Author Topic: Help!Engine won't turn over key turned it makes multiple click sound '79 Firebir  (Read 423 times)

najia786

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Drove my Firebird a couple of weeks back and I could not get it to start up again while I was out. It was making a click sound when I would turn the key. Tow company came out but checked the battery and was able to jump start it. I figure it was the battery, a week later I was going to drive it out to Batteries Plus store to get it checked out and replaced and it wouldn't start up again. Company came out again for a jumpstart but when he checked the battery, he said the gauge showed 12V so it could not be a bad battery. It was doing the same thing, clickity sound when turn the key.

Jump starting it the first time worked and I don't know why it didn't second time. Bad alternator? What else?

It's parked in my garage and if I can't get it to start, I'll have to have it towed to the mechanic which is something I really don't want to have to do because of the potential of getting damaged along the way.

Any ideas for me? Thank you from a very sad Firebird owner

Wallington

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Get a new battery anyway, one with plenty of cranky amp capacity.

81Blackbird

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840 CCA in your group size should do the trick.  A battery tender from Harbor Freight will help between rides.

aussieta

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when starter motors get hot the resistance increases which can cause your symptoms
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roadking77

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Had that problem with my jeep many years ago, first guy on the scene said blah blah blah, it cant be the battery. Ended up it was a dead battery!  I would start with the simplest things first. Put in a new battery. IF the car starts, unhook the terminal once you get it running. IF the engine dies, then the alternator is the problem. If it keeps running the alt. is doing the job, then it may be the starter giving you problems. I would suspect its the starter.
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70_71_78

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Don't forget about the battery cables, power and ground and all associated connections. If you don't know how to identify the problem with a DVM, take it in to a mechanic, I am tired of explaining how to do this trouble shooting.

najia786

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Thank you everyone for your responses! I am going to try and have it jump started again and then get it to a mechanice and will probably get a battery tender so I don't drive the vehicle on a daily basis. For the battery, does anyone have a recommendation for what type of battery is best for the firebird?

Wallington

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A common fault for a battery that sits a lot, or even those that are driven, is that the cells can die in it. That will means it will still charge up fully, tell you it has the full 12V and stop charging, but only to the capacity of what remains. I can't recall if that has the same cranking symptoms in an older car like a flatter battery does, been a while. But one thing to think of next time it gives trouble, if you have another battery nearby to test same with.

My father had this issues only 2 days ago with his older 70's Volvo runabout. He still drove it almost daily, just plodding about town and at no great speed. But it would get slower to start, he'd put it on charger which said fully charged in no time, and the issue continued. It ended up having a dead cell or two, full 12V but not enough cranking amp capacity to do anything, and the chargers switch off when they reach full. Some have different options, but you can't fix a dead cell no matter how long you have it on a charger of that type. Perhaps if you started doing a long of driving for long periods and at speed/higher rev rate to keep zapping it at 14V or so. But long term it will give issues again and again.
« Last Edit: September 01, 2023, 06:44:13 PM by Wallington »