Suspect starter gone - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Qwimby1 · 08-07-2021, 08:30 AM

Or maybe I hope so, compared to what else it could be. Horn honks with headlights on, indicating battery is OK. A couple times in the past week it has been slow to start. Both times I charged battery and it was OK, but now the starter makes a couple bleats but doesn't turn it over. Since I apparently have a fully charged battery now, I think I can rule out a parasitic drain. Boy I hate those. I'm just hoping there's a starter in the country somewhere.

WNDSRFR · 08-07-2021, 10:48 AM

The horn honking with the headlights on DOES NOT indicate the battery is good. It takes a whole lot more current to turn the starter. Before you run out and buy a starter, at least try to jump the battery first. If that doesn't work, check all the connections. Especially the grounds.

Grady · 08-07-2021, 11:04 AM

Check voltage of battery when you try to start it. If the voltage stays stable(10v or more) it could be the starter. If not then could be the battery.

FR-S2GT86 · 08-07-2021, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grady

Check voltage of battery when you try to start it. If the voltage stays stable(10v or more) it could be the starter. If not then could be the battery.

Agreed. It’s a guessing game trying to diagnose vehicle issues without the proper tools. Invest in a decent quality multi-meter and jumper pack and try again.

Qwimby1 · 08-07-2021, 12:25 PM

Thanks for the good advice from everyone. I'll take another look at it.

Qwimby1 · 08-07-2021, 01:22 PM

I have a couple multi meters, but I'm pretty sure it's the battery now anyway. I charged it yesterday but it wouldn't go this morning. I just put a brief fast charge on it and it started. I was fooled originally because I took it to Goodyear a few days ago hoping for a load test, but they don't do those. All they found was that it was fully charged, and that's because I had it on a slow charge overnight.

Goodyear has a battery I can get today. Thanks again to everyone. This forum is a great resource.

Qwimby1 · 08-07-2021, 04:11 PM

New battery is in.

soundman98 · 08-08-2021, 11:35 AM

now to the elephant in the room.

why is your battery constantly draining down?

batteries don't just go dead.

WNDSRFR · 08-08-2021, 12:20 PM

Batteries certainly do go dead.
It takes usually at least a couple years. But, then they just go dead.
Used to be they would slowly die. But lately it seems like they're good one day and dead the next.
If you know of a battery that doesn't go dead, I want one. I'll pay extra for it. Here in Florida my battery usually lasts for about two to three years. Then it just goes dead. Just like that.

soundman98 · 08-08-2021, 02:39 PM

ah, i misread the first post that he had replaced the battery twice, and it still wasn't starting correctly.

Ultramaroon · 08-08-2021, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WNDSRFR

Here in Florida my battery usually lasts for about two to three years. Then it just goes dead. Just like that.

Monitoring electrolyte levels? That seems awfully quick.

Qwimby1 · 08-08-2021, 04:26 PM

To clarify, the battery I just replaced was 3 years and 3 months old. The problems started about 3 weeks ago when I left the trunk cracked open overnight and had a dead battery the next day. I put an off-and-on slow charge on it and it worked fine for the next few days. My charger doesn't have an automatic cutoff so I didn't want to leave it charging overnight. It seemed OK, but would sound a bit weak at times, until it wouldn't start one morning again. I put a slow charge on it all day and took it to Goodyear the next day hoping for a load test, but they don't do those. All they gave me was a fully-charged report and said the battery was good. After sitting unused in the garage for two days, it wouldn't start again. That's when I suspected a starter. You guys got me straightened out on that. I gave it a quick fast charge, started it and drove to get a new battery yesterday. It started fine this morning.

My automatic test has always been to honk the horn with headlights on, but you guys got me straightened out on that too. I tend to drive cars for a long time, and thus don't keep up on new developments. My previous two Miatas I drove for about 10 years each.

I haven't done any instructing for about 8 years due to business stuff, so I realize I'm going to have to get current on a lot of developments so I can answer student's questions. I'm hoping to have the FRS track ready by fall when it gets cool enough here. I'll be hitting the books in the meantime as well.

FR-S2GT86 · 08-08-2021, 07:00 PM

Always remember that once you drain a lead-acid battery down completely, permanent damage is done to it and the battery will never be the same as it was before. And newer batteries are not of the same quality as older ones. It seems that they are all built cheaply now versus how they were 20 or even 10 years ago.

humfrz · 08-09-2021, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WNDSRFR

Batteries certainly do go dead.
It takes usually at least a couple years. But, then they just go dead.
Used to be they would slowly die. But lately it seems like they're good one day and dead the next.
If you know of a battery that doesn't go dead, I want one. I'll pay extra for it. Here in Florida my battery usually lasts for about two to three years. Then it just goes dead. Just like that.

It's Florida - what can I say -

08-07-2021, 08:30 AM	#1
Qwimby1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Drives: 14 FRS Monogram, 05 Mazdasped Miata Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 567 Thanks: 131 Thanked 140 Times in 104 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Suspect starter gone Or maybe I hope so, compared to what else it could be. Horn honks with headlights on, indicating battery is OK. A couple times in the past week it has been slow to start. Both times I charged battery and it was OK, but now the starter makes a couple bleats but doesn't turn it over. Since I apparently have a fully charged battery now, I think I can rule out a parasitic drain. Boy I hate those. I'm just hoping there's a starter in the country somewhere.

08-08-2021, 11:35 AM	#8
soundman98 ProCrastinationConsultant Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: '14 Ranger, '18 Tacoma 4Dr LB Location: chicago-ish Posts: 11,330 Thanks: 35,240 Thanked 13,673 Times in 6,781 Posts Mentioned: 98 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	now to the elephant in the room. why is your battery constantly draining down? batteries don't just go dead. __________________ "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time"

08-08-2021, 02:39 PM	#10
soundman98 ProCrastinationConsultant Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: '14 Ranger, '18 Tacoma 4Dr LB Location: chicago-ish Posts: 11,330 Thanks: 35,240 Thanked 13,673 Times in 6,781 Posts Mentioned: 98 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	ah, i misread the first post that he had replaced the battery twice, and it still wasn't starting correctly. __________________ "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time"

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08-07-2021, 10:48 AM	#2
WNDSRFR Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Drives: FR-S,GTI Location: Cocoa, Florida Posts: 1,155 Thanks: 228 Thanked 823 Times in 419 Posts Mentioned: 13 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	The horn honking with the headlights on DOES NOT indicate the battery is good. It takes a whole lot more current to turn the starter. Before you run out and buy a starter, at least try to jump the battery first. If that doesn't work, check all the connections. Especially the grounds.

08-07-2021, 12:25 PM	#5
Qwimby1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Drives: 14 FRS Monogram, 05 Mazdasped Miata Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 567 Thanks: 131 Thanked 140 Times in 104 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Thanks for the good advice from everyone. I'll take another look at it.

08-07-2021, 01:22 PM	#6
Qwimby1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Drives: 14 FRS Monogram, 05 Mazdasped Miata Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 567 Thanks: 131 Thanked 140 Times in 104 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I have a couple multi meters, but I'm pretty sure it's the battery now anyway. I charged it yesterday but it wouldn't go this morning. I just put a brief fast charge on it and it started. I was fooled originally because I took it to Goodyear a few days ago hoping for a load test, but they don't do those. All they found was that it was fully charged, and that's because I had it on a slow charge overnight. Goodyear has a battery I can get today. Thanks again to everyone. This forum is a great resource.

08-07-2021, 04:11 PM	#7
Qwimby1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Drives: 14 FRS Monogram, 05 Mazdasped Miata Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 567 Thanks: 131 Thanked 140 Times in 104 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	New battery is in.

08-08-2021, 12:20 PM	#9
WNDSRFR Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Drives: FR-S,GTI Location: Cocoa, Florida Posts: 1,155 Thanks: 228 Thanked 823 Times in 419 Posts Mentioned: 13 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Batteries certainly do go dead. It takes usually at least a couple years. But, then they just go dead. Used to be they would slowly die. But lately it seems like they're good one day and dead the next. If you know of a battery that doesn't go dead, I want one. I'll pay extra for it. Here in Florida my battery usually lasts for about two to three years. Then it just goes dead. Just like that.

08-08-2021, 04:26 PM	#12
Qwimby1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Drives: 14 FRS Monogram, 05 Mazdasped Miata Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 567 Thanks: 131 Thanked 140 Times in 104 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	To clarify, the battery I just replaced was 3 years and 3 months old. The problems started about 3 weeks ago when I left the trunk cracked open overnight and had a dead battery the next day. I put an off-and-on slow charge on it and it worked fine for the next few days. My charger doesn't have an automatic cutoff so I didn't want to leave it charging overnight. It seemed OK, but would sound a bit weak at times, until it wouldn't start one morning again. I put a slow charge on it all day and took it to Goodyear the next day hoping for a load test, but they don't do those. All they gave me was a fully-charged report and said the battery was good. After sitting unused in the garage for two days, it wouldn't start again. That's when I suspected a starter. You guys got me straightened out on that. I gave it a quick fast charge, started it and drove to get a new battery yesterday. It started fine this morning. My automatic test has always been to honk the horn with headlights on, but you guys got me straightened out on that too. I tend to drive cars for a long time, and thus don't keep up on new developments. My previous two Miatas I drove for about 10 years each. I haven't done any instructing for about 8 years due to business stuff, so I realize I'm going to have to get current on a lot of developments so I can answer student's questions. I'm hoping to have the FRS track ready by fall when it gets cool enough here. I'll be hitting the books in the meantime as well.

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