dead car :(

[kamikaz16]

I tried to start my car today, but its completely dead for some reason. The crank turned maybe half a revolution, then just wouldn't go any farther. Now when I hit Start, it just clicks once, like it just doesn't have the power to turn the engine.

Recent car work was getting the IAT sensor fixed, and a discon/recon of the battery once. Nothing else has been wrong with the car up to this point, in fact, its been running really good lately.

Any ideas? :(

PS- I WISH WE HAD VOLTAGE METERS!

[Molson]

check battery connections.. Stick a charger on the bat.

[Dr_Kyle]

Originally posted by Molson
check battery connections.. Stick a charger on the bat.

yep, sounds like a dead or poorly connected battery.

[nnewton123]

I have a voltage meter :)

Also, I am gonna go with the others and say that it has got to be a bad connection... especially since you just got work done.

http://www.grandamgt.com/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=220226

[kamikaz16]

The connection is fine. The terminal just screws on, we did the IAT/battery work ourselves.

[jordanGT]

check the battery, still. it definitely sounds like a dead battery. mine did that after i hooked up my compressor for the air-ride (that WAS going to be used), and the next morning the same thing you described happened. just try the battery first.

[kamikaz16]

Why would the battery just die though? I drove probably 100 miles yesterday, so I know its charged. And I just checked the connections, they're fine.

EDIT: Possibly bad alternator?

[nnewton123]

if you can manage to get it to autozone somehow they can test your alternator for free.

[kamikaz16]

Well, I got the car to start. I left the key in the "ON" position, and the longer I left it there, the better the engine seemed to turn over. Eventually, after about a 10 second START, the engine started but almost immediately died. I gave it some gas to keep it running, but didn't let it idle for the first couple minutes. Eventually it settled into a rough idle. Also, seems alot of whitish smoke from the rear. More than usual, anyways. I drove it around the block just fine, with no misfire/idle problems while driving it. When I got home I turned it off, then tried to start it again, but it still took forever to start. We cleaned the battery connections, but it still refuses to start at all now. It feels like the battery has juice, because all electronics work perfectly fine, but the starter just won't crank the engine. I really think its a starter now, any ideas?

[H.O. Driver]

If you still have the stock battery check the area around the post. When I installed my amp I had the battary post on and off and the only way the car would start was if it was jumped. Once it was jumped it ran fine, but after looking at it further the are around the battery where the post screws into was coming apart and fell off, taking a chunk of the battery with it. This is common for AC Delco batteries for some reason.

[[__--MUD--__]]

Originally posted by kamikaz16
Well, I got the car to start. I left the key in the "ON" position, and the longer I left it there, the better the engine seemed to turn over.

I am having almost exactly the same problems on my 99 grand am. If your not having these other symptoms, I'll start a new thread.

The last week or so starting seemed like the battery was low. After car would start, my radio would always be switched off... I always leave it on. One time the security light was lit for the entire 10 minute drive.

I went out wed to start car, nothing.. No power what so ever in any part of the car. I come back 3 hours later, give it a try again, nothing... I forget that i left the keys in the ignition in the on postition. Standing in driveway 5 minutes later i hear the blower motor turn on, off, on, off. Then I hear the ignition power up. I ran over to the car, and everything is powered up. I hit the key and it starts. I leave the car home marked as DOA.

Friday night i walk past car and pull on door handle to see if the interior lights power up. Yep, car started, ran for 10 minutes and i shut it off. All lights (interior, instrument, marker lights) seem to slightly pulse. Still mark it as DOA.

Sat night, i grab the door handle...car appears to have power. Gas tanks getting low on the trans am so i figure i'll take the grand am. Starts up fine, runs for 30 seconds then dies.... everything is dead. No interior lights, nothing. I gotta run so I dont sit there to screw w/ it.

So this has me stumped... What would control all the power going to the car. Why does leaving the ignition key turned to the on position for a underterminted about of time mysteriously bring back the power. If I was jiggling wires and it would power up and down, I could see the it could be a connection problem. My volt meter is MIA right now, but the battery has plenty of juice. The car has never had any mods done to it and had operated flawlessly untill now. I have no clue on how to diagnose something like this....

[[__--MUD--__]]

Originally posted by H.O. Driver
If you still have the stock battery check the area around the post. When I installed my amp I had the battary post on and off and the only way the car would start was if it was jumped. Once it was jumped it ran fine, but after looking at it further the are around the battery where the post screws into was coming apart and fell off, taking a chunk of the battery with it. This is common for AC Delco batteries for some reason.

Just ran out and checked the battery connections, everything was tight. Grabbed the positive cable really yanked the crap out of it back and fourth a few good times...everything powered up. I couldn't get it to die again by screwing w/ cable so im not 100% sure that was the problem. Gonna go out and get a new battery in the morning to see if that eliminates the problem and go from there.

[kamikaz16]

Well, my problem is solved. Thanks for all the help everyone.

Turns out my battery is bad. Its a 6 year battery, so you think I can get a new one from the dealership for free?

I also picked up a fuel filter and finally found a Haynes manual while at the store. Hopefully I can get the battery by tomorrow.