Weird Issue With Montana Not Starting

[Uncle1957]

3 times now my 2002 Montana the starter spins once then does not turn van is totally dead. I have replaced the battery. Battery terminals. Alternator is fine as van went 200KM when battery had no charge the first time. Incidences have been 2 weeks apart almost to the day. If I disconnect and reconnect the battery it is fine again. Terminals are very tight. Dunno where to go next. Do not think it is a weak battery because all lights are bright, starter spins fast, van unlocks fine prior....

Any ideas?

Gord

[taillight]

Could be the starter solenoid. Next time put a voltmeter no the start wire to the soleniod and see if you are getting voltage in start. If yes check the solenoid.

[Uncle1957]

I will try that. But when it dies nothing works.

Gord

Originally Posted by Uncle1957

3 times now my 2002 Montana the starter spins once then does not turn van is totally dead. I have replaced the battery. Battery terminals. Alternator is fine as van went 200KM when battery had no charge the first time. Incidences have been 2 weeks apart almost to the day. If I disconnect and reconnect the battery it is fine again. Terminals are very tight. Dunno where to go next. Do not think it is a weak battery because all lights are bright, starter spins fast, van unlocks fine prior....

Any ideas?

Gord

[taillight]

Could be just loose or corroded battery cables.

[Uncle1957]

Did it again this morning.

Starter turned once van did not turn over. All electrical went dead. All connections are tight. I disconnected and reconnected - Battery Terminal. Van starts like there was never a problem. The terminall was not corroded in any way. Connection was tight.
Beginning to think this may be associated with one of the electrical modules.
Any ideas?

Gord

Originally Posted by taillight

Could be just loose or corroded battery cables.

[rkvons]

[quote=Uncle1957]I will try that. But when it dies nothing works.

When you say nothing works, what do you mean? Watch the interior light. Leave the door open and see if the interior light goes dim while starting. Just because lights are bright does not mean battery is good. You probably have a high resistive path from your battery. When the current to your starter goes way up, the voltage drop across the resistive path goes way up. It actually sounds like the connections to your battery are still bad, or there is something wrong inside your battery.

[Awais Bokhari]

I have experienced similar issue, though with another car and not Montana. After bit of troubleshooting I found there is a fuselink wire downstream of battery. If this fuselink wire goes weak your all electrical supplies are cut off temorarily. Its just a amp rated wire. I suggest you look for something similar on your Montana and confirm its security and condition.

[Uncle1957]

If I put Digital volt meter between the + jump terminal and ground there is 0 volts. Directly across the top posts on the battery 0 volts. Disconnect the - terminal it has power. Reconnect van starts right away. Almost as if something is shorting out the battery. But it does not get even warm.... I agree it sounds like terminals... Battery is new bolts for the terminals are new..... Dipped both terminals in water baking soda mixture.. Cleaned with wire brush......

At a loss on this one.....

Gord
[quote=rkvons]

Originally Posted by Uncle1957

I will try that. But when it dies nothing works.

When you say nothing works, what do you mean? Watch the interior light. Leave the door open and see if the interior light goes dim while starting. Just because lights are bright does not mean battery is good. You probably have a high resistive path from your battery. When the current to your starter goes way up, the voltage drop across the resistive path goes way up. It actually sounds like the connections to your battery are still bad, or there is something wrong inside your battery.

[Uncle1957]

That could be..... Might be a link overheating.... There are also a few circuit breakers rather than fuses. Will need to check through the manuals... Almost tempting if it happens again to get it towed to a Chevy dealer so they can find out if there are any errors before disconnecting battery.

Gord

Originally Posted by Awais Bokhari

I have experienced similar issue, though with another car and not Montana. After bit of troubleshooting I found there is a fuselink wire downstream of battery. If this fuselink wire goes weak your all electrical supplies are cut off temorarily. Its just a amp rated wire. I suggest you look for something similar on your Montana and confirm its security and condition.

[rkvons]

[quote=Uncle1957]If I put Digital volt meter between the + jump terminal and ground there is 0 volts. Directly across the top posts on the battery 0 volts. Disconnect the - terminal it has power. Reconnect van starts right away. Almost as if something is shorting out the battery. But it does not get even warm.... I agree it sounds like terminals... Battery is new bolts for the terminals are new..... Dipped both terminals in water baking soda mixture.. Cleaned with wire brush......

At a loss on this one.....

Gord

Try a battery from another car. You cannot have a good battery, fully charged, with zero volts across its terminals. Something will give; explosions, sparks, flames, you name it. Make sure the + and - terminals are the same for the battery you try. I believe it is your battery that is bad, or the connections to it, still!

[JabbaTHutt]

If this is a sidepost battery then I would just replace it.

Not sure if they are still made this way but I had a 1986 buik lesabre that had this happen to it.

I came out of work one night and it was dead as a doornail, checked everything and it was all good, nothing was left on.

Checked the terminals and hmm suddenly the lights came on but when I tried to start it the lights would die.

Took it all apart, everything was clean clean clean, put it back together and same thing the lights would come on but car would not start, played again lights on no start and dead again.

Played again and this time the positive post was loose but it was tight, wiggled it some more and the part in the case where the bolt screws into and the one cable butts up against just popped outa the battery.

Took the battery out, took it into the plant to the shop and tried to put it back in but no go.

Turns out for some reason there was some corrosion between this button thing and the part it was pressed up against, and it finally built up enough that it started to push the button thing out of the case.

Ended up drilling a hole in the part of the battery that that part pushes up against, still can't beleive that was all there was for a connection was a preassure fit. Sure some acid dripped out but we taped it and put some threaded rod in it, a couple nuts and then some washers to bring it out where it needed to be. Cut the bolt out of the cable, slipped it over the threaded rod, tossed a nut on it then connected the ground cable.

Car started right up and I drove it like that for a week before I was able to get a new battery for it.

[rkvons]

That's interesting JabbaTHutt, I had the same thing happen to me with my Grand Prix. I came out of work one day and tried to start it. When I turned the key, everything went dead, like the battery was disconnected. I popped the hood and wiggled the connections to the battery and the positive terminal popped off. I jumped from another car and drove it home that way and got a new battery. I think sometimes there is enough of an electrical path for small loads to go through but the starter just exceeds that and fries the path. What you did with your battery to get it to work for a week is amazing.