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Sometimes no start = bad ground?

R

rexxdoggy

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
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Location
Crestview, Florida
So, I got my battery and alternator checked out, and they both tested out good. I was told to look for a bad ground. Should I be looking for the negative battery cable ground? Or is there somewhere else I should be looking for?
 
Check connection at battery terminals. Then check all the grounds going from engine/trans to body. You may also want to check the main wiring harness connector.When it doesn't start does it just make a click noise? Next time it does it before you do anything else take a set of jumper cables and connect both red and black to negative then take the other side of cables and hook one to body and one to engine. If car starts then most likly you have a loose ground wire/strap or one that is broken.
 
I'll start simple tomorrow when I'm off. But the times that it doesn't start, it's just turning over and over and doesn't start. After work today, I cranked it and it must've taken like 8 seconds of trying to turn over just holding the key down before it started. I've had to push start the car like three times in like 3 weeks.
 
Bad battery cables all together. Slow turning over, causing long time to start. Ive had this problem on my old f100. Replacedcables, cleaned all ground and power connections. Sucker spun like crazy lol
 
If it is turning over normal then you need to check and see if it is getting spark and fuel. Pull plug wire and check for spark with either a spark plug,meter or spark tester. Hook a fuel pressure gauge up to schrader valve,or you can use something and bleed pressure off at the valve then while you are holding valve open have someone turn key to kick on fuel pump and see if it shoots out everywhere (cold engine and no open flames near by). Might also check fuel filter.
 
If its not caused by low fuel pressure it may be the crank/cam position sensors.
 
Okay, a little update. It didn't start one more time two days ago. I tried to have someone jump start me, and that didn't even work either. So I had to push start it and everything ran fine once I got it started. My battery, alternator, and starter checked out good when I went to the parts store to get them checked.

The next day after the car had sat for the night, I started her up, and it started up perfectly normal. Went to work, came back hours later, started her up and once again, started perfectly normal.

So I'm still leaning towards a bad ground. I never got around to checking it today, so I will have to wait till probably tomorrow. Would a fuel pump that's starting to go out do this? The car runs fine when she's started up, like nothing was every wrong.
 
aboythatskates said:
probably bad connections at the battery. i had a similar issue with the old battery eating them up
Click to expand...

I need to check for that again. I only did a quick peek, but I'll disconnect them and clean the terminals.

squeek said:
There is a ground attached under the fuse box. Could have some corrosion underneath there.
Click to expand...

I'll check that for sure, too. I just never got a chance yesterday to do it.
 
So, it's happening to me again. This past weekend has been the worst really. Saturday, if I cranked it long enough, it started. Sunday and Monday, it didn't start at all and had to push start.

To recap everything:
When the car doesn't start, and it just turns over, it sounds normal. (not a slow turn over speed)
The car can be push started
When the car is running, everything is fine as if there are no problems
I only have this issue when the car has been sitting for a while (so, a cold start)
Battery, alternator, and starter checked at the parts store as good (when the car started)
Fuel pump primes
Fuel pressure was fine on start up (when the car started)
Cleaned battery posts and cable ends, took tray out and clean the 3 grounds under there and retightened (only grounds I've touched)

I'm still waiting for the car to not start to try and get some voltage read outs to see what's up. I've had a few suggestions thrown around as to what it could be:
- Ignition switch (still don't think this is it)
- Starter (something about the voltage is too low just for the starter, and not enough voltage for the coil to fire)
- Ignition control module (again, don't think this is it)
- Fuel pump (if this is priming, it shouldn't be it, correct)
 
aboythatskates said:
check the fuel pressure when it doesnt start
Click to expand...

That's what I was waiting for the last two days. It's been sitting at the shop since Monday night to see if it wouldn't start the next day (since Sunday and Monday it didnt). What do you know, the day I need it to not start, it starts all day. Same with today. So I pick up the car tomorrow. hopefully it doesn't start so we can get to some real progress.

BUT ALSO, here's the thing. Doesn't the fuel pump only start running after the car has been started and needs the constant supply of fuel? As in the priming of the pump is all the car needs to just start up, so wouldn't that rule the fuel pump out if it's priming?
 
have you ever put the key to "on" for a couple seconds to let the fuel pimp prime , and then cranked?
it doesnt sound like you fuel pump but cars do weird things you know
 
Day 3 at the shop, the car started fine again. I took her home and I'm gonna borrow a multimeter for when the day comes because I'm sure it will.
 
Sounds like a classic bad starter.

Just had a similar problem with my Saturn earlier this month. Sometimes it would start like normal, other times the starter would not respond and I'd have to push-start it. It got to the point where it would NOT start more often than it DID, so I put a test light on the starter while turning the key, and it showed that the starter was getting power, but not doing anything.

New starter has fixed it.

Although you do not specify EXACTLY what happens when you turn the key. Whether it cranks but won't start, or if the starter just doesn't respond at all, or if it just clicks. You should probably share those details.
 
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