I'm About to go on a road trip and I don't want to spend a bunch of money, but my car drives fine and everything but when I shut it off and go to start it again its like dead.

for the last 2 days i've been push starting it. it sucks.

could this be a Alternator problem or a Battery.

Leaving in 2 days, I hope you guys can figure this out.

 

could be either i think...take a voltometer and see if your getting proper voltages in your battery while running and while off

 

if the car stays running after you push start it than id check the battery first then the starter, the alt. powers the car while its running and the battery powers it while its off and it gives the starter the juice it needs to start the motor.
another thing, if its the batt. you'd probably have to reset your clocks if its draining all the way

 

check the the starting sys. probably bad connection at starter or a bad starter, battery sounds fine if u can push start.

 

Does you car at least act as though it wants to start up? If it does then it's more than likely your Altenator, your battery is probably dead from trying to work on it's own. If you get in your car and turn your key to three (don't try and start it) and none of the lights come on in your car you might want to see if the battery fuse is burned out as well. But is sounds like your altenator.

 

looks like your whoring around

if the battery fuse went out, you wont have any power what so ever. More likely, it's your alternator going out on you. Check your connections at the starter, battery, and alternator and see if they're tight. A bad alternator will cause your battery to fail.

 

Have you checked the terminals for corrosion yet?

 

battery sends power to the starter, car starts
alt. powers the car and charges the batt. after the car is started
if you push start the car you are bypassing the batt.
if the car runs after the push start go to the parts store and most will
pinpoint your problem for free

 

I'm thinking battery or connection as well. If it was alternator, push starting wouldn't work any better than starting off the battery.

 

http://www.innerauto.com/Autom...rview/

hopefully this will help, click on the overveiw of an electrical system

 

thanks for all the replies guys, i went to sears and baught a new deep cell optima battery. car works good . we will see if its the alternator in like a day.