Car wont crank or start after even after replaced starter.
01-07-2024, 09:31 PM
#1
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Car wont crank or start after even after replaced starter.
It seems this Z came with bad bad luck when I purchased it as I am getting problems after problems. After solving all others and driving it, I woke up today and decided to turn it on and no crank. Heard one click when trying to start so I assumed it was the starter. Replaced it and still, no crank, only one click. Battery voltage gauge in car marks around 12v when key is turned to accessory mode and everything except the car turns on. I am starting to fear the worse that the engine is seized and that feels bad after i just spent 8000$+ on it 3 months ago. Pls help lol. Could it still be the battery even though everything like my radio, lights, and fans turn on? I also hear about a 10a fuse that is labeled A/T likes to go out and prevents the car from starting. I still get the click that sounds like its coming from the engine after every start attempt. Thanks
01-10-2024, 07:11 AM
#2
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I would troubleshoot the electrical system to look for a short. it could be as simple as a rub on the power line somewhere that's grounding it. you can see the starter power line since you already replaced the starter. Trace that up to the battery and look for any exposure.
If all of your accessories including all of the lights work in ACC mode, then that narrows down the electrical problem really quickly for you.
throwing parts at a problem is not a terrible thing, it's just expensive. on these older cars it can only help in the long run when you replace something. so don't sweat that. a new starter is a good thing for the car.
it's possible the battery is bad even though accessories come on. there are a lot more amps going through the starter then to any of the accessories so they might work but the battery can't produce enough amps.
you know a more common problem that you're describing would be the alternator, not the starter. that would be my next thing to look at. And again, some people balk at throwing parts at a car, but I don't. replace the alternator and you've eliminated another fork in this mystery. there is nothing wrong with that. You're not throwing stupid parts at it like shocks. You're replacing specific electrical items. yeah, alternator. That's probably what's wrong in fact.
If all of your accessories including all of the lights work in ACC mode, then that narrows down the electrical problem really quickly for you.
throwing parts at a problem is not a terrible thing, it's just expensive. on these older cars it can only help in the long run when you replace something. so don't sweat that. a new starter is a good thing for the car.
it's possible the battery is bad even though accessories come on. there are a lot more amps going through the starter then to any of the accessories so they might work but the battery can't produce enough amps.
you know a more common problem that you're describing would be the alternator, not the starter. that would be my next thing to look at. And again, some people balk at throwing parts at a car, but I don't. replace the alternator and you've eliminated another fork in this mystery. there is nothing wrong with that. You're not throwing stupid parts at it like shocks. You're replacing specific electrical items. yeah, alternator. That's probably what's wrong in fact.
01-10-2024, 08:04 AM
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I would troubleshoot the electrical system to look for a short. it could be as simple as a rub on the power line somewhere that's grounding it. you can see the starter power line since you already replaced the starter. Trace that up to the battery and look for any exposure.
If all of your accessories including all of the lights work in ACC mode, then that narrows down the electrical problem really quickly for you.
throwing parts at a problem is not a terrible thing, it's just expensive. on these older cars it can only help in the long run when you replace something. so don't sweat that. a new starter is a good thing for the car.
it's possible the battery is bad even though accessories come on. there are a lot more amps going through the starter then to any of the accessories so they might work but the battery can't produce enough amps.
you know a more common problem that you're describing would be the alternator, not the starter. that would be my next thing to look at. And again, some people balk at throwing parts at a car, but I don't. replace the alternator and you've eliminated another fork in this mystery. there is nothing wrong with that. You're not throwing stupid parts at it like shocks. You're replacing specific electrical items. yeah, alternator. That's probably what's wrong in fact.
If all of your accessories including all of the lights work in ACC mode, then that narrows down the electrical problem really quickly for you.
throwing parts at a problem is not a terrible thing, it's just expensive. on these older cars it can only help in the long run when you replace something. so don't sweat that. a new starter is a good thing for the car.
it's possible the battery is bad even though accessories come on. there are a lot more amps going through the starter then to any of the accessories so they might work but the battery can't produce enough amps.
you know a more common problem that you're describing would be the alternator, not the starter. that would be my next thing to look at. And again, some people balk at throwing parts at a car, but I don't. replace the alternator and you've eliminated another fork in this mystery. there is nothing wrong with that. You're not throwing stupid parts at it like shocks. You're replacing specific electrical items. yeah, alternator. That's probably what's wrong in fact.
01-10-2024, 11:26 AM
#4
Hi Mango,
If the battery is fairly new, then I as Aeneas suggested, check your alternator. It sounds like that alternator is no longer keeping the battery healthy. You can verify this quickly with a volt meter.
Note: Sometime a trickle charger can revive a battery, but if you're in a hurry, I would just replace it with an AGM battery (I like Costco Interstate batteries for their quality and price). AGM or "absorbed glass mat" batteries are 100% sealed, not serviceable, but because of this you don't need to worry about acid leaks and corrosion or adding distilled water. They are almost double the price of a standard battery (Flooded or Lead Acid batteries), but in my opinion they are far more reliable and being maintenance free is great, especially on the Z due to the mounting location. AGM batteries have a very long service life as well.
TLDR, they aren't cheap, but the benefits justify the price. All of my vehicles use AGM batts and to this day I haven't had an issue with one unless the charging system (alternator) fails. The biggest downside (aside from price) to AGM is they don't like being overcharged or over-discharged. If the battery drains below 50%, then odds are you won't be able to recover it with a charger. Overcharging one can also shorten it's service life.
Once the battery is replaced, start the car and check/monitor voltage at the battery with a simple multimeter. If you don't see it jump from 12.6-ish Volts to 14-15 Volts with the engine running, then most likely your alternator is dead. Keep in mind this is a quick/simple test, you can sometimes have an alternator that still puts out nominal voltage but fails under a heavy current load, just like a failed battery. The best option is to remove the alternator and take it to an Autoparts store to be "LOAD" tested. I've done starter motor, battery, and alternator load testing at my local O'Reilly to confirm my suspicions about a faulty component.
If you confirm a bad alternator and go for the replacement yourself. Make sure you disconnect the battery before starting the work and take this time to clean up all your main ground connections in the engine bay. There are 3 body/chassis grounds that I recall off the top of my head. Two are on the passenger side, next to the power steering & coolant reservoirs. The 3rd is on the driver's side behind the headlamp mount/support bracket. It also helps to clean up the main grounds at the engine side. This is where your starter is grounded. Clean grounds going to the engine means better cranking performance for the starter. If you see your positive terminal for the battery covered in green or white crusties, take the time to remove the clamp/terminal from the car, wire brush it, and then soak it in some white vinegar (tip: heating it up on the stove in a pot speeds up the process). After a good vinegar bath, wire brush and scrape off any left over corrosion. When I purchased my Z, the positive terminal clamp was very caked in corrosion, deep cleaning this one component made a massive difference in cranking performance. Also, do not replace the factory terminal clamps! They are great quality, made of solid copper I think with some kind of coating on them.
As a final step or pro-tip. I always smear some dielectric grease over the positive battery terminal (AFTER you hook up the clamp, not before), and I do the same for the starter connections and main body grounds. The grease acts both as a moisture & oxygen barrier, preventing the metal from oxidizing or rusting (a.k.a. corrosion).
Sorry if I wrote too much, but these seemingly simple maintenance items ensure a long healthy service life for any vehicle and cannot be understated. I see a lot of people doing aftermarket "super ground" kits on their Zs, but in reality those are not needed in most cases (exceptions would be major electrical addons like A/V systems).
Cheers!
-Icer
If the battery is fairly new, then I as Aeneas suggested, check your alternator. It sounds like that alternator is no longer keeping the battery healthy. You can verify this quickly with a volt meter.
Note: Sometime a trickle charger can revive a battery, but if you're in a hurry, I would just replace it with an AGM battery (I like Costco Interstate batteries for their quality and price). AGM or "absorbed glass mat" batteries are 100% sealed, not serviceable, but because of this you don't need to worry about acid leaks and corrosion or adding distilled water. They are almost double the price of a standard battery (Flooded or Lead Acid batteries), but in my opinion they are far more reliable and being maintenance free is great, especially on the Z due to the mounting location. AGM batteries have a very long service life as well.
TLDR, they aren't cheap, but the benefits justify the price. All of my vehicles use AGM batts and to this day I haven't had an issue with one unless the charging system (alternator) fails. The biggest downside (aside from price) to AGM is they don't like being overcharged or over-discharged. If the battery drains below 50%, then odds are you won't be able to recover it with a charger. Overcharging one can also shorten it's service life.
Once the battery is replaced, start the car and check/monitor voltage at the battery with a simple multimeter. If you don't see it jump from 12.6-ish Volts to 14-15 Volts with the engine running, then most likely your alternator is dead. Keep in mind this is a quick/simple test, you can sometimes have an alternator that still puts out nominal voltage but fails under a heavy current load, just like a failed battery. The best option is to remove the alternator and take it to an Autoparts store to be "LOAD" tested. I've done starter motor, battery, and alternator load testing at my local O'Reilly to confirm my suspicions about a faulty component.
If you confirm a bad alternator and go for the replacement yourself. Make sure you disconnect the battery before starting the work and take this time to clean up all your main ground connections in the engine bay. There are 3 body/chassis grounds that I recall off the top of my head. Two are on the passenger side, next to the power steering & coolant reservoirs. The 3rd is on the driver's side behind the headlamp mount/support bracket. It also helps to clean up the main grounds at the engine side. This is where your starter is grounded. Clean grounds going to the engine means better cranking performance for the starter. If you see your positive terminal for the battery covered in green or white crusties, take the time to remove the clamp/terminal from the car, wire brush it, and then soak it in some white vinegar (tip: heating it up on the stove in a pot speeds up the process). After a good vinegar bath, wire brush and scrape off any left over corrosion. When I purchased my Z, the positive terminal clamp was very caked in corrosion, deep cleaning this one component made a massive difference in cranking performance. Also, do not replace the factory terminal clamps! They are great quality, made of solid copper I think with some kind of coating on them.
As a final step or pro-tip. I always smear some dielectric grease over the positive battery terminal (AFTER you hook up the clamp, not before), and I do the same for the starter connections and main body grounds. The grease acts both as a moisture & oxygen barrier, preventing the metal from oxidizing or rusting (a.k.a. corrosion).
Sorry if I wrote too much, but these seemingly simple maintenance items ensure a long healthy service life for any vehicle and cannot be understated. I see a lot of people doing aftermarket "super ground" kits on their Zs, but in reality those are not needed in most cases (exceptions would be major electrical addons like A/V systems).
Cheers!
-Icer
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Aeneas137 (01-11-2024)
01-11-2024, 09:56 AM
#5
New Member
I bought a cheap cigarette port voltmeter from Amazon and it's all the testing you need IMO. plug that thing in And a good battery should show 12.X volts when it's good, 14.x with the engine running. If the battery comes in at 11.x, after driving it, then you've got a bad battery. If it reports 13.x or less with the engine running, then you've got a bad alternator.
01-11-2024, 10:16 AM
#6
Hi Aeneas,
True! I've seen those and that's another good long-term solution. It's always nice to have visual live data output. Alternatively our Zs do have a voltage meter on the triple-pod center console cluster. The gauge is analog though, and thus only gives a general idea of the voltage, it's not precise. Personally, when I need live data testing, I use my XTOOL D8 to monitor the PIDs I'm interested in. The graphing and capture features are very nice.
Cheers!
-Icer
True! I've seen those and that's another good long-term solution. It's always nice to have visual live data output. Alternatively our Zs do have a voltage meter on the triple-pod center console cluster. The gauge is analog though, and thus only gives a general idea of the voltage, it's not precise. Personally, when I need live data testing, I use my XTOOL D8 to monitor the PIDs I'm interested in. The graphing and capture features are very nice.
Cheers!
-Icer
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