- posted
17 years ago
volts question - car won't start
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- posted
17 years ago
It sounds like your negative battery cable isn't connected well, either at the battery end or (more likely) at the grounded end.
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- posted
17 years ago
Your negative cable has a bad connection.
I start 'walking' the meter back. I put the positive meter probe on the battery post. I then go from the engine block with the black probe to the bolt holding the negative cable onto the block, then to the washer, then to the cable end, then to the clamp at the battery, then to the battery post. When I find volts, I have found the bad connection.
You can to the same on the main cables for the battery positive. Start with the negative and positive probes on the posts, then go to the clamp, then the cable, then the other end clamp or loop, then the washer, then the bolt. When you lose voltage of any amount you have found a bad connection.
You also can try to start it a couple times and carefully feel the cable ends. If it clicks and tries to turn, one cable end will be hot, even burning hot so be careful.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: N>- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
The starter grounds back to the battery through the block to the neutral wire that is hooked up around the intake manifold. The starter pulls a couple hundred amps on that car in the best of situations. If the engine is cranking but you are reading 0 volts between the positive terminal on the battery and the block then you aren't getting a good connection... There just isn't any way that connection could carry a couple hundred amps and not be able to show at least some voltage via your meter.
Steve B.