HELP, car die while driving now dead.

[grandprix92]

hey guys got a 95 pontica grand prix se,

my mom was coming home and the car die, just shut off, now wont restart just clicks, the battery light was on, so i was thinking no biggie alternator is bad, put other battery in to get it home and nothing, just clicks,wont try to turn over or anything,

the battery i took out is at 11.89volts,

the hood light,dome,floor are all on and bright, just wont start,just clicks,


dose anyone know or could point me in the way, dont want to leave it on the side of the road for a long time,

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

Sounds like a grounding problem if you just click the starter over and it just clicks.

Or the worst case is that the motor hydrolocked on her and not it can't turn itself over because the cylinders are full of coolant.

[cheatah faheatah]

What does the voltage drop to when you turn the key? Under 10 is bad news...

[cheatah faheatah]

Have someone hold key on as you bang the starter, sometimes that works if it's just a dead spot...

[grandprix92]

dont know on the voltage drop, its still on the side of the road, going to get it in the morning,

what else would cause the car to shut up other then the battery going dead or alternator.

[cheatah faheatah]

Many things, seized engine, fuel pump quit, electrical issues, what ffdp said above....lots. No can see, no can help. In addition to the replacement battery try to jump it with another car too? clean connections and grounds. Good Luck, call AAA

[willie14]

Car just died outta nowhere n she just clicks when u turn it over and all your lights stay solid? Sounds to me like a bad starter and the solenoid is stuck if its just constantly clicking. Time to bust out a 2 by 4 and start beating on the starter. If it starts then drive it home and time to change that bad boy out.

[cheatah faheatah]

Car just died outta nowhere n she just clicks when u turn it over and all your lights stay solid? Sounds to me like a bad starter and the solenoid is stuck if its just constantly clicking. Time to bust out a 2 by 4 and start beating on the starter. If it starts then drive it home and time to change that bad boy out.

like post 4, better when someone holds the key to "start" while the beating begins...

[willie14]

like post 4, better when someone holds the key to "start" while the beating begins...

Yea true but if he doesn't have anyone to go with him he should be able to knock that solenoid loose if it is indeed stuck

[willie14]

Any update on the car?

[grandprix92]

its a bad alternator, with a bad battery connections,

trailer it home,started working on it this moring, check all wires everything looked good, cleaned the battery connections and put the freshy charge battery back in and **** fired right up, the battery light came on, put a mutimeter on and the volts were jumping around. tap the throttle and it started charging, waited a bit and the battery light came back,

this is the first time me or my dad has came across an alternator doing this.

[willie14]

Seems like the alternator's only chargin the battery under load then. Time to hit the JY for an alternator. I found a brand new one at the yard and paid 12$ for it

[Scottydoggs]

sounds like a bad alt. take the belt off see if the pulley spins free or if its gritty feeling when you turn it.

if you end up needing to get a new or rebuilt one, look up your local starter and alternator re builders, they are cheaper then the parts store most of the time. if they dont have one in stock they will re build your old one in like a hour or so most of the time. at least my place will. damn thing looks brand new when you get it back too.

they want the old one as a core, so always bring yours in with you, so the core charge is done with and or they rebuild yours.

[grandprix92]

were i live we have no one that rebuilds them,

[willie14]

You got any junk yards then? If so its time to go shopping lol. Find the best looking alternator per year you can find and make sure u pay the lil extra ( prob 2-3$ ) so u can exchange it if that's no good either. Likei said, I found a brand new alternator, 99^ coolant bottle with hose, and all sorts of other goodies on my last yard trip and I paid less than 20$. While your there u might as well grab anything else you think u can use too...the hunt to find what u need is the best part��

[grandprix92]

we have a lifetime one, so going to get the replacement in the morning,

we do have junkyards around, we go about every few months love junkyards

[willie14]

My whole dang car is basicly just refurbished junkyard parts. All except for my new bumper and fender that I bought new as well as a bunch of new engine parts I bought