So I had to store my Z all winter and well I was stupid and thought well I'll just leave the battery in and it'll be fine. Well I went to go start it and it won't start. Is it just the battery I need to replace?

 

just try jump starting, i don't think the Z battery needs to be replaced yet. As soon as it starts up, go drive it on the hwy for an hour to charge it up.

 

Well if I get a new battery that would work too right? Because I don't have jumper cables.

 

why dont you buy jumper cables would it be cheaper ?

 

lol heres a little troubleshooting before u do anything else.

Pop the hood and visually inspect the battery. is there any corrosion or signs of a premature failure? Are the terminals still connected (stupid question but just check anyways).

With the hood open, look over the engine and verify that all the tubes and hoses are still connected. Are there any leaks underneath the Z?

okay if all is well then go ahead and put the key in, and turn the car to on, but do not attempt to start it. Do all the gauge lights illuminate? if so then your battery has power, but not enough to start. What does the voltage meter read in the cabin. it should be around 11-13 ish. if not, then you could potentially have a run down battery.

engage the clutch fully (or make sure it is in park) and turn the key to start. is the starter motor engaging? is the starter motor cranking. If you hear a click, but no crank, or a click and a very slow weak crank, then your battery is dead. Buy jumper cables or a home carbattery charger and attempt to start the car when the batter has more power.

If you turn the key to start, and hear nothing (no sound whatsoever) and your voltmeter is reading 12-13 volts with all the gauge lights illuminated then there is a wealth of other problems that may be causing it to not start.

the big question is. does your car crank, but not turn over? or is it not even cranking.

 

^^great post. Also plus one on getting jumper cables. Even if you rarely use them, they give you a sense of security and are handy to help others. You can store them in the hollow of the spare or around it in the spare tire wheel well. Having a battery charger is a practical must, especially if you live a ways from others. You can find them for under $40 and they last forever if you don't leave them outside. Good luck.

 

You might be able to charge the battery and restore function, but the OEM battery, like most automotive batteries, is not designed to fully discharge without suffering damage.
Only a deep cycle battery is designed for this purpose.

 

If your Z has a manual transmission, you don't have to buy jumper cables. You probably know this I'm writing it just in case, might help someone else. This will not work if the battery is defective though, only if it's discharged.

1) Put the car in 2nd car

2) Depress the clutch

3) Turn the key to the on position, last notch before the starter

4) Have someone push the car up to walking pace, 2mph is good enough

5) Release the clutch completely and immediately depress it again.

6) You will be in 2nd gear with the engine running and clutch depressed, just like when coming up to a red light.

Get the engine running for at least 15 min. and try to keep your electrical consumption to a minimum. Should be enough to restart the car normally next time.