wreckedhatch

well after searching and reading all those "car wont start" threads i decided to make my own because i cant find a similar one.

well basically i wrecked my car about 6 months ago and has been sitting in the garage ever since. today i decided to start my EG hatch and it wont start, no clicking, no power, nothing, completely dead. I used my cables to start her up with the help of my dads truck and it worked, except that when i turn it off it will not start up for nothing again, no clicking, power etc. i noticed however that my check engine light came on but i have no way to see what code or codes its throwing out, any ideas?

J Rob

charge your battery

fms1day

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Single Cam EG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">charge your battery </TD></TR></TABLE>
Same happened to my previously wrecked hatchback. It sat there in the garage for a good 5 months and when it came time to start it, it didn't budge. The battery was dead. The battery recharges when the alternator is running. Basically, it charges when the car is driving. That's why you experienced the car not starting after your dad's truck jump started it. There's still not enough power in 'your' battery to turn the car on.

wreckedhatch

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Single Cam EG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">charge your battery </TD></TR></TABLE>

thanx, but thats it? why would the check engine light come on and not he battery light itself? Can anyone confirm this?

wreckedhatch

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fms1day &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The battery was dead. The battery recharges when the alternator is running. Basically, it charges when the car is driving. That's why you experienced the car not starting after your dad's truck jump started it. There's still not enough power in 'your' battery to turn the car on. </TD></TR></TABLE>

oh thanx, but how long do u need to drive for it to recharge cause i drove for about 20 minutes and turned it off and still no sign of power, wouldnt the battery light turn on?

J Rob

Try charging it or starting it and letting it run for a while and see if that will fix it, almost garanteed (sp) it will since its been sitting.

wreckedhatch

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Single Cam EG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Try charging it or starting it and letting it run for a while and see if that will fix it, almost garanteed (sp) it will since its been sitting.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i let it sit for about 15 minutes and "NADA"

fms1day

Well, can you manage to get a reading on the CEL? Maybe some of the other H-T members can help and see if the CEL is linked to your 'dead' car.

wreckedhatch

CEL? whats that? i'm a newb, is that where u get a code from the ecu, cause if so i dont have that.

Cute EK

The same thing happened with the 93 hatch I had to fix for my friend. After hours of charging the battery and checking everything over 4 times, we figure it out. Cleaned the gronds reconnected them, and everything worked. It did throw a check engine light and idled aroud 5000rpms, but thats natural when the people we bought it from still had an sohc vetc ecu wired in

Yeah, check your grounds and let me know how it works out.

Spinnbait

Borrow someone's battery and install it in your car...see if it works. If it does, it's obviously your battery.

Cute EK

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Spinnbait &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Borrow someone's battery and install it in your car...see if it works. If it does, it's obviously your battery. </TD></TR></TABLE>
If it's not grounded it wont run either.

wreckedhatch

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Spinnbait &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Borrow someone's battery and install it in your car...see if it works. If it does, it's obviously your battery. </TD></TR></TABLE>

haha, i'm bout to do that

wreckedhatch

alright... i changed my battery that was in my bro's b16 rex, that was also in the garage, but i knew it was probably better than mine since we jump started his car 2 weeks ago and the battery charged up enough to be able to start his car again. so i jump started it recharged it but couldnt start it up after turning it off, but all lights stayed on and it clicked when trying to start, i think the check engine light turned off too, any suggestions?

how many grounds are there?

Spinnbait

wait, did you actually take your battery out and install the other into your car and try to start it? Batteries are funny things in cars....

Cute EK

Should be a ground from the valve cover to the front cross memeber, a tranny ground, and a battery ground for sure. Maybe more but try cleaning the hell out of them.

salesmonkey

basically when you have enough juice your car is starting but when it doesnt its not. go down to the local shop and get another battery. if you dont want to do that throw your brothers on a charger and charge it up. also have you considered that your alternator isnt working? try having everything on lights heater and see if your batter dies. or if you have time take it off and have your alternator tested the best way.

wreckedhatch

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Cute EK &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Should be a ground from the valve cover to the front cross memeber, a tranny ground, and a battery ground for sure. Maybe more but try cleaning the hell out of them.</TD></TR></TABLE>

clean the tips or the acutal wiring coming out the rubber housing?

dammit, i think i just bout to take my car into the shop and have them check my alternator and starter and battery

Cute EK

Cleaning the tips should be fine, unless the wires are too badly corroded.