FabSwingers.com forum: Any mechanics on here?

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Car didn’t start but went when pushed. Now won’t start again. Do I need a new battery?

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By *bi HaiveMan
Forum Mod
over a year ago

Cheeseville, Somerset

Or an alternator.

Or some other part.

*I'm not a mechanic - total guesses!

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Or an alternator.

Or some other part.

*I'm not a mechanic - total guesses! "

I need to know if I need to just get a battery or take it to get an alternator

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By *ussy Food 2Man
over a year ago

Newton Aycliffe

Is it not possible that the battery was just flat, did any lights come on when you turned the key? how old is the battery, loads of possible answers sadly.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Starter

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Car didn’t start but went when pushed. Now won’t start again. Do I need a new battery?"

Maybe. Either that or something is draining power, get it started and take it for a long run. Turn off the stereo, heaters anything that consumes power to give the battery chance to recharge

Leave it for a few hours and start it. That should be indicative of a battery fault if it's not holding charge. Or like I say it could be something else draining power, get it checked out

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"Or an alternator.

Or some other part.

*I'm not a mechanic - total guesses!

I need to know if I need to just get a battery or take it to get an alternator"

A garage can check if your battery is charging and therefore whether it's battery, alternator or something completely different.

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By *P4RTANMan
over a year ago

near

Stater motor

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By *ce WingerMan
over a year ago

P.O. Box DE1 0NQ

Mechanical yes, electrics no

Sorry to have been no help whatsoever

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Is it not possible that the battery was just flat, did any lights come on when you turned the key? how old is the battery, loads of possible answers sadly."

It struggled to lock so it is flat

But is it flat because the alternator isn’t working to charge it or because it needs replacing?

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By *iberius61Man
over a year ago

Pontefract

Most likely is the battery. In the olden days you used to get a warning, it would turn the engine over slower and slower until it went completely flat. Modern batteries don't tend to do that, they just work, then they just don't.

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By *ighty_tightyMan
over a year ago

Norfolk/Suffolk

"Car didn’t start but went when pushed. Now won’t start again. Do I need a new battery?"

Need more info.

When it didn't start what did it do?

Any dash lights? Did it try and turn over? Was there a machine gun noise? No detail is too small

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Bump start it and then run a multimeter across the battery while it's idling. If it's showing under 13v you'll need a battery AND an alternator.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Bump start it and then run a multimeter across the battery while it's idling. If it's showing under 13v you'll need a battery AND an alternator."

I don’t have one of those

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Bump start it and then run a multimeter across the battery while it's idling. If it's showing under 13v you'll need a battery AND an alternator.

I don’t have one of those"

Do you know anyone who might have one that you can borrow?

You can also charge the battery and go for a drive, if the car dies while you're driving the alternator is goosed,

Often there's a little window on the top of your battery that shows one of three colours.

Green - battery is good

Black - needs charging.

Red - it's dead, replace it.

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By *P4RTANMan
over a year ago

near

Ok, you need to check that battery and the voltage to start with.

Unlikely, but check terminal connections.

Don't just assume alternator

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By *ig1gaz1Man
over a year ago

bradford

If it was the alternator you wouldnt have been able to start it when bump starting it as you need a charge to keep the engine running.

Some alternators can start a car when bump starting them but fail when get up to speed.

So best to have it checked.

Battery is charge it up and see if it holds a charge and try starting it.

If the battery is over 2-5 years its worth to get a new battery.

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By *mp411Man
over a year ago

chester

If the car run after being bump started then I'll bet its the battery if you don't do long journeys the alternater won't charge it

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By *P4RTANMan
over a year ago

near

"If the car run after being bump started then I'll bet its the battery if you don't do long journeys the alternater won't charge it "
also a battery can go into deep discharge, which means you can't recharge it anyway.

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By *bi HaiveMan
Forum Mod
over a year ago

Cheeseville, Somerset

"Bump start it and then run a multimeter across the battery while it's idling. If it's showing under 13v you'll need a battery AND an alternator.

I don’t have one of those

Do you know anyone who might have one that you can borrow?

You can also charge the battery and go for a drive, if the car dies while you're driving the alternator is goosed,

Often there's a little window on the top of your battery that shows one of three colours.

Green - battery is good

Black - needs charging.

Red - it's dead, replace it."

Yep. Mine did this. Was driving to our mechanics at the time, but went from being fine to having no power 5 minutes into a 20 minute journey. And that meant no power steering. Was like trying to turn a boat. Not fun.

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By *uxom redCouple
over a year ago

Shrewsbury

What noise does it make when trying to start it?

Does it turn over? Click, tries to start but nothing?

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By *onksoozeCouple
over a year ago

Hertfordshire

Battery issue and possible alternator

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Kwickfit do a free battery check up they will check alternator and battery for you will give you proper answer take to local garage who will give you a better price on battery or alternator replacement

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By *yourselfMan
over a year ago

Heworth

Join AA or RAC then ring them a few days after you join up. They'll come and diagnose what it is. Or most car accessory shops will test your battery for free.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

When it's running, aim it at a wall, switch the headlights on and when you rev it the headlights should get brighter. If they don't, it's the alternator.

Don't do this when you're in gear though or you'll need a new car

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Did it click or try and start? Did the dash lights go dim trying to start?- battery

Did the starter motor make a loud wiring noise? - starter motor

Get the battery tested, at halfords or wherever as the will tell you battery condition, it could be a failed alternator.

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