So all the sudden I have a hard start going. It feels like the battery is drained (the starter doesn't engage at all). I put in the key, turn it and nothing happened. The first time it happened, I thought the car was in gear and thus wouldn't start.

But it's not in gear, and when I try starting it again, it always starts up as if there is no issue. The only change to my car recently was I added seafoam to the gas and oil.

I've checked:

The battery terminals and cables (cleaned the terminals, checked the cables and they are good).

The battery is less than 3 years old.

The battery was a little low on water, so I added distilled water to it. This was AFTER it exhibited the issue. Literally, I filled it yesterday, and it has made no difference in the issue.

The battery reads 12.6 when I start, and anywhere from 13.8-14.7 when running.

The coil (I believe it's good)

The plug wires (all of them are in completely).


Even after driving it for a while (30 minutes or so), it will exhibit the same issues.

Any suggestions? I'm leaning towards a battery issue (the "water" being low maybe?)


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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

I think the issue was corrosion on the starter (from the smaller wire that is related to the ignition).

So far, after cleaning it, the car has started up quicker than it has in a while. I'll check again in the morning.
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

I had a similar problem with my 95 850 T5R. It turned out that the battery wasn't charging correctly and ultimately failed. I also intermittently got the flashing yellow arrow and check engine light. Checking the codes it said wheel sensor.

So, first I went to my nearby Interstate battery shop. they tested the battery and told me it was gone. Got a new one and measured the voltage before and after starting. Didn't change. Oh boy. need a new alternator right? wrong. after I changed the highly corroded battery cable to the starter the voltage was a little higher, but not quite right. I did what any reasonable person would do. I ordered a new alternator. Well while waiting for the new alternator to arrive via FCP groton, I installed a new battery cable to the starter and then I noticed that the cable from the starter to the alternator was very loose. Tightened it and now I'm at about 14.2 volts after starting and no more non crank issues. How the heck did it get loose? oh well.

Also, I took each and every wheel speed sensor out, cleaned them and also sprayed cleaner inside the wheel connection point. No more intermittent yellow arrow.

once I cleaned the terminals, everything went back to normal.

I thought I had posted about this, but obviously I didn't.
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

After some research, under normal circumstances, batteries only lose water, which should be replaced with distilled water. Distilled water is available at drug stores and some supermarkets - it is not expensive. Drinking water has stuff in it that damages the chemistry, and some bottled water even has minerals added.

You should always charge a battery before you add any appreciable water, as charging the battery might overflow it, causing the loss of some of the acid.

(I looked)

An inch down on the water is quite a bit. It is more than it looks as the top of the battery is empty, and the body is full of plates, the bottom has some extra room as well. Depending on several factors, sediment can collect in the bottom, but that process may well be zero sum, as the sediment comes off the plates.

That stuff in the battery is not water but acid - when you add water, you dilute it. I do not know by what process the added water can turn to acid (I'm going to look though)

The acid does not hold electricity, but it does influence how well the battery charges and gives off electricity.

Some battery testers measure specific gravity - some are actually pretty inexpensive. I think that you test them after they are charged. When I joined the fire department, we tested the specific gravity of our truck's batteries every week. When a cell went bad you could easily see it. Our trucks had dual battery systems and ignitions, fed by 4 6-voly batteries.

Some auto stores test batteries for free.

Another test is a load test, most repair shops have one of these large resistors with a meter that can really challenge your battery.

What about the voltage regulator? Could that be toast?

Other than taking it off, which doesn't appear to be too difficult, is there a test I can do to test it?

The voltage just now (after sitting all day) was 12.7 (+-). It started right away. The voltage as it was running was 14.3-14.5

The battery did burp on my fender (d'oh) so I got to repaint a small section, but that's my own fault.

I didn't get a chance to check the volts at the starter (both the main wire and the smaller wire/key on the "on" position, but car not running). It got too dark to check.
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

It's not the Seafoam.

Do the dash lights come on? It could be the ignition switch.

It's hard to get to, but try to look at the wires on the starter. They could be corroded or loose. Especially the ground wire.

This is a pure electrical problem. A coil would still let the starter engage.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

I checked the battery this morning, the volts were 12.25-12.6

So I checked the starter. The starter was getting the same volts.

The smaller (green) wire, which is the one that is related to the key/ignition. It was reading about 6 (with the key on).

I don't know if that's what it is supposed to be (I suspect not), but the wire did look like it had corrosion on it. I had to take it off to test it, and the female plug looked like it had powder on it. The car did start up eventually.


After work today (fingers crossed) I'm putting the car in the garage to check stuff out.
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

I didn't think it was the Seafoam, doesn't seem to fit any thing that it addresses.

The dash lights come in, the headlights are fine, and no idiot lights come on (battery wise).

I'll put the car on charge tonight, just for safe measure.
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

Is this car a stick or automatic?

If an automatic, another possibility is the PNP switch. With the engine not running, but the key turned to KP II, row the shifter back and forth about 20 times. This is an attempt to clean the contacts on the switch which is located on the transmission.

If it's a stick, does the clutch have to be depressed to start the car? If yes, there is probably a switch that is near the top of the pedal that would also be suspect.

Its an automatic.

And one of the ways it does feel (and maybe I described it? I don't remember) is that its like when you have the car in gear and try to start it.

I'll check that out this morning. Thanks
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

How much water?

Did all the cells need the same amount of water?

If I add water to a battery, I usually put a charger on it for a few hours.

I have had cars since 1964, and whenever I had to add more than a small amount of water to a battery that had issues, the battery had to be replaced within a few weeks!

Each cell needed the same amount of water, probably about an inch down? I didn't really have an opportunity to check.
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

Clean the MAF?
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Farewell 'black manta' ('97 855na 256K) Hello 'rocket sled' ('06 V70R 136K)

It's new too
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

K
Fuel pump? Fuel filter?
My last battery, I went to the Interstate store and he tested the old one before doing anything. I don't know what the test was exactly (measure of electrolyte?), If something gets weak it won't hold a charge anymore despite age
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Farewell 'black manta' ('97 855na 256K) Hello 'rocket sled' ('06 V70R 136K)

Fuel Pump was replaced, but would that cause it to not even turn over?
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.