Alright, I am a first time poster and wasn't sure of where exactly I should ask this, but this looked like a good site.

I have a 1995 Camaro 3.4L V6, it recently died, was able to jump it a few times, push start it twice...after a new battery I thought it was fixed, but I was wrong, now it won't seem to start at all, won't jump, and I am not really able to get it push started on a hill in snow, so thats out. tested the battery with a multimeter and it was at 12v, later it was at 4v, so I figured something was draining the battery, I unplugged all the fuses, sae the crank and IGN ones, jumped it, and voila, it started....30 secs later it died, jumped again, stayed on for another 30 secs and died, I replaced the alternater and now it wont even take the jump (that part totally stumps me), the battery is at 12v again and it doesnt even sound like it is trying to start. I am gonna check it with the multimeter again later to check the voltage (all the fuses still out) but until then I am stumped and would love any ideas, I am decent with cars, but not amazing

Thanks to anyone who can help in any way.

 

sounds like you have a short somewhere, which is draining the battery, or one of the grounds isnt connected

 

[&:]moe boy you need to get the battery charged up AND get it load tested. a multi meter doesnt necessarily tell you the condition of the battery. yes it should have at least 12 volts but it can have 12 volts but hold no reserve capacity. since youve replaced both the batt and alt id suspect the battery first from your symptoms, batteries dont like to be discharged down to 4 volts and can ruin them. ive seen LOTS of the cheap batteries(exide especially) bad right out the box. if you get your battery right the alternator should produce close to 14.5 volts while charging or loaded and a little over 13 or so if all is well.

so start with the battery, remember they can have 12 volts but be junk so charge and test properly. let us know how it goes kurt

 

You have a charger? There are just so many things it could me. If you can charge that battery do so. Use your voltmeter and check the voltage before you start it. Should be 12.6 fully charged. Start the car, check voltage at the battery againit should be higher maybe 14+ volts. To test the alternator turn on everything that uses 12v. Now recheck volts at battery. They should not drop back to the original battery volts 12.6. If it drops to the original voltage or lower then yourcharging system is not working like it should.
(The place you bought the battery should be able to test it. Most parts stores can. They may even charge it for you)

Most of the time when a customer comes inwith a car that stalled out and now has a dead battery its because the charging system has failed. In many cases the battery is older and the extra stress of a complete drain is to much for the battery to handle. So you end up with two things wrong with your car. A battery that will not take a charge and a bad charging system.

A low charge or dead battery should not stall a car with a working charging system. Infact a car will run without a battery.The only way it could cause a stallis if its became a dead short and used up all the powerthe car could output (this is very rare). This would be a very dangerous condition. The battery would beclose to exploding. Be carful jumping this car until you know whats going on.

If you do not have a charger you can connect to another car like you where about to jump you car and just let the other car charge your battery. You should leave them connected about a half an hour.Again as I stated before if you are not sure about your battery this can be dangerous. If you hear any hissing from your battery disconnect it at the other car and get away. One of my customers had a battery blow and it sent 2 people to the hospital and 4 cars for repainting.

 

Alright, quick late night update before bed, had to leave for work, so i left all the fuses out, battery was at 12V, 10 hours later, still going strong at 11.9V so it seems whatever was draining the battery is gone, for now at least. Car still doesn't start...bought the battery from a general store, not an auto supply store, so i doubt they can load test it, but i will get that done...my question to that would be, why would the car start and die (meaning battery started it) then get the alternator changed and not start (no change to the battery at all) not even try to start at all (as in no clicking, starter soloenoid is the clicking if i remember correctly)

Thanks for all the ideas so far, I will be going to get the battery tested tomorrow if i can find a place to do it on Christmas Eve, hopefully that will get me somewhere. Any other ideas are welcome still.


<edit> It seems when I try to start it, the starter solenoid doesn't make its usual clicking noise like when the battery is dead, but I did notice some noise, a bit of "whirring" which i believe is the fuel pump priming and pressurizing (correct me if I am wrong), dont know if that makes any difference, but I thought I would add the observation.

 

Some other thoughts:

As stated above your battery is not as strong as you think ,voltage is not a great way to test for the amount of power stored. To do any testing you need toknow that one thing is good. above I explaind how to test the charging system with a voltmeter that not how I would do it, it just how I would do it if I was limited to a voltmeter. FYI a battery cell should be 2.1 volts,a fully charged battery should read 12.6 volts. Based on this chart your battery is low.

Volts % of charge
12.6+ 100%
12.5 90%
12.42 80%
12.32 70%
12.20 60%
12.06 50%
11.9 40%
11.75 30%
11.58 20%
11.31 10%
10.5 0%

You said that battery was charged by the alternator. Do you know if its working?

If I assume the battery is good and the alternator is working I would next suspect your started and/or cables.Your battery should be atleast 600 CCA. The largest fuse is 20A. Which means it would take a draw atleast 30 minute to cause your car to "No start".

Bad cables can make a car not start and/or not charge. Starters tend to not start hot.

None of these things will cause a car with a good charging system to stall. Since todays alternators output upto 100A you would need a extreme short to takethe system out. Only the charging system and the battery/starter have wires that could handle 100A ANY OTHER system would fry the fuse or the fusable link. If your battery is ok I would say you charging system is not working. It could be one of those dam come and go issues.

Common causes for a over night draw issue. The lighter'ssocketabout 60% of the time it needs replaced. Trunk light 15% does not go out(not anissue in a camaro) Glove box light (15%) time it does not go out and last,some odd ball thing that takes a few hours to find (10%)

 

alright, took the battery to an auto parts store, they tested it, and sure enough it had a defective cell, returned it and got a new battery reading a strong 12.61V, however, the car still didn't start, didnt even try, same thing, fuel pump noise, no starter clicking, I am thinking about taking the alternator back and getting it tested since before i bought the thing the car at least started for 30 secs then died, now it doesnt start at all and that was the only thing i had changed

The battery was a good start I'd say, any other ideas are still helpful.

 

Now we know the battery is good. For the next test you can use your volt meter but I simple test light would be easier. What year is you car? Ill assume newer then 75. Locate your starter on topof it there should be two wire. One should bethe large one from the battery (battery cable)the other should be a smaller one. If you put your test light/voltmeter on this you should get no volt/no light. Let someone turn the key while you hold the light.

If it lights up and no noise then you have a solenoid/ground problem.
If it lights up and you hear one click it could be a battery cable/starter/solenoid/ground
If you have no light your problem is in you ignition switch/cluch safty switch.

 

Alright, I took the new battery and the alternator in, both tested good, still the same. I have kind of run out of time for today and tomorrow is Christmas, so it'll probably be on hold for a day. I have not really ever had to work on my starter, so I am not very familiar with it, but I will give those ideas a try, I do not have a voltmeter, just a multimeter (would that work?) I'll prolly go pick up a manual for my car to look into that stuff. And a test light from the store. If the snow in my subdivision subsides maybe I can try a push start (would that help identify anything?) If it starts and stays up that woukd point to the starter right?

Anyways, Battery and Alternator are good and Ill try some more things soon

Merry Christmas all

 

[&:] moe still several possibilities like switches and cable continuity as gorn mentioned. we need to try and isolate it to a before or after ign switch problem. try those things listed by gorn and be sure to move the steering column to more than one position when attempting to start(if tilt) full up and full down preferred. to help isolate the cause id test the small terminal on the solenoid for 12 volts during attempted cranking. this should help tell us where to continue to in diagnosis kurt