I did my usual alternator check on my 1990 Accord. Pulled off the negative cable from the battery while running and the car died. Never failed me before so I changed out the alternator. I figured the battery would be low from all the previous attempts to start prior to changing the alternator, so I boosted it and it started right up. Checked the cable test, and it worked just fine. So I left it running a while so the battery could charge some. I left it for about 20 minutes. Turned it off and tried turning it on and NADA.

So, I thought the battery needed more charge. I took the battery off and took it to Autozone to charge. They charged it and tested it and they said it was fine. So I put it back in the car and NADA. BUT, here's the weird part. It WILL start every time with a boost. New alternator and charged battery = nothing... but with boost = WILL start.

What gives?

 

Weak battery. Just because it's charged and shows 12+ volts doesn't meant that it will hold that voltage when loaded.

 

That's gonna suck. Cause now that they tested it and it "checks out" they won't exchange it eventhough I have it covered til 2011. I'm sure talking to a manager will get it resolved but I hate confrontations. Oh well, gotta do what I gotta do, right?

 

My guess is you have a bad cable somewhere. Even when jumping what happens when you turn the headlights on? Do the dash and interior lights dimm when you crank it over or turn on an accessory? My guess is you have power but bad cables are keeping things from being charged and/or get to where it needs. Check your main ground wires first! I've seen heavily corroded cables kill off 500+ amps...

And any idiot can run a battery tester. Not all battery testers are the same and no two idiots running them think alike. Depending on the age and amps you input you can make a tester say anything from good to bad...

 

I agree about the bad cable.Try taking a jmper cable from your negative side on the battery to a good ground like the engine.If it starts bad ground.

 

You guys ready for the whopper? SO, iI get up this morning and decide to(just for the hell of it) try the battery from my CRX to see what happens. Sure enough the damn thing starts right up. I put the Accord battery on and NADA. So, now I'm pissed. The Autozone guys tell me that even though my battery is covered under warranty 'til 2011, I can't get a new one cause this one is "good", unless I pay the difference for a better one. So, I storm back there to get a NEW battery cause obviously this one is NOT "good".

WEll, I get there and the one guy that has always been cool is there and I ask him nicely to pull up my warranty and get me my new battery, and I explain what happened. Well, when he pulls up the battery info, it turns out that the battery I have is NOT the battery I bought, therefore NOT covered under warranty. The last mechanic that worked on my car must have taken out the battery and put in the wrong one when he finished or jacked it.

So I dropped $60 for another battery, that actually belongs. Ain't life grand?!