1996 Beretta Stalled (won't start).

I have a 1996 Beretta and while driving it, it lost power (stall) and cut off. The only thing it does now when I try to turn it on is just a clicking noise. Before it cut off there was no noise or anything, it just shut off. Now it won't start at all. It's full of gas, the oil is good, the battery is new but still it won't start. Do any one might know why this is happening and won't start. Thanks

Reply to
toyota
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Reply to
Shep

Hey T.

Do your lights and electrics (signals, radio, etc.) still work?

Reply to
Brian

I would check your battery. Sounds like it's dead. I have had new ones fail minutes after installation. Try your headlights and see if they are bright or dim, and other gagets.

Reply to
80 Knight

It was running and died. At speed, the alternator should be supplying the power, not the battery.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Abs. true, Ed...however, there are some vehicles where the alternator supplies power through the battery...if the alternator packs it in...the battery will keep the car going for about 30 mins more (depending on state of charge when the alternator stops feeding it) until it discharges to the point that it can't fire the ignition. Trying to re-start at this point will result in a 'click' and no turning-over of the engine as the battery hasn't sufficient power left to activate the starter...this sounds somewhat like the symptoms Mr. Toyota described.

We were just checking to see if the Beretta's battery was, in fact, discharged...next step would be to get the alternator checked. Lack of activity in the starter is what lead us to believe the problem might be an alternator failure.

Happened to me once...with a Datsun.

B.

Reply to
Brian

That is what I was going to suggest next. If the battery checks out fine, then check the alternator. I can't count the times I have had a dead car with a good battery, but a bad alternator. Happened to me once driving home from work. Alternator died on me, battery kept the car running for a little while, until that died. A nice guy in a tow truck took it from there.

Reply to
80 Knight

I figure the battery and alternator are the easiest to check out, and they were always the problem with my cars. And paying a shop $80 (which is the rate for 'non-start' checks around here) and finding out it was just a battery isn't fun. :)

Reply to
80 Knight

I thought the battery and charging system are wired in parallel? That means a circuit will draw off of whatever is providing voltage.

Reply to
SgtSilicon

How I read it is that if the electrode cracked, or something like that, it would be pretty instant death. Rare, maybe, but it happens.

When I have had an alternator fail and the battery go down, I would usually start noticing some strange behavior before the car actually gave up the ghost.

Reply to
<HLS

That's happened to me. Running off battery starts to result in weak spark or no spark issues. Get lots of nice unburnt fuel into the exhaust etc. Then.... show over.

Reply to
SgtSilicon

The headlights comes on and the instrumental panel lights comes on.I haven't checked the radio as of yet. Is there any chance of the engine locking up? That's what I were told. Is there any way of checking to see if the engine is locked up?

Reply to
toyota

The headlights seems to be good. The instrumental panel lights comes on. I haven't checked the radio to see how it works. I was told that the engine is locked up! Is there any way of checking the engine to tell if it's locked up? Please continue to help. Thanks.

Reply to
toyota

"Locked up"...hmmm.

I suppose whomever told you that meant that the engine is seized...this should not be possible if the oil level is correct as you said earlier. I once encountered a Plymouth minivan that had it's engine "lock up"...not because the oil ran out and the engine seized, but because a conrod cap popped off and the crankshaft got jammed on the loose conrod. If that kind of catastrophic failure had stopped your engine, it would have been very noticeable...the engine would not simply have stalled, but STOPPED suddenly, accompanied by a loud bang and possibly even bits of the engine and/or drivetrain falling to the roadway. As for checking if the engine is "locked up"...well, if you have a manual tranny, you can put it in reverse, roll the car backward a foot or two, and have someone look and see if the engine pulley turns. If it's an automatic...well, you're going to have to try to turn the engine over the hard way...you'll need a breaker bar and a socket big enough to turn the bolt in the middle of the engine pulley. If it turns, your engine is not seized or locked up or whatever. If it doesn't, well...

If your electrics are OK, then it's time to look at the starter. The starter isn't turning over the engine. Have the starter checked out (whack it gently with a baseball bat or soft mallet first to make certain it's not just a "flat spot" on the starter that's preventing it from doing it's job). Once the starter is ok, it's time to look at why the engine won't run...if it still doesn't. Believe it or not, at this stage the engine not starting, and the engine not running are actually separate issues. First get it to turn over...then see if you can get it running. Hope this helps.

B.

Reply to
Brian

Thanks! I'll try these things and let you know what happens.

Reply to
toyota

Update on my checks. I had the battery recharged (it's good), I removed the starter and had it checked out (it checked out good) the shop said it has no way of checking the cylinor (on the starter). I have not taken the alternator off to have it check yet. After all these checks when I turn the key, I still only get a click noise (one click). Is there a fuse or something I need to check? Please continue with your input.

Reply to
toyota

Fuse...fuse...fuse...hmmmm

If a fusible link at the battery were gone then *nothing* would work. I'm not familiar enough with the Beretta electrical system to help you here. I don't know if either the starter or the ignition is fused, but it is possible that at least one of them is. Likely location is inside the engine compartment on the fender wall near the battery. Possibly in some type of fuse block with the individual circuits labeled.

Reply to
Brian

I looked for a fuse box under the hood but I didn't find one. I'm sure one should be there. Do you know of any thing else that would stall a car and not let it start? What else can I check?

Reply to
toyota

Of course there is.... If it were mine, I would take the spark plugs out of it, and that should release the compression so that you can turn it over by hand, or even with the starter.

If you have a gasket failure, or certain cracks, you can fill a cylinder with water ( or in some cases other liquids) and it will lock up tighter than 'Dick's hat band'. Will absolutely not turn using the starter. Taking out the plugs will allow it to turn.

If you take out the plugs and still can't budge the engine, you have something else internally causing the freezeup.

Reply to
<HLS

I just thought of something. I remember before the car stalled I use to hear noise when I would start the car coming from the "flywheel". I sprayed some WD 40 on the flywheel a few times I think the noise went away. But I think the noise would come back when I start the car. Could that have some thing to do with it? How can I check if the flywheel is damage or worn? Maybe some WD 40 got into the solinor (on the starter). I'm just guessing.

Reply to
toyota

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