TravisCadello

Ok, I have a new starter about 8 months old and it seems like my battery is low. every morning ill start it and it turns over like my battery is almost dead. but it is good. full charge. sometimes it turns over so slow it take for ever to start. usually i can start it for a split second and let off the key and then try and start it again and it will turn over fast is hell. does this seem like a weak starter or maybe my timing is off to much?

trustdestruction

mine does that, but only if i don't drive it for a whole day or two.

try letting your fuel pump prime first before you turn the key all the way to start it and see if it still does it.


also, double check your battery posts to make sure the terminal clamps are clamped nice and tight.

gotz2b16

Double check your grounds...

Battery to body
Body to transmission
body to valve cover (AND BOLT IT TO THE VALVE COVER STUD, NOT THE VALVE COVER!! I only say this because the cover is completely insulated by rubber and does not ground the engine!!)

How do you know the battery has a full charge? Take a volt meter to it to confirm. Also, Double check that the nuts holding your cables to the starter solonoid are clean and tight..

TravisCadello

i did. and it had 12.25 Volts and it does seem like bad battery post or a bad ground. i never put my valve cover ground on thinking i dont need it.

trustdestruction

well there you go

gotz2b16

No, the valve cover ground is not critical.. It's not large enough to handle the current of the starter (~125 amps).. I do strongly recommend you install it because it helps reduce the voltage difference between your engine block and the chassis giving your ECU supposedly more accurate sensor input/outputs and increases efficiency as well as acting like a shield for RF electrical noise created by your spark plugs and alternator..

The critical ground is the frame to transmission.. If that one is not proper, you could cause ECU damage!! (Through the logic/power ground attached at your thermostat housing) not to mention start a fire or melt wires that are trying to flow more current than they are rated for..

waaBAAH

12.65 is a fully charged battery

12.25v is 50 percent charged. sounds like your battery needs charging

gotz2b16

huh?? I've had batteries in the mid to low 11v range that were weak, but started the car.. I mean we are all talking about flooded lead cell car batteries here.. Not some exotic jell cell or carbon post duracell.. Right?

gotz2b16

another thing.. make sure your alternator is charging.. 13.5-14v @ battery when running..

waaBAAH

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_battery

scroll down to terminal voltage page.

i have had cars start up below 11 volts. tempature plays a huge part in battery power.

12.25 is a 50 percent charge. battery needs charging and or replaced if it cant hold 12.66v

TravisCadello

I thought the battery was my problem also cause it went below 11V during my engine swap and after that it turned over real slow. i took it to autozone and they charged it for me and said it was good. and i had the alternator checked it was at 14.4V so the charging system is good.

waaBAAH

look at the date code on the battery. i bet it is about 6 years old.

date code will look like this A6, or G2 or somethign with a letter and a number on the side of the battery.

first letter is the month.. a is jan b is feb....second number is the year.. 2 is 2002 and so on.

whats your date code?

TravisCadello

06. its not to old. its valuecraft though lol

SlowIntegraLS

just cuz the battery has voltage doesnt mean it has the correct amount of cranking amps to turn the engine. you need to actauly get the battery tested and not just read the voltage coming off it. its possible you may have a bad battery cable also.

XKINGX

I have the same problem. Mine even just clicks some times. Its the starter in my cas and seems like your too. I have a new starter in the trunk waiting on the day it quits completely. I bought a battery thinking it that was the problem(it was old and a never start from walmart) did good for a day or so then right back to same old ****. what I couldnt figure out was mine did the acting up when I drove it alot, if I let it sit for a few days or weeks starts right up. did some checking and researching figured ou it was the starter.

blkngrn24

Actually it will only charge at the voltage from 13-14v for about 8 minutes max, then it will drop to roughly 12 and a half volts FYI.

And check under the insulation of the battery cables by the terminals to see if you have corrosion.

TravisCadello

the battery was fully charged and tested at autozone and was good. and i put it in and let it idle 15 minutes and had them test the charging system and it was good. I'm pretty sure its a ground cause when i connected the ground on the valve cover it starts waay faster now but still is a little slower than normal civic. Its the battery terminals though. not much of the ground is in the battery terminal. I been real busy lately and haven't messed with it.

Unibody2003

Ok guys, first of all Wikipedia is open source and can be edited by anybody. In college they will not accept Wikipedia as a source on a paper because of that. And it is quite possible to start a car with the battery between 11 and 13 volts. It is a 12 volt system after all. But the typical lead acid battery is going to be closer to 12 exactly when in good health. Also, while up to 14 volts is possible from an alternator while running, that would be a high output alternator. The average factory alternator on any typical car brand had an output of 12.5-13 volts, rarely does it hit 13.5-14. That would risk overcharging. Buy a battery/alternator tester so you're not guessing on proper voltage range. Guessing torque, voltage, ranges in general leads to mistakes.