Help Car Wouldn’t Start Then Started When I Jumped It

[Homeless Man]

Edit: Car is at the dealership now. They found out what’s wrong. Turns out the negative cable from battery and positive cable need to be replaced. Parts and labor $720 (the cables alone are over $400 he said). What do you guys think? Seem a bit hefty.

Ok so I’ve been having this problem for a while. The car has slow cranks when the engine is warm. I changed the starter and the problem was solved for like 2 weeks then came back. Also changed the battery. Recently on cold starts I started getting a clicking sound or sometimes 2 right before it cranks on cold starts and then the other day it wouldn’t start at all or even crank just continuous clicking sound when I turn the key. Hooked up the jumper cables and it started up (still clicked though). What do u think my problem is if it’s not the starter or the battery?

Also what’s weird is that the problem completely went away for a few weeks this summer and I even pushed my car hard multiple times to make sure it was nice and hot then turned it off and then started it and no slow cranks worked perfectly fine then back to the problem a few weeks later.

Video I took after jump starting it:

2011 2SS Coupe LS3 Longtube Headers/hi flow cats CAI dyno tune.

[TheFlyingBananaSS]

Sounds like you've got a parasitic battery drain going on. But more detailed info about your car would help.

[Homeless Man]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingBananaSS

Sounds like you've got a parasitic battery drain going on. But more detailed info about your car would help.

Added it. And how would parasitic battery drain cause it to have super slow cranks right after turning it off after driving for a while and then trying to start it again. At a gas station for example.

[Clarkstar]

Bad alternator???

[Welker2]

Given you have long tube headers and the symptoms you've described, my guess would be your starter is getting 'heat soaked'. I would try a starter heat shield wrap. I had a similar issues many years ago when I put headers on my '77 Camaro; heat shield eliminated the problems.

[Spec]

Double check that your air filter and TB are clean too. Wipe the gunk off the TB every 5-7k miles.

[Homeless Man]

Originally Posted by Welker2

Given you have long tube headers and the symptoms you've described, my guess would be your starter is getting 'heat soaked'. I would try a starter heat shield wrap. I had a similar issues many years ago when I put headers on my '77 Camaro; heat shield eliminated the problems.

I have a heat shield and the starter is also wrapped in one. It doesn’t make sense why would my car not start on a cold start and why is it clicking. And why did the problem suddenly go away for a few weeks?

[Welker2]

Originally Posted by Homeless Man

I have a heat shield and the starter is also wrapped in one. I doesn’t make sense why would my car not start on a cold start and why is it clicking. And why did the problem suddenly go away for a few weeks?

Didn't realize you already had the wraps. Given this, the fact your car started right up with a jump and if you replaced the battery at or around the same time you replaced the starter, my next guess would be a weak/bad alternator or a bad ground/positive cable that is not allowing your battery to fully charge when the car is running. This would account for everything working for a couple weeks after replacing the starter & battery. You should be able to get the alternator tested for free at your local parts store, I know AutoZone offers this service.

[christianchevell]

#1 battery ground in trunk is just one weak bolt though a painted over tapped hole in the trunk that thing is cleaning it up may help a little, I read up on some posts as I have starter heat stroke sometime and if it gets to bothering me I will do a permanent jumper cable around the positive battery post using Zero gauge wire on the main wire from the battery as apparently the connection there can cause some resistance and its worked for a few people I read on another post not too long ago dredged up in the engine threads.

Other weak links could be grounds. Thats my best advice for you homeless, something I have yet to do as its raining, but a simple jumper around that terminal does make some sense...resistance= less voltage to starter and when its already hot even worse.....

Here Homeless you have had enough bad luck do a jumper and I bet it works....LOL me and BO planned on this..I will do it some sunny day..LOL

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=399658

[Olddudesrule]

Originally Posted by Roughwaterjohn

It sounds like you have an intermittent bad ground, either on the negative battery cable or perhaps on the secondary ground wire (much smaller) from the engine to the frame. Did you perhaps remove one when installing the headers, or reinstalled it to another location that may be painted, and not a good ground?

A quick way to diagnose is to buy a short length of battery cable with a 3/8 hole flange on each end. Bolt it anywhere on the block that’s steel or iron, not aluminum, and to the frame, firewall / bulkhead or fenderwell. Just make sure both connections are to steel or iron and the paint is scrapped away before mounting to insure a good ground. If it fixes the problem but you don’t want the large cable in your engine problem, find the defect in your negative cable or auxiliary ground strap and you can eliminate the quick fix.

This^. That sound is a ground issue.

[JimmyRS]

Originally Posted by Homeless Man

Ok so I’ve been having this problem for a while. The car has slow cranks when the engine is warm. I changed the starter and the problem was solved for like 2 weeks then came back. Also changed the battery. Recently on cold starts I started getting a clicking sound or sometimes 2 right before it cranks on cold starts and then the other day it wouldn’t start at all or even crank just continuous clicking sound when I turn the key. Hooked up the jumper cables and it started up (still clicked though). What do u think my problem is if it’s not the starter or the battery?

Also what’s weird is that the problem completely went away for a few weeks this summer and I even pushed my car hard multiple times to make sure it was nice and hot then turned it off and then started it and no slow cranks worked perfectly fine then back to the problem a few weeks later.

Video I took after jump starting it:

2011 2SS Coupe LS3 Longtube Headers/hi flow cats CAI dyno tune.

My car was doing the same thing last month. Changed my alternator even though i got it “checked out” and they said it was fine and then the problem was gone. Haven’t had that issue since

[Homeless Man]

Originally Posted by JimmyRS

My car was doing the same thing last month. Changed my alternator even though i got it “checked out” and they said it was fine and then the problem was gone. Haven’t had that issue since

Was yours slow cranking on hot starts?

[Olddudesrule]

If the alternator function is to recharge the battery and run the vehicles electronics after the car has started, and it's sufficiently charging the battery while the car is running, checks out otherwise, I would be checking all my associated grounds.

[JimmyRS]

Originally Posted by Homeless Man

Was yours slow cranking on hot starts?

Yeah very sluggish