#14
Is there any exposed wire on either cable? If so, the green corrosive crud can be inside the strands and it will look normal but have high resistance. I'm sure you have already cleaned the cable connections, right?
07-31-2018, 01:10 PM
#15
Have you cleaned the terminals and cable ends very well? If there is oxidation on the cable ends, that will prevent good connection between the battery cable and battery. When you clamp on a jump pack, you are clamping to a different surface, and it may work that way but not with the battery. Get a battery terminal cleaner (very cheap, wire brush tool) and clean very well and test.
There is little else that will cause a difference between using a jump pack and the battery itself, given the battery is good. Another option is a partial break in the cables or corrosion where the cable end is clamped onto the cable itself, but in that case using a jump pack would likely fail too unless it moves the cable just enough to allow it to connect. But, if that were the case, I would suspect more intermittent failure after removing and reconnecting things as you have tried.
There is little else that will cause a difference between using a jump pack and the battery itself, given the battery is good. Another option is a partial break in the cables or corrosion where the cable end is clamped onto the cable itself, but in that case using a jump pack would likely fail too unless it moves the cable just enough to allow it to connect. But, if that were the case, I would suspect more intermittent failure after removing and reconnecting things as you have tried.
07-31-2018, 06:22 PM
#16
I agree with everyone saying clean the battery terminals.
But I will add, how do you know the battery is good? I know you tried a 'known good' battery from another vehicle, but how do you know that other battery was really good? Presumably its starting whatever vehicle it came out of, right? Right?
That battery hooked up to the S cables properly? Same terminal types, and cables reached properly? And you clamped the cables down sufficiently?
Lastly, what is the at rest voltage on the new battery?
But I will add, how do you know the battery is good? I know you tried a 'known good' battery from another vehicle, but how do you know that other battery was really good? Presumably its starting whatever vehicle it came out of, right? Right?
That battery hooked up to the S cables properly? Same terminal types, and cables reached properly? And you clamped the cables down sufficiently?
Lastly, what is the at rest voltage on the new battery?
08-01-2018, 04:45 AM
#17
If the car starts with a jump all the connectors between the starter and jump battery are fine. This leaves only the connectors at the on-board battery which are easily cleaned with a $2 wire brush from any autoparts store. If the new battery won't start the car the most likely suspect is the new battery as we know all the connections are good.
Batteries self discharge just sitting on the shelf and self discharge faster in warm temperatures. Don't expect a "new" battery to be that new or fully charged.
At rest battery voltage less than 12.6v indicates a partially charged battery. Voltage under starter load (or $20 battery load tester) should be above 9v to have any chance pf starting the car.
$20 at Home Depot (regardless of "brand" these are all made in the same factory in the PRC):
These testers are nothing more than a large resistor, meter, and switch.
-- Chuck
Batteries self discharge just sitting on the shelf and self discharge faster in warm temperatures. Don't expect a "new" battery to be that new or fully charged.
At rest battery voltage less than 12.6v indicates a partially charged battery. Voltage under starter load (or $20 battery load tester) should be above 9v to have any chance pf starting the car.
$20 at Home Depot (regardless of "brand" these are all made in the same factory in the PRC):
These testers are nothing more than a large resistor, meter, and switch.
-- Chuck
08-01-2018, 02:58 PM
#18
It's the battery. If you took the battery off another vehicle, that vehicle's battery has different CCA and AH ratings. If you jumped the vehicle and it starts, it can only be the battery. Literally the only thing you are bypassing when jumping the car is the battery. I can't think of any situation that any vehicle that can be jump started from the battery (using both the battery's terminals exclusively) could be any other issue BUT the battery alone. Don't beat around the bush and just buy a new proper battery for it with the proper ratings.
08-02-2018, 07:53 AM
#19
It's the battery. If you took the battery off another vehicle, that vehicle's battery has different CCA and AH ratings. If you jumped the vehicle and it starts, it can only be the battery. Literally the only thing you are bypassing when jumping the car is the battery. I can't think of any situation that any vehicle that can be jump started from the battery (using both the battery's terminals exclusively) could be any other issue BUT the battery alone. Don't beat around the bush and just buy a new proper battery for it with the proper ratings.
The other CCA ratings mean nothing in this troubleshooting. There is practically no other car with a battery that will not crank over an S2k. He also took that out of a truck, so it definitely has enough to crank this car over. In fact, even with a much lower CCA rating, it would still crank, if not slow. You have to remember, a battery does not "push" current. The car draws it. The battery just has to have the proper capacity and internal resistance to provide the amount of current needed to crank the car over. Going with a higher CCA rated battery does nothing, and unless he took a battery out of a kids toy, it likely has the potential to crank the S2k over just fine
