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Car won't start, recent LT install but did work

Old 07-30-2010, 01:08 PM
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Default Car won't start, recent LT install but did work

My 2000 Z28 will not start. I installed SLP long tubes about 3 weeks ago. I have not had a chance to install the rest of the exhaust and last night when I went to start it acted as a dead battery. I charged and jump started and charged over night. The charger says the battery is 100% but now the radio won't even turn on or anything else when I turn the key. Could this have anything to do with the starter? ignition switch? Battery? It did click and try to turn over maybe 1/2 rotation last night but now with full charge on the battery I got nothing.
Old 07-30-2010, 01:09 PM
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Also the car ran fine and I drove it 3 short times after the header install.
Old 07-30-2010, 01:18 PM
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look to see if any of the cables going to the starter got melted by your headers
Old 07-30-2010, 01:21 PM
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Did it run fine after the LT install for a little bit? When you say dead, does any of the interior components come on like the dome or dash lights?

A few things to check:

Make sure the terminals on your battery are clean. I was having a lot of "dead battery" issues that turned out to be a corrosion on both the positive and negative terminals that had built up. Once I cleaned them the issue went away.

Check that the starter was installed properly. There are thee connections, the black from the solenoid, the positive, and the tiny wire. Depending on the type, sometimes you can confuse the pos and solenoid cables on the wrong terminals.

Check anything else you may have disconnected during the install.

Check the fuses in and out of the car as well as the fusable links under the fuse panel in the engine bay. This includes the ign and starter relays.

If you still have a completely dead car, try replacing the ignition switch (not the key solenoid, but the actual switch near the bottom of the steering column in the cab).
Old 07-30-2010, 04:18 PM
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I did find that the positive wire going to the starter was touching the headers in a spot and burned through and bare wire was touching the header. I repaired everything rerouted and used good insulating tape on the wires. I hooked everything back up and still no go. Nothing came on inside when I put the key in. No radio lights dings or anything. I checked all of the fuses such as the ignition and starter related ones. I hooked up the battery charger again and it said its 100% still but about 2 minutes after I hooked it up the dash stuff will try to come on. The radio flashes on and off really fast and just clicking when trying to start... I have not replaced any relays yet. But the car did run right after I finished the install. I put about 30 miles on in 3 runs and didn't touch it for about 3 weeks cause it was straight headers and was waiting to do the exhaust.
Old 07-30-2010, 04:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Red00Z28
I did find that the positive wire going to the starter was touching the headers in a spot and burned through and bare wire was touching the header. I repaired everything rerouted and used good insulating tape on the wires. I hooked everything back up and still no go. Nothing came on inside when I put the key in. No radio lights dings or anything. I checked all of the fuses such as the ignition and starter related ones. I hooked up the battery charger again and it said its 100% still but about 2 minutes after I hooked it up the dash stuff will try to come on. The radio flashes on and off really fast and just clicking when trying to start... I have not replaced any relays yet. But the car did run right after I finished the install. I put about 30 miles on in 3 runs and didn't touch it for about 3 weeks cause it was straight headers and was waiting to do the exhaust.
When charging, do you use the battery terminals?

Try hooking the positive cable to the post by the engine fuse box and see if the interior works better with the key turned on.
Old 07-30-2010, 04:43 PM
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I tried the post by the fuse box last night and didn't notice much difference. I just checked again and the ligths radio everything comes on strong now. It is still charging. I did try to start and it is trying to turn the starter but it is not spinning. It will push for a second or 2 and then it does the dead battery clicking until I let off key.
Old 07-30-2010, 04:49 PM
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You might have a bad battery. Take it to the nearest autozone or the like and have it tested.
Old 07-30-2010, 04:55 PM
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I guess I thought that would be to simple of a fix but I have had the battery go dead after 5-10 minutes of running the radio.
Old 07-30-2010, 04:59 PM
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It is usually the simple solutions. Have it tested and replace if necessary. Otherwise let us know and I'll run through the next few things to check.
Old 07-30-2010, 06:05 PM
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Ok with all the other things that I recently have modified on the car and not having completed it all I was ready to be working on this for awhile... but it was the battery I guess its better to be easy but something you would never think than something major.
Old 07-30-2010, 06:19 PM
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better to be fixed than to throw parts at it and still have to replace the battery in the end .


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