won't start
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 57
Likes: 13
Metris
Barely turns over reads more like a battery issue than a starter issue.
Is the battery the original battery? 'course, even if it is not original but a recently new battery that is no guarantee it is good. I had a new battery go bad after just 5 months.
And to toss in another factor the battery can be ok but low on charge due to a malfunctioning alternator.
First thing a tech would do would be to go over the battery cable connections. This includes not only the connections at the battery but the connections at the engine (alternator) and the various grounds. He would put these right if he found the connections unacceptable. Next he would test the battery. A hand held device can report not only the charge level of the battery but with the CCA known and entered into the device the battery's CCA condition can be tested and the battery's condition: good or bad; determined.
If the battery is just low but otherwise good it will be charged -- although the tech might choose to have the charger "recondition" the battery (removes lead sulfate from the battery plates) prior to just charging the battery.
Then if the engine starts the output of the alternator will be checked. Now my experience is while the alternator can be working just fine at engine start and some time after in one case after around 30 minutes of engine run time the battery voltage reading was low, less than 13V when nearly 14V was the norm. As I drove -- headed towards the dealer for I suspected an alternator problem -- the voltage level continued to drop.
If the battery cabling/connections were good. If the battery checked out ok, then of course the tech would widen the search for the problem. He would almost certainly turn his attention to the starter. Not sure how he would check this. One WAG is he would measure current draw. Too high (or too low) current draw would signal some kind of problem.
Is the battery the original battery? 'course, even if it is not original but a recently new battery that is no guarantee it is good. I had a new battery go bad after just 5 months.
And to toss in another factor the battery can be ok but low on charge due to a malfunctioning alternator.
First thing a tech would do would be to go over the battery cable connections. This includes not only the connections at the battery but the connections at the engine (alternator) and the various grounds. He would put these right if he found the connections unacceptable. Next he would test the battery. A hand held device can report not only the charge level of the battery but with the CCA known and entered into the device the battery's CCA condition can be tested and the battery's condition: good or bad; determined.
If the battery is just low but otherwise good it will be charged -- although the tech might choose to have the charger "recondition" the battery (removes lead sulfate from the battery plates) prior to just charging the battery.
Then if the engine starts the output of the alternator will be checked. Now my experience is while the alternator can be working just fine at engine start and some time after in one case after around 30 minutes of engine run time the battery voltage reading was low, less than 13V when nearly 14V was the norm. As I drove -- headed towards the dealer for I suspected an alternator problem -- the voltage level continued to drop.
If the battery cabling/connections were good. If the battery checked out ok, then of course the tech would widen the search for the problem. He would almost certainly turn his attention to the starter. Not sure how he would check this. One WAG is he would measure current draw. Too high (or too low) current draw would signal some kind of problem.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
2014 c250
i appreciate your input i am not 100 % on battery condition the car actually belongs to a young girl i know she said it drove great she got home went inside for awhile and when she went to leave again no start . she had it towed to the closest shop and they told her she needed a new engine due to low or no oil. i have not got a chance to look at it myself cause its still sitting in that shop.
