Replaced battery, alternator and car still won’t start

I have a 1991 Ford Fiesta. I just bought it recently to get to and from work. Recently, my car wouldn?t start with the key, but would jump-start easily. I asked around and was told to replace the battery. I did. The car started and worked fine for a week. After that it wouldn?t start without jump starting. I asked around again and was told to replace the alternator. I did. The car is still not starting on its? own. It starts up quick when I jump start it, and after it?s been running, I can turn off the engine and it starts up fine. However, if left for an hour or more, it will not start with the key.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do? The car didn?t cost much and I?m not interested in taking it into a mechanic, so if it?s something I can fix....

Reply to
Montip1
Loading thread data ...

"Montip1" wrote: (1991 Ford Fiesta)

The car won't start with the key, but will jump-start easily. I replaced the battery and the car started and worked fine for a week. After that it wouldn?t start without jump starting. I replaced the alternator but the car still won't start on its own. It starts up quick when I jump start it, and after it?s been running, I can turn off the engine and it starts up fine. If left for an hour or more, it won't start with the key.

Any suggestions? Is it something I can fix myself?

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Won't start? Does this mean it won't crank at all, or cranks slow, or cranks but won't fire, or cranks then stops or ....?

Exactly what happens when you turn the key?

Reply to
Rodan

Very true... can't argue with you. However, at this point that advice isn't going to get his car started.

I think I'd start by pulling the battery and charge it up good on a trickle charger before it fails. If it won't take a charge, it's already failed, even though it was just changed.

Will the car run without a battery if you were to jump it off? If it won't the charging circuit has a problem. I'm guessing he's got a pretty good leak somewhere that's draining his battery of energy even with the engine shut off... witness the battery becoming too weak after just a hour shutdown.

What are the voltages running and off?

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

He replaced parts. Were the parts new? Were they good? And then of course, were they required?

Reply to
clare at snyder.on.ca

Sometimes there's no reason NOT to throw parts at it. I had a similar situation a few months ago with my 2000 Taurus... the battery suddenly stopped holding a charge. I jumped it off and it started immediately. I drove it to work (about

30 minutes worth of freeway driving at an average of 65 mph) and that night it needed to be jumped again. What to do?

I threw a battery at it without question. The weak one was the original... six years old. Whether it was at fault or not, I'd been lving on borrowed time for a while. So out it came.

Now the question was should I include an alternator and voltage regulator to the parts list? If I'm going to replace the $100+ alternator, I'm going to replace the $8 voltage regulator without question. So now the question boils down to, do I really need a new alternator? I let the guy at Autozone who checked (of course) and changed my battery also check the charging system. It turned out all I needed was a battery.

That was back in the fall and not a hiccup since....

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

You did NOT throw parts at it. You replaced what you knew to be an old and suspect battery - which you even had the smarts to have checked before replacing it. Then you had the alternator and regulator tested and given a clean bill of health. Then you did NOT throw an alternator and regulator at it. You are smarter than the average bear on this list.

Reply to
clare at snyder.on.ca

formatting link

Jump your car to get it started, drive to your nearest Auto Zone, or the equivelant, and have the clerk connect the charging system tester to your battery to find out exactly where your problem lies for free. I assume that you have checked your batery cable connections, at both ends, and at the starter. Your problem is twofold, something is draining your battery, or something is not charging your battery enough.

Reply to
Frank from Deeetroit

When I turn the key, there is sometimes a clicking noise. Othertimes, there is nothing.

Friday we got a battery charger and charged the new battery overnight. Saturday, we put it back on and the car started up right away and we took it on a drive. We came back home and a went out a few hours later. The car still started. In the morning, however, the car would not start again.

"Montip1" wrote: > I have a 1991 Ford Fiesta. I just bought it recently to get > to and from work. Recently, my car wouldn't start with the > key, but would jump-start easily. I asked around and was told > to replace the battery. I did. The car started and worked > fine for a week. After that it wouldn't start without jump > starting. I asked around again and was told to replace the > alternator. I did. The car is still not starting on its' > own. It starts up quick when I jump start it, and after it's > been running, I can turn off the engine and it starts up fine. > However, if left for an hour or more, it will not start with > the key. > > Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do? The car > didn't cost much and I'm not interested in taking it into a > mechanic, so if it's something I can fix....

Reply to
Montip1

Sounds to me like a parasitic drain. The way I see it you have 3 choices:

1 Keep throwing parts at it. 2 Learn how to use a DVOM and do some diagnostics 3 Hire someone to find and repair the problem

Reply to
Bob

A bad alternator is also possible. If you get the engine started and run it off the battery only, it could run on the battery well past the point where the engine will crank and start again.

But if the alternator is putting out the proper 13.8V to 14.6V measured at the battery posts with the engine at or above 2000 RPM, that points to a parasitic drain. Botched alarm or stereo install is the Usual Suspect.

Do you park the car on a very steep incline? The tilt switch on a hood, trunk or dome light might be triggering, even with the door closed. That will drain the battery overnight.

Amen! (and L'Chayim!) ;-P

A little toolbox in the trunk containing a decent $25 Digital Volt-Ohmmeter, a good flashlight, spare batteries for both, and some good basic hand tools will get you out of some nasty scrapes.

Oh, and a Shop/Repair Manual in a big Ziploc baggie. RTFM - Read The (Friendly) Manual. (Gotta keep our PG:13 rating...)

-->--

Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.