1997 Dodge Intrepid will not start, just click

dmiller · Dec 9, 2013

I replaced the alternator (went bad) over the weekend. Now all I get when I try to start the car is a "click click click", sounds like the solenoid working. Battery reading 12.65, reading 12.65 at the cables an inch away from the batter (so not a battery connection). Can barely get my arm to the starter (up, in and under a bunch of things, why do all these engineers think we want to be contortionists?)but it feels like the cable there is tight.
Checked the starter relay by replacing it with a new one, no change.
What am I missing. Only thing I can think of that would cause there to be any change from before I changed the alternator is that I didn't disconnect the battery and sparked the wire from the top of the alternator on the wrench as it all was going back together. Is there another fuse/relay that I'm missing?

omahagreg · Dec 9, 2013

I had a bad battery once that did that-12.6 volts, not running, hit starter, nothing! Sparking could have done any number of negative things!

RWT · Dec 9, 2013

You need to check the battery under load. Put your voltmeter on there and turn the key to start.

If that is under load there is a connection problem somewhere.

RT (my 2 cents)

dmiller · Dec 9, 2013

I suppose that's possible, drove it 20 miles at -15F on just the battery the night before I replaced the alternator. I suppose it could've ruined it somehow????

dmiller · Dec 9, 2013

You guys are both correct. I tried to jump start it and it will crank now, too slow to start, but it does confirm that it is the battery.

Should've remebered about the difference between a surface charge and a load charge. Pretty easy fix. Thanks for the input.

wisbaker · Dec 9, 2013

Sometimes when the alternator goes bad it'll take the battery out with it on the way down. Some times it's the other way around and a dying battery finishes off the alternator.

oldtanker · Dec 9, 2013

Kinda funny but my youngest son is in the MN Nation Guard. He had drill this past weekend. When he went to come home his car wouldn't start and a fellow soldier who is a school trained mechanic jumped him off and told he it was because it was so cold. He went to try to car today after driving home last night 2 1/2 hours and it just clicked. I put my load tester on it and his battery is bad. I wonder just what they are teaching these kids in mechanics school today.

Rick

Hobo,NC · Dec 10, 2013

Nutter thing to look at,,, those cable ends at the battery have a liner were it fits around the battery post and will loose their connection to the cable end...

I have also seen a battery that was not tied down hit the hood and weld its self to the hood on one of those... If I am thinking right the bat is on the top left had side of the engine :roll: It went thru a melt down,,, all I did was replace the battery and cable ends this was some 5 are so years ago and its still going... :shock:

dej(Jed) · Dec 10, 2013

I had a 1998 and you have to remove the front wheel and an inner fender panel to change out the battery.

1997 Dodge Intrepid will not start, just click

dmiller

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omahagreg

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RWT

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dmiller

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dmiller

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wisbaker

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oldtanker

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Hobo,NC

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dej(Jed)

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