Last Wednesday,when I went to leave wal-mart, I turn my key and try to start the car. *Nothing happens, not even the dashlights come on.* I figure that one of my terminal cables had come undone. I grab the pliers, and pop my hood. *The termals were fine, and the cables were tight on them.* "That's odd." I say to myslef confused.

My friends in the car (yes that was friends as in more than one) tell me the dash lights came on. "That's odd." I tell myself again. I try to start the car again... no go. This time from the beeping under the dash I could tell my battery was low. So I decied to clutch start my car.

One of my friends pulls the car out of the parking spot and then both of them push/kick it down hill. *I pop the clutch and the car starts right up.* While driving the car the RPM gauge was acting normal, it didn't cut off and the car didn't hesitate, so from that I draw the alternator was fine.

When we get back to campus I let the car sit for 4 hours (on accident, I only ment to let it sit for 1hr but I got caught up making hotdogs on a George Forman). I did this to see if the alt would charge the battery. I cut the car off and then try to start it... no go.

*The next day I hook my voltometer to the battery to see what it's at. It read at 13.33*, once again I say to myself "That's odd." I try and start the car again... no go. *After a couple of times trying to start the car I check the battery voltage again, this time it's at 10.78. Which means the car is trying to start from the battery.*

On friday my dad came down with a portable battery jumper. He hooks it up, I turn the key, the car starts.

Now that we've to it started it we get on the road to take it home, he follows behind me in his Corrolla. I figure I'd see if it could hold an electrical load so I turn on the head-lights. <<The car cuts off.

The light turns green and I have no hazard lights. Luckly the guy behind me was one of the coolest people ever and he helps push me into the gas station located right next to me. We use the portable jumper to start the car again.

...

We get home and see if the alternator is working right. Disconnect the battery, car stays running. Check battery voltage, 13.3. Cut the headlights on (with the battery connected) the car stays on.
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To make a long story short:

*Car will not start
*Battery is good (10.7-13.3)
*Car will start from portable jumper or clutch starting
*Car will stay running off Alternator
*Alternator is charging battery

Please lend me some technical advice

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Moonlight Illusion

Check your battery cables, one might be loose. Or it could be corroded (sp)

Ground? Got a short somewhere. At least you're taking this step by step and back tracking all the possibilities. Sounds like you've got it pretty much narrowed down.

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~Will

88 CRX DX + 97 Spec JDM B18c(R) + some suspension goodies = Lots of fun!

JDM 4.785 final drive, ACT HDSS and Prolite 8lb flywheel, K&N, Kteller 2.5 w/magnaflow, NGK, Distributor King, Fiberimages, Koni, Neuspeed, ST rear 22mm sway bar with ITR LCA's, Konig Heliums, Russel's Brake Lines, Rywire Harness w/JKOBD, Hasport Hydro EFB2 Mounts and Linkage, Phearable.net P28, Full-Race

Grounds are good.

I'm really thinking it is a short, but if that's the case why is it starting of a 12volt jumper?

This really has got me confused.

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Moonlight Illusion

deffinatly clean your terminals before freaking out about it because that's what it sounds like.

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2000 S2000 Hardtop

nine.five.four.

Get your Tuner-Junction stickers today: http://tuner-junction.com/TJForum/showthread.php?t=4377

I tried two different batteries, but I didn't try cleaning the terminals. When I go back home this week I'll try that.

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Moonlight Illusion

My suggestions......

• alternator is faulty (having sporadic charging issues)
• short somewhere

Maybe 2 problems working together to look like a big one, example ....

• short in the light circuit & bad alternator
• starter solenoid & alternator

Reasons for my believing there's a short.....

• If alternator was bad the battery light on the dash would come on. OK maybe the light is busted. So then it still wouldn't show 13+ volts. OK, maybe it's sporadic.... 30% chance

Check all your fuses, make sure they are seated properly. Check your grounds AGAIN. Check you battery terminals AGAIN. Try and reproduce the driving and stalling when lights turned on. This makes me curious.

Keep us posted. Oh also, may want to consider driving around now with a fire extinguisher. You may have a major problem somewhere that you may need to "put out" quickly.

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The fire extinguisher things sounds like a good idea. My friends car bunt to the ground, I would post the picture but you all would cry.

Thank you for all your suggestions fellas. When I go home later on this week I'll try them.

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Moonlight Illusion

Your alternator could be the cause as well, as we have been saying, so don't rule that out. There could possibly be a short somewhere within the alternator itself to where it can't handle any extra loads. Figure out what the designated voltage output of the alternator is while the car is running and see if its putting that out.

i second the starter solenoid. the way it works is that it uses a solenoid to complete the circuit which allows a lot of current to flow. by doing it this way, you're not actually flipping a switch on a high current circuit (which could kill you). if solenoid isn't working, or there is a short along that path, the starter's circuit isn't completed.

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"Racing is a matter of spirit not strength."

Hey guys.

I didn't try any of the above mentioned quite yet as I was doing laundry and bringing stuff home from my dorm all day.

What me and my dad did try is this...

We hooked up a battery from his boat (one of those large arse marine batteries). I had to connect it via jumper cables, but still, it worked! The car started right up using that battery.

It lead my dad to believe that the two batteries we tried previously have no holding power.

What are you guys thoughts on this?

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Moonlight Illusion

how old are the batteries?

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"Racing is a matter of spirit not strength."

The optima 14 months old. The other one is about 3 years old, but still holds at 12.8

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Moonlight Illusion

Battery sounds possible, but then I still say a combination of things might be completing the "big problem"

Meaning, the bad battery doesn't explain why when the car was driving you turned the lights on and it stalled. When the car is running the alternator should be producing enough juice to power the engine and the lights, unless......

Battery, and alternator are both bad. Or, bad alternator is killing your batteries.

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batt is probably low on cca powerz

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It could still be your terminals. Since you connected the marine battery via jumper cables, a proper connection wasn't necessary. Grab yourself a wire brush and clean the terminals. Worst case scenario is that is not the solution, but it's still good to have them clean!

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2001 Prelude SH
1990 CRX Si
Hondas are an addiction

Oh, damn I forgot to mention that.

I cleaned the terminals on the optima and connected it the same way I did the marine battery. Still no go. It's at Batteries Plus right now.

It originally cost me $145. It had a twelve month warranty, and 24 month prorated warranty. It's now in the 14th month and they want $87.77 to replace it, but they don't have any in, and haven't for the past 3 months.

Also, I sprayed my alt once because I forgot to cover it when cleaning the engine bay. My tachometer stopped working for a while, but afterwards went back to it's normal jumpy self.

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Moonlight Illusion