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Jumping car incident

Okay, so I'm a bit pissed that I let this happen but nonetheless, it happened and there's no way to go back in time to fix it so here's my problem.

A couple days ago, I noticed a car alarm going off and it sounded faint so I didn't think much of it. Later when I went out to my car, I noticed that it was my car's alarm going off and that it was the battery going dead. I decided I should jump the car to charge the battery at the least as not to allow the battery to completely sulfate. The main problem is that I can only get to the positive battery post from the side, not the top and therefore the clamp straddles the negative battery post.

After I had successfully started the car, I was removing the jumper cable clamps and by accident shorted the negative to the positive with the clamp. The contact was maybe a second. I went to check the car and now the starter doesn't click, doesn't do anything. All the gauges come to life, everything electrical comes on, even the fuel pump spins to pressurize the system.

Now in theory, I would think if anything happened, maybe the alternator died because I just presented it with a short but that wouldn't explain the starter not turning over. My best guess is probably a fuseable link has been fried but I haven't gotten a chance to take a look at it yet because I needed to be somewhere that day so I don't have any diagnosis just yet other than the fuses in the dash are good. I'm going to check the starter solenoid to see if it's getting 12V when I turn the key and start from there but I was wondering if anyone else had any other things to check before I dive into it.

Thanks in advance.

-Bruce

Reply to
Bruce Chang
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I must have accidently overwritten the fact that when I shorted the battery, the car stalled. I thought that was pertinent information.

Reply to
Bruce Chang

you may to tell these guys the make model and year

Reply to
ed

You shorted out the battery terminals. Big deal. That doesn't involve any wiring other that the wire that did the shorting.

It sounds to me like your battery is very low on charge. So low, that it can't operate the starter motor.

Give this battery a real charge with a real charger until it is completely charged.

Go from there.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

irrelevant

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

I would guess your guess is a good one as long as you are trying another boost while this is going on....

The dealers and some auto stores sell the fuse link wire in bulk and you can crimp in a new piece.

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>
Reply to
Mike Romain

Lawrence, it's only irrelevant to you because you are not able to see how it might be related.

Reply to
Al Bundy

Fine;

OP, please post make model year

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

Why not just purchase a new battery? Or if you have a battery charger (or can borrow one from a friend) why not use that?

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Reply to
xblazinlv

He *thinks* he damaged something. IMO, he did nothing but take some charge off the battery.

Watch this problem go on for a week before some lightbulb goes on and he charges the battery with a battery charger.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

I meant to do that too but forgot, I apologize

1989 Pontiac Firebird. 305 Tpi
Reply to
Bruce Chang

What lighbulb is that LG? the one that applies light to where the sun never will? Like I said, everything else works. It's your choice to be ignorant, don't make it everyone else's problem.

Reply to
Bruce Chang

The fuse links for that are on the starter solenoid.

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: Non members can still view! Aug./05
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Reply to
Mike Romain

I am trying to help you Chang, and you are spitting in my face for trying to do so.

The starter requires over 200 amperes. That other crap you are running requires about nothing.

As a result of your insult to me for offering helpful advice, you will get no further assistance from yours truly. I will delight in your problems as they multiply in the culture dish of your ignorance and arrogance.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

As I hope your car crashes and burns, WITH YOU IN IT, or at least runs you over while you're working on it, I'm tossing you down the shithole where you belong. I'll be reading your *posts* in other people's messages, as you twist in the wind of infinite stupidity. How people like you manage to live from one day to the next defies comprehension.

PLONKAROO

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

How about it rocket scientist.

How the FUCK does shorting out the B+ and ground on a battery *take out* the fusible link to the goddamn starter? Eh?

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

LG, I'm hoping someone posts this so you can read this. Just because you're being helpful doesn't mean you can be a Lawrence Dickman about it. You called me dimwitted and I took offense to it. Apparently you can dish it out but when it comes back at you, you just plonk people. Go ahead and run away from the problems you start. It'll just place you farther and farther from me and as far as I'm concerned, I'm all the happier.

Reply to
Bruce Chang

You're digging your own hole deeper nitwit. Charge or change the f*ing battery. You said you only shorted the battery terminals. Put a charge on the damn battery if it will take one and you're done.

Lg

Reply to
Lawrence Glickman

What does the dome light do when you attempt to start the engine?

1) Goes out completely? 2) Dims a little? 3) No change in brightness?

A short between posts only allows high current in the shortest path, i.e., in this case between the battery posts. Nothing downstream (fuses, fuse links) should have been effected.

I'd remove both battery connections and check if the lead pads on the battery didn't melt some making for a poor connection that would support low amperage but not high amperage.

Reply to
aarcuda69062

Well, the short between the posts could also allow current generated by the alternator to flow somewhere it's not normally. That's what I was afraid of. In theory you're right, it should have just zapped the battery but that doesn't explain why the starter doesn't even make a noise. I'll first check the fusible links around the starter. I'll check the battery cable ends/battery posts too, that's a good suggestion. Thanks.

Reply to
Bruce Chang

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