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92 LX won't start/starts/won't start again!

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  • #1

    92 LX won't start/starts/won't start again!

    Hi guys, haven't been here for months.

    '92 LX - my regular get-to-work car - is having problems. Thursday morning it wouldn't start. First time one click, after that nothing. Once I got the power seat belt to move, but after that, nothing. So I panic-called my mom and used her car Thursday and Friday.

    Saturday, I was showing my son that it wouldn't start, and bam! It started. Drove mom's car back to her place, picked her up, and drove back home. Probe wouldn't start. Grrr.

    Today, it wouldn't start. Hooked up some jumper cables and got fireworks. Threw away melted old jumper cables and hooked up nicer, newer, heavy duty cables. They started melting, too, after about a minute. (I haven't checked to be sure that the red/black color coding on the batteries is the same...that could be the issue but I'm not feeling stupid enough to destroy my last set of jumper cables.)

    Any ideas? I think it's a two-year battery bought about two years ago, which would say "dead battery" -- but the only 58R I can find around here (Albuquerque/Rio Rancho) is a 7 year battery at Sears for $100 or so! Seems overkill for a 19 year old car. Honestly, a 2 yr battery would do.

    Do you think there are any shorts somewhere, or the charging system not working (I've had a squeaky belt all fall)?

    Any leads on a 58R battery, reasonably priced?

    The battery did show the charging system getting into "normal" range before the cables started melting.

    Thanks.
    Last edited by mahubbard; December 19, 2010, 05:14 PM. Reason: typo
    Tags: None
  • #2
    about the only way to be certain is to charge or have the battery charged/checked. make sure when using jumper cables to have positive to positive and ground to ground (or a good ground on your car.). other size battery's will fit , just make sure they aren't to tall. measure it and find one that is close size wise and cranking amp wise.
    96 MX6 M Edition , V6 5 speed. 95 MX6,I4 manual - work in progress,but still DD . 94 626,V6 automatic - the family (wife's) car. 94 626 V6 auto ,parting out.

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    • #3
      Fireworks are never good when connecting jumper cables. It may have been a battery or loose/corroded cable before. Just make sure the polarities match ie. + to + - to - when trying to jump start anything. I would have the battery charges/check also.
      My 1st gens are slow.

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      • #4
        I guess if I can't jump the car, I have to take the battery out and take it to be checked....

        Or get willing to fry another pair of cables, and be triply sure of the polarities before hooking them up! (I'd assumed "red" and "black" meant the same thing on both batteries, which might not necessarily be true....)

        Why did all this have to happen when the schedule is tight, and money tighter???

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        • #5
          red is positive and black negative on both.
          96 MX6 M Edition , V6 5 speed. 95 MX6,I4 manual - work in progress,but still DD . 94 626,V6 automatic - the family (wife's) car. 94 626 V6 auto ,parting out.

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          • #6
            From what I read online, sometimes the color-coding isn't always followed?

            At any rate, the battery tested ok. Cleaned off the corrosion (just a bit on the clamps, but a fair amount on the positive cable where it attaches to the clamp). Tried to start again, and got sparking at the clamp/cable juncture. This is the same location that I got the sparking when I was trying to jump start the car. Sounds like maybe a bad battery cable?

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            • #7
              it may be , clean it as well as all connections (grounds ect.) usually when you have that happen it is a loose connection some where or something drawing a lot of current/amps.what kind of terminals do you have , factory or aftermarket? on a battery + is always positive and - is ground regardless of wire color.
              96 MX6 M Edition , V6 5 speed. 95 MX6,I4 manual - work in progress,but still DD . 94 626,V6 automatic - the family (wife's) car. 94 626 V6 auto ,parting out.

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              • #8
                Yeah, I was initially assuming red+/black- but my mom's battery might not be the same.

                Thoroughly cleaned the end of the cables that are at the battery posts. I have no idea where the other ends are to see if they are ok. The wire ends that stick out of the end of the cable just beyond where the terminal clamps onto the cable were pretty corroded on the positive side. They still are a little corroded - but I got it as clean as I could.

                I guess it's stock from the factory - I've had the car since it was six years old and it didn't appear to have anything other than factory stuff on it then.

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                • #9
                  one other thing you could try is check the connection at the starter.
                  96 MX6 M Edition , V6 5 speed. 95 MX6,I4 manual - work in progress,but still DD . 94 626,V6 automatic - the family (wife's) car. 94 626 V6 auto ,parting out.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    That has to wait for daylight. Sounds like a task for Friday? If it's not blowing snow that day!

                    Shoot. I hate this. My car has HEAT! My mom's car doesn't. I get so cold commuting in her car.

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                    • #11
                      Started a topic about this over on "1st Gen - All" since most of my help here has been non-NM folks anyhow...hoping for wider exposure.

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