rickjaffe

continuing saga with my S4. Previously, after driving a few miles and shutting down, car won't start. Starter won't engage at all. In the process of testing it, I tried droving it a mile and car just died, not at idle but driving.
The car would turned over but wouldn't start. After I boosted it with a car for 5 minutes. it started right up. Since then I"ve only started it a few times, but won't drive it anymore, and will have it towed to a shop. Seems like some kind of power issue since regardless of whether starter doesn't engage or engages but doesn't turn over, a good boost from another car with cables makes it start right up. Does that sound familiar to anyone?
rick jaffe

soontobered84

Is your battery dead? And your alternator not charging it, so maybe it's dead as well?
I'd put a different battery in it and start it and while it's running check voltage at the jump post.

davek9

These cars need a battery that is charged, a one mile drive won't do it. You need to keep a well charged battery on a battery maintainer when the car is not in use.
Also you could have an excessive battery drain, do a search this thread for "battery drains" for normal levels and testing methods.

Example: this past weekend at the Frenzy, I gave a few "short" demo rides in my Twin Screw w/ three electric Fans going and HVAC blower on full, as it was hot out.
Once I returned to the parking lot and the car sat for a bit, it would not start w/o a jump. Same thing on Sunday morning, after two great start and stops in the parking lot.
Jumped her and guess what after running 100 miles, no more issues starting and stopping for fuel and Lunch, when I arrived home some 500 miles later, I placed my Optima charger / maintainer on the car it showed a 95% charged battery.
This was due to running the fans once again in slow traffic and while parking it in my garage.

Short story: Start w/ a strong battery, keep it on a maintainer when not in use, as short grocery runs won't be good enough to fully charge the Battery in a 928., especially when using all the accessories.

Dave K

rickjaffe

thanks. I should have clarified. Battery is good. It's new as of March 18, and I know I have a small draw .83 mv. (acceptable is up to .50). Because of the draw I always keep a charger on it, and it shows full before I start it.
car lives on either a trickle charger, but more recently on a fully electronic battery charger.
but for the above, I would say it was a battery issue.

soontobered84

BUT.....Your new battery may still be bad. It may not hold amps under load. I would still have the battery checked before anything else.

rickjaffe

yea, did that also. puts out more than rated

soontobered84

Is the alternator actually charging? This can be checked at the jump post with the engine running.

The Forgotten On

Check voltages while the car is idling. It should be well above 14.1 volts if the alternator is charging.

If it isn't that high I would replace the alternator with a new or rebuilt part.