First Time User

[maverick91579]

My Lincoln LS wont start, I thought it was the battery as I have had problems with it before. It was a fairly new battery I bought one for it back in March of 2008. So I took it to AutoZone and they charged it, cause it only was pumping about 5 volts. Took it back, hooked it up, and it wouldnt start.

When I turn the key, it just clicks, the lights and everything are on, but it just clicks.

Is this the starter?

And two, if it is, WHERE IS THE STARTER LOCATED??

2000 Lincoln Ls v8 3.9

THANK YOU

[gcwimmer]

Did Autozone check the battery under load or just the voltage? Still sounds like battery or the conectors. Double check the battery terminals and a known problem with the negitive conection where it connects to the body.

Frount passenger kick panel: position #1 5A fuse for the starter relay coil.

Frount power distribution box, engine compartment, passenger side behind the head light: position #21 30A starter solenoid cartridge fuse
and relay #15 starter motor.

[shorod]

If the battery was down to 5 volts, it's toast. It should not see below 10.5 volts when completely discharged, and lead acid batteries don't like to be discharged that low. They can handle momentary current surges which cause the voltage to drop that low, but if it was that low steady state or under load, it's done. Even if they charge it and it appears to come back, that will only be a surface charge. The internal resistance will be too high to remain charged or provide sufficient current to start the car.

-Rod

[maverick91579]

Originally Posted by shorod

If the battery was down to 5 volts, it's toast. It should not see below 10.5 volts when completely discharged, and lead acid batteries don't like to be discharged that low. They can handle momentary current surges which cause the voltage to drop that low, but if it was that low steady state or under load, it's done. Even if they charge it and it appears to come back, that will only be a surface charge. The internal resistance will be too high to remain charged or provide sufficient current to start the car.

-Rod

would that explain why it now just clicks and wont roll over?

[shorod]

Potentially. There's enough voltage to try to engage the starter relay, but not enough to crank the starter. Typically you'd get a rapid series of clicking as the relay closes, the draw of the starter drops the voltage, the relay opens due to the voltage drop, the battery voltage under no load increases enough to engage the relay, etc.

Are you getting just a single click, or a series of clicks? Have you verified the cables are tight?

Ultimately though, if the battery was reading only 5 volts, you shouldn't expect it to function properly, even after charging it. You'll want to understand what caused the battery to get discharged so low though so the next battery won't realize the same fate. It could have been a faulty battery.

-Rod

[maverick91579]

It is one click, and then get this, today, i had to JUMP the battery, the car hasnt moved but it was DEAD as a door nail, what the HELLLLLL

[shorod]

You need to determine if there is a heavy load on the battery due to a light or something staying on (Maybe the glovebox or trunk light doesn't turn off). You can do this by inserting a test light or current meter in series with one of the battery cables to a fully charged battery. If the test light glows at near full intensity and remains quite bright for more than 10 seconds or so or the current meter shows more than a few hundred milliamperes for more than a few seconds, there is a load on the battery that is draining it. Before leaving a new battery connected, determine the cause of the current drain.

But, you could just have a bad battery with an open cell or two.

-Rod