Replaced radiator, now it wont start :(

Im reposting this here in case someone else might know what the problem is.

So the radiator got replaced, started up the car and it was running fine, I went to check for tube leaks and found one with the trans. fluid slowly dripping out, I fixed it and when I went to restart the car it wont, just a single click. I checked the oil, its okay but it still wont start, I'm currently taking the battery out to let the car discharge for a bit before I start again..

any suggestions?

THINGS IVE CHECKED:

Battery Terminal

Charged Battery

Checked Battery Cables

Unplugged tube I fixed to make sure it wasn't interfering with anything

Cried a few times....well...ok I didn't...

Reply to
afx
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The radiator was replaced and the car ran fine. I found and fixed a trans fluid tube leak, afterward the car would not start. Just a single click. The oil level is okay. Battery terminals and cables are okay. I am taking the battery out to let the car discharge for a bit before I start again. I'm reposting this. Any suggestions? ___________________________________________

Repost again - Disclose what vehicle is involved, where in the vehicle the click comes from, and what the car is discharging while the battery is out.

Good luck.

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

Sorry, I forgot this wasnt in a specific car forum :)

Its a 1998 3.2l V6 Chrysler Concorde and nothing really discharged with the battery out.

Reply to
AFX

I'm not sure where the neutral interlock on that car is, but if its near the transmission shift lever input shaft (as they often are) I'd look really close to see if the wires got knocked loose.

Reply to
Steve

Do other high-draw electrical components like the blower and headlights work properly?

If so I suspect that the failure to start is coincidental to the radiator replacement. Start with the starter solenoid.

Reply to
John S.

I was thinking along the same lines as you. I bet if he turns on his headlights and then tries to start the car, the headlights won't be on while the key is in the 'start' position.

Reply to
clifto

Actually headlights and blower motor work just fine with the car in the on position.

Reply to
AFX

I would have guessed that. How do the headlights work with the car in the 'start' position?

In 'on' position they should work just like they do in 'off' position. Assuming the battery cables are making any contact at all, this should mean they work in both positions. 'start' is very different.

Reply to
clifto

They work well in all positions, I bought a new battery and cables and its still a no go.

Reply to
AFX

It's hard to get a handle on the problem because the OP feeds out information little bits at a time. He/She never did answer the critical question: "Where in the car does the click come from??"

It would also help if the OP would describe exactly what he does when trying to start the car, and what he sees/hears/smells/feels when he does it.

Rodan. _______________________________________________

They work well in all positions, I bought a new battery and cables and its still a no go.

Reply to
Rodan

Sorry I haven't posted as much as I can, here is all I know.

Its a 1998 Chrysler Concorde 3.2l V6 with 155,000 miles on it.

The radiator went out last week, it had a big hole in the plastic side part.

I bought a new radiator and put it in last weekend. The car started fine.

There was a small leak in the hose so I took it off, fixed the leak and put it back on.

Now the car wont start.

It gives me a single click then I try and turn it on. The click seems to originate from the right (driver) side of the engine (facing the car) and sounds to me like the same sound you get when a battery terminal is lose. I replaced the battery and terminals and it still doesn't work. I have tried turning the crankshaft manually but that didn't work, I turned it a full 360 degrees. I changed the oil and made sure the transmission oil was full and clean, I have checked most electrical wires for anything that might hinder its performance, I got a multimeter but don't know how or where to use it.

The electrical inside the car seems to work fine, the lights come on and don't dim when I try to start the car. I put a new battery in so it shouldn't.

I'm getting ready to tow this POS to Austin to roll down a hill if I don't get this thing running soon!

Reply to
AFX

can u jump stater solonoid. try tapping on starter maybe bushes are'nt making contact.it sounds like maybe starter problems

Reply to
inafogg

"AFX" wrote: (1998 Chrysler Concorde 3.2l V6 155 k)

Here is all I know. I put in a new radiator and car started fine. Now it won't start. It gives me a single click then I try and turn it on. The click seems to come from the right (driver) side of the engine and sounds like the sound you get when a battery terminal is loose. The electrical inside the car seems to work fine, the lights come on and don't dim when I try to start the car.

None of the following things have helped: Replaced the battery and terminals. Turned the crankshaft 360 degrees manually. Changed the oil and checked thetransmission fluid. Checked most electrical wires. Got a multimeter but don't know how or where to use it.

I'm getting ready to tow this POS to Austin to roll down a hill if I don't get this thing running soon! ________________________________________________________

Don't throw it away yet. There is some great information here.

If you have the headlights and all the other lights on and you turn the key to the start position, the heavy starter current SHOULD dim the lights, even with a fully charged battery.

Your lights do not dim, so the starter is not getting any current. To find why, follow these checks:

Ignition key switch: The battery cable goes to a solenoid switch which clicks when you turn the ignition key to the start position. The ignition key switch is okay because it makes the solenoid click.

Solenoid switch. There is a heavy cable from the solenoid to the starter. The solenoid switch must connect the battery cable to the starter cable. Set the multimeter on a 12-VDC (minimum) scale, place its neg probe on a grounded spot and its pos probe on the solenoid battery terminal. If it reads 12 volts, the battery is connected. Move the pos probe to the solenoid starter terminal. It should read zero because the solenoid is not energized. Have someone turn the ignition key to the start position (keeping your arms away from anything that might move). The voltage reading should jump up to about 12 volts to energize the starter. If the voltage stays at zero, the solenoid is bad and must be replaced.

Starter. If the battery, the cables, the ignition switch, and the solenoid have been eliminated, the only thing left is the starter. If you don't find a loose cable at the starter, remove the starter and take it to a parts store for testing and replacement if needed.

Good luck.

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

Expanding that for completeness: they should dim a little to somewhat; they should not be unaffected and they should not go off or really dim.

Reply to
clifto

Okay, so the starter solenoid is closing when you turn the switch, so you know the ignition switch is good. And you know the battery is good.

So either the starter isn't turning because the starter is bad, or because the cable from the battery to the starter is bad, or because the engine is totally siezed up.

If it has a manual transmission, just push start it and take it to a tech. If it won't push start, then you know the problem is the engine. If it push starts, either it's the starter or the high current cable to the starter, or the fusible link in that cable. Measure the voltage at the starter on the big cable to the battery... if there is voltage there, the cable and the fusible link are good.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

"Scott Dorsey"

Yes it should. The starter motor is either toast or not getting power from the solinoid.

No, little can be said about the solenoid. The poster is clearly too incompetent to test it, so little will likely ever be said.

No. None of these statements are are valid or remotely probable.

Since poster is too incompetent to test starter/solenoid, it follows he should remove it from the car and bring it to a parts store to get tested, usually for free. If it is bad, and the solenoid probably is, then buy a new one.

- N

Reply to
Dll

Im just replying to thank you guys for the input! I havent read the posts yet im out on business the next few days but ill get back to this thing soon enough!!

Thanks again.

-Kirk-

Reply to
AFX

Alright I got under the car and put a multimeter to the starter. I turned the car and it went from 15 to 17.0 and kind of stayed for a bit.

What does this mean?

Reply to
AFX

I got under the car and put a multimeter to the starter. I turned the car and it went from 15 to 17.0 and kind of stayed for a bit. What does this mean? ____________________________________________

Put the multimeter to what on the starter? What scale was the multimeter set on? What was turned in the car? What went from 15 to 17.0? What kind of stayed? What is a bit?

If you will better describe what is happening, someone can help.

Good luck.

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

Sorry I had so much grease on my hands I didn't want to type much,

I put it on the little bolt that connects the starter solenoid to the starter (It had a little rubber cover on it)

When my buddy first turned it, it went to 17, as he held it went to 15 then stayed for about 3 seconds before he turned it off, it seemed to fluctuate between 11, 15 and 17 but that could have been the awkward position I was holding the negative with.

Reply to
AFX

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