FAQ: Rough / Slow / No Start - Symptoms, Causes, Solutions

It's probably the same problem as before, not enough contact in the positive battery terminal. I spent about an hour cleaning terminals today to no avail. I poured a mixture of baking soda and water on the positive lead several times.

The accessories work well, unlike before cranking the car doesn't knock them out entirely. They keep working. The starter kicks for a millisecond, then stops and there's a clicking inside the steering column. If I hold it I get scary wheezy sounds from inside the passenger side of the dash and the back seat area

I'm not happy with this side terminal battery design. I've never had problems like this from clamp on terminals.

Have you replaced the battery cables? Or get the starter tested? Are you able to start it in neutral?

I can try starting it in neutral tomorrow. How is that different then starting it in park?

I haven't replaced the cables or tested the starter.

I think the reason why I'm having this problem is because I pulled the battery out to recharge it. The prior two times I started it everything seemed to be o.k. other than the battery being weak.

You might try tapping on the starter with a hammer and see if that makes a difference. I know it sounds ignorant but if the starter is trying to lock up it could possibly cause some weird stuff.

Just jack the car up and have some one try to start the car, when they hit the switch give the starter a good rap.


Bert

Man, I hope it's not the starter. It'd be an odd coincidence for the starter to die at the same time I'm monkeying around with the battery. It's got to be that damn connector not being clean enough. The baking soda didn't take the grime off that screw bit as well as I would have liked. But it flowed enough electricity before I disconnected the battery.

You might have to break down and buy a new battery from the sound of it... I take it from your comment "I pulled the battery out to recharge it. The prior two times I started it everything seemed to be o.k. other than the battery being weak." it;s an older battery? Best to do it now rather than being stuck on the side of the road in winter. That and the clicking sound happens when not enough juice is left to crank the motor... accessories will still come on in this situation.

How old is your battery? Is there any corrosion on the terminals? Was there? I've never seen any corrosion on the back-seat batteries. Protection from the elements is a good thing...

My battery was factory and finally gave it up last fall on me.

It's an Optima, and only a couple years old. It ran down because I only drive a couple times a month.

Corrosion on the battery terminals was minimal. The positive cable attached to the car is where the gunk was, and to a lesser extent now, is.

Well, I'd tear out the starter and battery and take them both to your local auto parts store and get them tested. Just to answer your question about starting in neutral is the neutral saftey switch. The baking soda isn't meant to dissolve the corrosion, it's meant to neutralize the sulfuric acid that causes the corrosion. Give the terminals a good scrubbing, try starting in N, and get the battery and starter tested.

Jack the R wrote:

The positive cable attached to the car is where the gunk was, and to a lesser extent now, is.

Disconnect these cables and any others and wire brush the cables and points on the chassis where they connect, then re-assemble, put some dielectric grease on them when done. You can get a small tube of dielectric at the auto parts store. Good for light bulb connections or any other connection you want to minimize water intrusion or corrosion. Will not affect the conducting properties of the cabling, wiring ,etc.

Jack the R wrote:

It's an Optima, and only a couple years old. It ran down because I only drive a couple times a month.

Corrosion on the battery terminals was minimal. The positive cable attached to the car is where the gunk was, and to a lesser extent now, is.

Here's a handy little trick -
Put a penny somewhere on the top of the battery. Wedge it under something or let it stick out the top a little. Corrosion that would have formed on the terminals will now form on the penny instead. Replace the penny once or twice a year (depending on how quickly it corrodes) for best results. No more terminal corrosion!!

There is a problem: There must be moisture getting under your back seat somehow. Stop the moisture and you'll stop the corrosion.

did you put the Optima in or did your car come with it?

Albertj

I put the Optima in.

I pulled the battery and stuck it in my Dodge - plenty of cranking power.

Next up, cleaning that dang positive terminal again.

Anywhere on top of the battery, or does it have to be touching a terminal?

Not near a terminal, just anywhere on top of the battery (referring to the penny I assume)

Alright, I'm going to find me a shiny new penny and tape it on top of the battery.

The problem turned out to be the tarnish or patina that had built up on the terminals. I hit 'em all with a wire brush attachment on the dremel and then the Riv fired up strong.

I was surprised at how much even the terminals on the Optima had tarnished over 2 years.

BTW I've never seen a sign of moisture in the battery area - this is all the work of the O2 molecule.

Jack the R wrote:

Alright, I'm going to find me a shiny new penny and tape it on top of the battery.

The problem turned out to be the tarnish or patina that had built up on the terminals. I hit 'em all with a wire brush attachment on the dremel and then the Riv fired up strong.

I was surprised at how much even the terminals on the Optima had tarnished over 2 years.

BTW I've never seen a sign of moisture in the battery area - this is all the work of the O2 molecule.

Tape will prevent the air from circulating near the penny, which is what it needs for this little trick to work. I don't think there are many good locations on the Optimas, they are pretty smooth externally IIRC. Don't know where to tell you to put it...

You can delay corrosion on the terminals by making a paste of baking soda and vaseline. Start with a teaspoon of dry baking soda in a paper cup; add vaseline until the mixture is spreadable (consistency of peanut butter). You can add a drop of (red or blue) food color if you want, after you get teh mixture the consistency you want (again, about like peanut butter). It will be difficult to mix, be patient.

Anyway, before you reassemble terminals spread a very thin layer of this goo on the terminals (AFTER you clean them with battery brush or what have you). Connect the terminals and then spread a somewhat thicker layer of the goo over the connections. I have done this on cars and my garden tractor for years. I think it is important NOT to get it on thick before you assemble the connections.

Albertj

deekster_caddy - I left half the penny exposed.

albertj - I'm going to look for some of that dielectric grease mentioned earlier. I think I've got some already but who knows where I put it.

The 'tune up grease' or 'spark plug lubricant' that AutoZone sells for 99c/pack by the registers is dielectric gresse. Basically, it's all dimethylpolysiloxane, with different minor additives. For instance, the folks who are selling it as brake lube add their own (different) fluorescent dyes so you can look at it with a UV light and figure out whose it was (for instance this helps in accident investigations).

I've used the vaseline/baking soda paste (per the recipe I shared) for 15 years and am quite happy with it, I'd use it before I'd use dielectric grease. Be advised though, it does not keep - mix just enough to use for the job at hand. It will stiffen. Which helps you on battery terminals (does not come off too easy) but if you think you want to mix a mess of the stuff and keep it a while think again.

Albertj

So normally the Riv starts up promptly every morning but for the last two weeks, it's been getting rough and just today, I had to double crank the key. First thoughts are possible carbon build up on lifters leading to low compression. Only occurs in the morning and given the cool nights we've had...

I run only premium and just changed the fuel filter, PCV and AF. No new mods. 98 SC 3.8L 110,000 miles. What do you guys think?

Possible fuel pressure regulator, fuel injector leaking down overnight or fuel pump getting weak.
In short, need to test or have the fuel pressure system tested for proper fuel pressure and leak down rate.
Mine just started doing the same thing, until I can diagnose it properly I've been leaving the key in the ON position for about 5 seconds before starting in the morning. That gives the pump time to pressurize the system before starting. Currently that is working for me, for now.
Try doing that and see if it helps, if so, you'll be better able to tell whats going on.

I'd also suspect leaking injectors first - it may be flooding the engine during the night.

Do you go straight to crank, or do you give the fuel system a few seconds to pressurize? (recommending the latter)

Always let it pressurize. It almost feels like comression is the issue though. Keep it mind, it happens only during the morning cool hours on first start up. My first inclination is to get a super duper fuel cleaning service. My wife had a nissan sentra that built up so much carbon on the lifters that one morning, she had 25% comression in all cylinders. That was at 50,000 miles and here I am at 110,000 and short of the usual fuel system cleaning stuff that placed in the tank, I have had to do nothing.

Hell, it could also be just some rotten gas in the lines. But I'm 99% sure that fuel pressure and delivery are not the issue.

Do you lose any coolant?

battery terminals clean and tight?