It is safer to let a second car charge your battery. Just hook the two cars together like you where going to jump them and let the running car just run. Verify the dead car is showing increased voltage on it gage. After about a half hour it should have enough charge to start it. Disconnect the cables and try to start the Camaro.

If your camaro has something wired worng it could damage the working car as soon as it start.

 

^ +1 on what Gorn said. 11V sitting means that the battery is really low. It prolly only has 40-50 amps in it which is not enough to power the starter. Even free running a starter will draw 50-60 amps. Charge it up with another vehicle or better yet a charger. When you put the starter back in make sure that the small wire goes to the terminal nearest to the block. If you put it on the other small terminal you will not start, it wont even click.

Massey

 

Ok we'll try that. I'm just wondering if the battery was the culprit all along. Its the 3rd we've had from walmart. Does anyone ever get any good ones from there? I take them in and they're defective. I asked this last time if they ever think of testing them BEFORE selling them and she gave me a smart look and said "they tell us they're good off the shelf so we have no reason too".

Would putting another battery from another car be ok or could we possibly damage the "borrowed" battery?

 

I get Wal Mart batteries in my store all the time and even new ones are questionable at best. You should not load test brand new batteries untill they have had some time in a vehicle, and the PH of the acid has had a chance to stabilize. A couple hours of driving is usually enough. Batteries should be good to go off the shelf but if they have been dropped or banged around too much, left out side in freezing/extremely hot weather they could become damaged before they are sold. This is part of the reason for the free replacment part of the warranty. I would not put the "economy" grade battery in your car. It's electrical demands will kill the poor thing quickly. Mid grade or upper grade battery will suit your car's needs just fine. Also stay away from the reconned batteries from places like Budget Batteries. They are junk from the word go!

If you put another battery in your car with the charging system shorted you could damage the battery pretty easy. But you would see a big spark and prolly get some hot wires if that was the case. I would not worry too much about that, you will really know if there was a short.

Massey

 

I've never had an issue with a Walmart battery, but I don't buy the cheapo ones. And to assume that all Walmart batteries are junk is incorrect. Walmart's EverStart batteries are made by three different companies; Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls (their MAXX model). Interestingly enough, Johnson Controls also makes some of the Advance Auto batteries in the the Auto Craft, Western Auto, and Tough One lines. Those names probably ring a bell with someone in here.

 

I didnt say all of them were bad... I usually only see the cheapo ones but I think that is more about where my store is located over anything else. My preferance for batteries is Exide and Johnson Controls. My store's brand of battery is made by Johnson Controls and seem to hold up pretty good.

Massey

 

^ Oh, I wasn't suggesting you said "all". I just didn't want anybody to assume that all the Walmart batteries are bad based on you getting them in your store all the time. Not everybody is aware that there are differences in manufacturers based on the battery model carrying the same name.

 

You guys are funny. I was just questioning this particular battery. Its been the same 3 each time. They have never asked what kind of car they are going in. And Johnson Controls is in my back yard literally. Its one of the biggest factory plants in our county.

OK that aside, this battery was measuring at 11.8 while ago. He going to charge it. In the meantime, I've got a lot more pics of some interesting (to me anyway) things we've found and maybe you can clear the mud on them. I'll get them uploaded in a bit and create another thread. He got the starter back on by the way.

 

Well out of curiosity tried another battery, same problem. It dings and lights work but its not even attempting to turn over.

 

As I suggested a while ago, did you try jumping/hot-wiring the starter, at the solenoid yet? That will to rule out (or in) any wiring issues, and will let you know for certain whether it's a starter problem or not. Then you can check for voltage at the small start wire on the solenoid, when the key is in the "start" position. And your battery reading 11.8 volts after it sits is perfectly normal.