Car clicks but won't crank. Battery or Starter?

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by MRCA1ST

Good to know, I leave for extended periods of time fairly regularly, so I am used to using chargers/conditioners...I just don't want to get stuck with a car that won't start when I am trying to leave work in the middle of winter.


I will keep one of those little jumper packs in my car as well, but speaking of which, can the 6MTs be push started if they have the push-button ignition?

Yeah,that would be the best bet. Just do some reading as not all batteries are created equal, especially lithium ones.

And yes, just push the button twice with your foot off the pedals to be "ON" iirc and then pop the clutch like normal

[Spuds]

Had the exact same thing on my old Subaru outback. Battery tested fine (first and easiest thing to check), and was in the process of trying to remove my starter when I noticed the main ground was corroded and brittle. Replaced that and it started right up. Now, this was a 200,000 miles 10 year old vehicle, but I would also check your cables and ground connections for damage of some sort if your battery tests fine.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Had the exact same thing on my old Subaru outback. Battery tested fine (first and easiest thing to check), and was in the process of trying to remove my starter when I noticed the main ground was corroded and brittle. Replaced that and it started right up. Now, this was a 200,000 miles 10 year old vehicle, but I would also check your cables and ground connections for damage of some sort if your battery tests fine.

Yep. The good old hierarchy of electrical trouble shooting.
First Power source.
Then cables and connections.
Then drives and components.


Any other order just has you chasing your tail.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Yep. The good old hierarchy of electrical trouble shooting.
First Power source.
Then cables and connections.
Then drives and components.


Any other order just has you chasing your tail.

It's easier just to replace it all...

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by new2subaru

It's easier just to replace it all...

Well there were at least two guys on here that replaced both the starter and alternator BEFORE checking the battery. They then learned that most places will not accept returns for starters and alternators.

[nico_rsx]

What do you do when the car won't start? Does it finally start after a couples of try?
Do you have to charge/boost the battery for it to start?
If the battery is so weak that the car won't even crank a little (only click), in my mind it shouldn't suddently start after a couples of try.


I would look into the ground/starter wires, or even the starter itself.

[alan.chalkley]

This has happened twice on my brz and it was because the boot(trunk) was not closed properly and the light drained the battery.
The original 5 year old battery is still running fine and i have only topped it up with demineralised water once.
Also very wet/humid/moist/snow/ice conditions can drain the battery.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Had the exact same thing on my old Subaru outback. Battery tested fine (first and easiest thing to check), and was in the process of trying to remove my starter when I noticed the main ground was corroded and brittle. Replaced that and it started right up. Now, this was a 200,000 miles 10 year old vehicle, but I would also check your cables and ground connections for damage of some sort if your battery tests fine.

^^This

OP, before you fork out any dough, check for any loose or corroded connections. Your comment that it craps out even immediately after driving has me suspicious.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Well there were at least two guys on here that replaced both the starter and alternator BEFORE checking the battery. They then learned that most places will not accept returns for starters and alternators.

Expensive...It happens. I've done in too. It's all part of the learning experience.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by new2subaru

Expensive...It happens. I've done in too. It's all part of the learning experience.

It was one lesson I never had to learn the hard way since it was drilled into me when I was 7 or 8 years old and helping my dad get some old junker running. That man would not spend a penny to fix something so we went through the whole process for any issues. If it was something like the starter that was actually bad at the end then he (or later, I) would strip it down, clean and fix it and put it back together. That worked about 98% of the time. From then on when trouble shooting I would always start at the beginning of the failed system and work back to the part that wasn't working instead of starting at the part and working forward. I bet 8 times out of ten it wasn't what was working that was at fault in the first place.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

It was one lesson I never had to learn the hard way since it was drilled into me when I was 7 or 8 years old and helping my dad get some old junker running. That man would not spend a penny to fix something so we went through the whole process for any issues. If it was something like the starter that was actually bad at the end then he (or later, I) would strip it down, clean and fix it and put it back together. That worked about 98% of the time. From then on when trouble shooting I would always start at the beginning of the failed system and work back to the part that wasn't working instead of starting at the part and working forward. I bet 8 times out of ten it wasn't what was working that was at fault in the first place.

True, I troubleshoot way more than I ever have now that things are so expensive. I'm actually doing some of that tomorrow...

But, back in the day you could go to the wreckers and grab a ton of parts for next to nothing, if you took them off yourself. Extra parts were good to have! We used to just swap'em out until the problem was solved.

I like extra parts

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by new2subaru

True, I troubleshoot way more than I ever have now that things are so expensive. I'm actually doing some of that tomorrow...

But, back in the day you could go to the wreckers and grab a ton of parts for next to nothing, if you took them off yourself. Extra parts were good to have! We used to just swap'em out until the problem was solved.

I like extra parts

That was what we would do for the 2% we couldn't get to work. Dad would find some way to barter, scam, or steal them from the wreckers though. I practically grew up in the wrecking yards.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

That was what we would do for the 2% we couldn't get to work. Dad would find some way to barter, scam, or steal them from the wreckers though. I practically grew up in the wrecking yards.

I miss them

Well, not that much but it was great experience.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by new2subaru

I miss them

Well, not that much but it was great experience.

Not the same anymore. At least around here. There may still be some with the smelly, no toothed guy with nicotine stained lips and fingers that has never been seen out of the chair behind the counter that will tell you "Yep a a 62 Buick? Be one 3 rows down and two over. Pretty banged up but the gas tank should be OK. Five bucks if you take it out and eight if we do. Oh and if you find an ear or a couple of fingers in it let us know they keep asking". Then you would hitch a ride to the far corner in the torch car which usually consisted of little more than a frame, drive train and roof of some 20 year old wreck.