[RJ285]

I took the battery out of this car to start the GT I've been working on. I had my brother put the battery back and now it won't turn over.

Starter is good, battery is good. I cleaned all of the ground connections, the one on the body and the one on the trans. Relay is working as well. Where do I go next? I can hear a click inside the engine bay so it's arching somewhere? Grounding itself out? All wiring is still wrapped in the factory dressing. I need direction. Is there a fused I missed? The car has less than 80,000 miles on it, so it shouldn't be an age related. Any help you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Sparky34kv]

I only ask because you stated someone else put it back in. Is it in correctly? I don't know what would happen if you connected a battery with the polarity reversed, which I would believe is possible if you didn't know. I would also check with a voltmeter what the battery reads when you try to start. The click sound more like the starter engaging, but not having enough power to actually turn the engine over. If you check the voltage at the battery while your brother starts the car you can see if the voltage stays above 12, if it drops to say 6, your battery is either bad or in need of a charge.

 

[RJ285]

The battery is in correctly and fully charged currently. He may have reversed it and messed something up. If he did, what would break?

It's also not the shift sensor. When I try to start the car in drive or reverse, there is no click in the engine bay. The car won't turn over in neutral either.

 

[Sparky34kv]

Did you check voltage? If your battery went bad it could still show a full charge at rest, but loead down to 6 volts or lower and not have enough amps to turn the starter.

 

[RJ285]

We tried jumping it and it behaved in the same way. I hate to call the mechanic and have him tow it from my house but I hate having a car that doesn't run more so.

Thanks for the help. Could the alternator be bad and ground the starting circuit?

 

[FordMan59]

Sounds like a bad connection somewhere. I know you said you cleaned the grounds, but did you clean the battery terminals and the posts on the battery? Also double check to make sure the battery terminals are tight on the battery posts. If none of this works check the cable connection at the battery to make sure it is clean and tight. The clicking is probably the solenoid clicking and is usually a sign of a low battery or bad connection. You didn't have the battery setting on concrete for any length of time while you had it out of the car did you? Concrete will kill a battery.

 

[RJ285]

No, I always place batteries on wood. I have cleaned the battery posts and wire connectors. I did not see if the posts were on the battery tight.

Although, I did just use the battery on our tractor and it seemed to turn over just fine. I'll probably pull the alternator tomorrow and have autozone check it seeing as it is easily accessable and the next large component in the circuit. Thanks for the input guys.

 

[FordMan59]

If the battery is fully charged it would start the car even with a bad alternator, it just wouldn't recharge it. The alternator doesn't have anything to do with the starting.

 

[dave8338]

Check the + connection on the starter itself. Strange things happen when a battery is hooked up backwards.