Originally Posted by
onehundred80
I second docs tests and just add that the cables from the battery can get corroded inside and the damage lay unseen. They may work just fine for low amperage loads but be incapable of heavy loads.
Depending on the mileage which you do not state the brushes can jamb in the holders and stop the starter from working.
Did it just stop working or was it iffy lately? What are the exact symptoms, knowing them might help? Any sound at all?
I guess I will need to remove the black tubing over the wires to clean them? That's where I'll start. But here is more information, as I've heard it:
It wasn't driven for a while. It wasn't driven because she was afraid to. The car was placed just so that the rain from gutters I guess rolled RIGHT INTO the muffler. Started the car after maybe a month and water just shot out every time the gas was applied. Did it 6-7 times until it stopped. Got nervous, so it wasn't driven, and there it sat for an additional two months. Before that, it worked fine.
At first, I heard maybe one click when trying to start the car. Now, I hear nothing, but the fan does get LOUD the longer I have the key turned to the start position, like an airplane taking off. I have lights and radio. Now, it doesn't click any more. It took a while to charge the battery, which is NEW, after it was unplugged and out for about 10 days for the resoldering of the RCM. It's a new battery, it shouldn't take that long, but I will say my cables are terrible and sometimes takes a while to find a good groove to get a connection. Finally, I had lights after 30 minutes of charging, or 30 minutes of screwing around w/ the connection, who knows, but the same old problem - no start.
I'm concerned there may be a bigger problem, as I realized I had to take out the fuses for the horn, alarm, and side parking lights to get them to go off. This was before the RCM repair. And I have no operational convertible top or spoiler. I need to GET THE CAR MOBILE just long enough to drive it to a repair shop to repair the convertible and spoiler, but then i thought, what if I can't because the issue they're having is all tied into the reason the car won't start - electrical (ah, doom & dread!!)
so....that's the nutshell. aren't you glad you asked?