Took battery to les schwab a couple weeks ago because i thought it might need to be changed since same morning i needed to jump start. They said the battery was good but the alternator might need be changed soon. No lights on dash. Some clicking when i turn key. Any ideas?
TJ won't start
- Thread starter JDOLORES0520
- Start date
Repetitive clicking from the starter solenoid is usually caused by either a low battery or a bad connection at the battery. Turn your headlights on.... do they come on at full brightness? Then with the headlights still on, try starting the engine. If you hear the clicking and the headlights dim significantly or turn off that's really clear proof of either a bad/nearly dead battery and/or a bad/loose/corroded battery connection.
Thanks! I tried turning the headlights on and nothing then i tried starting the engine and no clicking this time either. Would that mean dead battery or something else?
If both battery connections are clean and tight yeah a dead battery sounds very likely. It wouldn't hurt to remove and wire brush the battery posts and inside of both connectors and then reinstall both making sure they're tight on the battery posts . Battery connections can look fine to the eye but still be bad enough to cause your problems .
Also, follow the cables and check the other ends too, make sure you have a good ground, and good connection on starter.
Did they define what "good" meant? Good voltage? Good amperage (current) output? Both?
A bad lead-acid battery can show good resting voltage (12.4-12.7 VDC) until you put it under load (say with a carbon pile load tester), in which case the voltage and current will drop off the face of the planet.
If you don't have one already, get a good multimeter and learn the basics. It's one of the handiest tools you can own.