Wont Start (with video) -- Solved: dead battery

[mitsumi]

@Eggman sure will. Remember i posted also before that my batt got drained and i ended up charging the batt. but unlike before i only hear a tik sound when i tired to start the car but now it cranks to a slow.

i wanted to try checking the volt because this time i didnt have anything left turned on for 2 days.

[Adam - UK]

Agreed.. dead battery. Jump and drive. Possibly left something on?

yep dead battery by the sounds of it

[mitsumi]

well did a test by my brother using his multitester
when the car is off is shows 10.9
then when tried to start shows 8 down to 4.

my batt is almost 2 years and its already out of warranty. too bad... this disnt last that long

[Mark]

well did a test by my brother using his multitester
when the car is off is shows 10.9
then when tried to start shows 8 down to 4.

my batt is almost 2 years and its already out of warranty. too bad... this disnt last that long

If you are testing things yourself, Loren shared some really good information about batteries and alternators. The two do go hand in hand. Your battery is most likely shot, but it doesn't hurt to check your alternator before installing a new battery. A faulty alternator would shorten the life of any battery including a new one.

I would still jump start the car & make sure the alternator is working properly before replacing your battery. If your alternator isn't working properly, you are not doing your new battery any favors.

While the car is running, take a voltage reading off of the battery terminals. You should get a reading somewhere between 14.1 to 14.8 volts. Even if the headlights and other electrical accessories are on, you should be above 14 volts. If that's the case, then you know your battery is for sure the problem. It's no longer holding a charge like it should.

I didn't mean to make light of Loren's suggestions in my earlier posts. If I suspect my battery is going, I tend to go a place that will test my battery and alternator for me at the same time. If the alternator is bad, they are more than willing to show you that. If the battery proves to be bad, I just have them exchange it right away.

If you like doing things yourself, Loren did a great job of explaining it all for us!

[mitsumi]

@Mark
I just didnt have a series cable to jump start the car.

BTW, i've tried checking some videos how to start a Manual with a dead batt. they put the gear in 2nd or 3rd then push the clutch and until you get the right speed you release the clutch and press again. will this work?

Im not sure if it'll work with a push start? do i leave the car in ACC mode or ON before we push the car since im on a flat ground.

[Eggman]

@Mark
I just didnt have a series cable to jump start the car.

BTW, i've tried checking some videos how to start a Manual with a dead batt. they put the gear in 2nd or 3rd then push the clutch and until you get the right speed you release the clutch and press again. will this work?

Im not sure if it'll work with a push start? do i leave the car in ACC mode or ON before we push the car since im on a flat ground.

You previously discharged your battery and thus shortened it's useful life. It's now time for a replacement battery.

Push starting old cars is easier than today's cars with electronic controls.

Get your new battery installed and you shouldn't have to worry about all this other stuff.

[Loren]

I just didnt have a series cable to jump start the car.

Whoa there. You're not doing anything in "series" to jump start a car. If you were to put two car batteries in series (you'd have to disconnect a battery cable to do it), you'd be putting 24v into your car and probable make something go up in smoke. Jumper cables work by connecting the two batteries in parallel. You get the same voltage, but more amperage, which is what you need to start the car.

BTW, i've tried checking some videos how to start a Manual with a dead batt. they put the gear in 2nd or 3rd then push the clutch and until you get the right speed you release the clutch and press again. will this work?

Im not sure if it'll work with a push start? do i leave the car in ACC mode or ON before we push the car since im on a flat ground.

Yes, push starting works. No reason it shouldn't work with a push-button start. You want the switch to be ON. In ACC, it's not powering the ECU or the fuel pump or the ignition system. It's got to be ON. The pushbutton should only be activating the starter, which you're completely bypassing. You're using momentum to start the car.

For it to work, you need enough battery power to run the electronics. Probably 10.5-11 volts would work. So, if your battery won't quite crank the car, but isn't completely dead, you should be able to push start it.

If you don't do this today, it's something that you can easily play with once you've got the car back in running order. Find a quiet road where you can cruise 20-30 mph or less without being in anyone's way, no traffic, no people. Get up to 30 mph, clutch in, and turn the engine off. (the Mirage doesn't have a steering wheel lock, so you can still steer, but you'll lose power steering and power brakes should you need them) Then, to restart the car, be sure the ignition switch is in the ON position, put the transmission in 3rd gear and release the clutch. The engine will turn and instantly restart itself. At that point, you can push the clutch back in and let it idle, or you could just continue driving. Play with it. Try it at lower speeds. Get comfortable with it. Then, next time you need to push start a car, you'll do exactly the same thing... just at a slower speed and probably in 1st or 2nd gear.

[Loren]

Get your new battery installed and you shouldn't have to worry about all this other stuff.

If we "old car guys" don't share our knowledge, the "young car guys" are going to continue to be clueless. Why not learn how things work?

If a person has bothered to start a thread here asking questions rather than just calling for a tow and letting their mechanic handle it, I figure they want to learn something.

It can be daunting to learn about these things when you don't even know what to search for. I don't fault people for asking questions like this. Many of us learned "car guy stuff" from old car guys when we were younger if we were lucky enough to have those kind of people around to learn from.

[mitsumi]

i did a charge with my batt and tested it now. drove around an hour and im at my sisters house.

i did test and see if my alternator works fine and it seems working ok.

i get a reading of 14.2+ even if my hid, etc acc is on.

i then turn it off and will check back later if my voltage drops.

[Mitz]

That's perfectly fine now pal