Please help!!! Car won't start after long sleep

[plesset]

Sorry if this has been discussed before but I cannot find any reference to my problem.

MY 91 has been in a deep winter sleep since the end of November. This morning I tried to start it for the first time and obviously the battery was almost dead. I hooked up my jump starter and when I turned the ignition all I got was a series of fast clicking sounds. The engine would not fire, only click rapidly before shutting of and then restarting this clicking process. I seem to have enough power since everything works inside the car yet I cannot get the engine to fire. Thinking something might be frozen, I put a space heater in my garage all day long. When I got home after work I tried starting the car again but I still have this rapid clicking sound wihout the engine ever turning over. Since my mechanic is AWOL I am stuck with the prospect of towing the car to the Acura dealer and having them rip me off. Does anyone here have any suggestions before I hand over my wallet to the dealer?

Thanks in advance!

 

[nsxexotic]

If you didn't use a trickle charge chances are your battery is totally dead with zero juice. Same thing happen to our boat batterieS when we get to lazy or forget to remove it from the boat before winter storage. The jump starter you have won't do justice. I advise you to try a new battery instead of paying for towing ect.

Cold weather drains your battery - you have to keep the battery fully charge at all times in order to achieve years of use.

 

[jlindy]

Buy a new battery. They are only $50 right?

 

[nsxexotic]

In that range - I use to buy wal-mart batteries for 29 and 39 dollars. But for the NSX nah. I would spend an extra 20 dollars and get something better such as interstate.

What does the OEM use? AC DELCO?

 

[nsxtasy]

Buy a new battery. They are only $50 right?

That depends on what kind you get, what brand, whether you get it on sale, etc. You can get an expensive, lightweight battery like the Odyssey or Optima if you are interested in saving weight, or just a conventional lead-acid battery. You can buy a battery anywhere, not just at your dealer. A search on the Sears website provides several models of battery in group size 35, with prices of $60 for the DieHard WeatherHandler and $80 for the DieHard Gold. And there's always Sam's Club and Costco...

P.S. Buy a charger (that automatically shuts off when fully charged) so you don't have this happen again - either a small on-board charger that is mounted on your car, or a bulky charger that you can use on multiple cars. There are lots of previous topics on chargers, as well as info in the FAQ.

Originally posted by nsxexotic
What does the OEM use?

If I'm not mistaken, the battery that came in my car when it left the factory was made by Panasonic.

 

[Autophile]

If I'm not mistaken, the battery that came in my car when it left the factory was made by Panasonic.

Well I'll be.... My battery in my 91 is a Panasonic. I wonder if it's the original?

 

[jlindy]

I didn't want to get flamed for buying a generic battery because I didn't know how important others felt about getting a certain brand. I just bought one last weekend at Advanced Auto for $49.

 

[plesset]

Thanks guys! I am going to buy a new battery tommorow. Hopefully that will solve the problem. Thank god for this board!

 

[nsxexotic]

I've never seen a panasonic car battery. I am the 2nd owner and it came with a Interstate Battery.

Also I'm not sure if brand has to do with anything but once a battery in my cousins 3000gt exploded. I didn't do research on this subject yet but how rare is this?

 

[jagtiger]

Plesset,

Did you try charging the battery first? Try charging your battery for several hours. Same thing happen to me last month - My battery just drained down. Although everything seems to be working - but I just get clicks when I try to start the engine. So what I did is I disconnected the battery and charge it for about 6-8 hrs. I didnt have problem starting afterwards..

Make sure the battery is disconnected to avoid damage to the electrical systems. Also disconnect the battery if you're not going to drive your NSX for a while..

If this doesnt work - then you might need to buy a new one.

Also, I read in the manual that you're not suppose to jump start directly to the battery - this can damage your elec. systems!


Good Luck!

 

[4AU4LIFE]

I use a Motorcraft in mine. Very strong. Is able to keep up with demand of audio/video system.

 

[jlindy]

Don't bother with charging it now. Take it out and have it tested. They will tell you if it is bad or if it will hold a charge. That way you will already be there to get a new one if needed and it only takes a few minutes to take out the battery.

 

[DanO]

Use bigger jumper cables and jump it according to the owner's manual--connecting the cables to the terminals in the engine compartment.

DanO

 

[apapada]

The engine would not fire, only click rapidly before shutting of and then restarting this clicking process. I seem to have enough power since everything works inside the car yet I cannot get the engine to fire.

your battery is dead beyond repair. This clicking sound is typical for cars with such drained batteries. Trying to jump start won't probably help either. You just need a new battery.

 

[Meeyatch1]

ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!! Sorry....just driving by.

 

[docjohn]

I second Dano's reminder, did you jump it at the rear fuse box as it says in the manual.?

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Make sure the battery is disconnected to avoid damage to the electrical systems. Also disconnect the battery if you're not going to drive your NSX for a while..

Not sure this is a good idea. A few years ago a member of this community did this. It meant NO ALARM ON THE CAR. Which ended up with the car stolen out of his garage, and stripped to the chassis. Quite Sad.

I would get the charger and "plug it in". Mine trickle charges all winter, alarm set.. She fires up perfectly every spring.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[nsxexotic]

Make sure the battery is disconnected to avoid damage to the electrical systems. Also disconnect the battery if you're not going to drive your NSX for a while..

Was the car in the garage?

 

[hlweyl]

I would think if you follow the proper jump starting procedure and the cables are of good quality, it should fire up.

Let us know if the good battery works.

For those of you who pack your car away for the winter, why not start er up and let the engine run every two weeks or so? Letting an engine sit for extended periods of time is not the best thing in the world for it. Gas goes bad, condensation forms, things start to rust, mice, critters, etc.

 

[Tony Montoya]

Well I'll be.... My battery in my 91 is a Panasonic. I wonder if it's the original?

The original battery is a Panasonic. It costs too much to send replacement batteries from Japan, a new Panasonic would cost around 250 dollars. I heard of a lexus customer that demanded his replacement be a Panasonic but really any battery of the same power will do as a repalcement.

Thirteen years must be some kind of world record.

 

[Autophile]

The original battery is a Panasonic. It costs too much to send replacement batteries from Japan, a new Panasonic would cost around 250 dollars. I heard of a lexus customer that demanded his replacement be a Panasonic but really any battery of the same power will do as a repalcement.

Thirteen years must be some kind of world record.

Heh, that would be pretty surprising and cool if it was a record.

I am the second owner of my 91. The first owner was an older gent who barely drove the car at all. It had 29,xxx miles on it when I bought it last year. He had everything serviced at the dealer. Who knows. If I can remember, I'll check the "install date" if it's marked on the battery, and see if there was a battery swap documented in my receipts.

 

[nsxtasy]

For those of you who pack your car away for the winter, why not start er up and let the engine run every two weeks or so? Letting an engine sit for extended periods of time is not the best thing in the world for it. Gas goes bad, condensation forms, things start to rust, mice, critters, etc.

Not true. None of it. Not within a few months time, anyway. And I have 14 winters of experience with NSX hibernation to prove it.

Originally posted by Tony Montoya
The original battery is a Panasonic. It costs too much to send replacement batteries from Japan, a new Panasonic would cost around 250 dollars.

Also not true. In fact, when my battery was replaced by the dealer under warranty the first time it died, it was replaced with another Panasonic. (I'm pretty sure Panasonic sells automotive batteries for lots of cars in North America but I don't know their origin.)

Originally posted by Tony Montoya
really any battery of the same power will do as a repalcement.

That part is true.

 

[jagtiger]

Not sure this is a good idea.

Larry,

I'm glad that continuous charging of the battery while connected to the car works for you...
I've been charging my batteries while disconnected every winter for the last 20 years..Fortunately my cars havent been stolen yet...The 91 NSx Manual specifically says "IF YOU NEED TO CHARGE THE BATTERY, MAKE SURE YOU DO IT OUTSIDE THE CAR. DO NOT CONNECT A BATTERY CHARGER TO THE JUMP START TERMINAL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

A few years ago a member of this community did this. It meant NO ALARM ON THE CAR. Which ended up with the car stolen out of his garage, and stripped to the chassis. Quite Sad.

A friend of mine got two of his cars stolen inside his garage. Yes, both cars has alarms. That's why I have full ins. coverage even during winter.

I would get the charger and "plug it in". Mine trickle charges all winter, alarm set..

The NSX manual says: "DISCONNECT THE TERMINALS TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE CAR'S ELECTRICALS SYSTEM,AND REMOVE THE BATTERY FROM THE FRONT COMPARTMENT SO HYDROGEN GAS DOES NOT BUILD UP DURING CHARGING."

From the manual
NOTICE:
CHARGING THE BATTERY WHILE IT IS CONNECTED CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR CAR'S ELECTRONIC CONTROLS. DETACH THE CABLES BEFORE CONNECTING THE BATTERY TO A CHARGER

Is there truth to this?


Hmmmm...Maybe the manual should be revised?

All my other car's manuals says " during recharging, the battery produces hydrogen gas therefore be sure to disconnect the ground cable. Always charged the battery in an unconfined area. Do not charge the battery in a enclosed room or garage where there is no ventilation".

I'm no expert but my guess is because Hydrogen is highly explosive? or Toxic?

 

[RyRy210]

Jagtiger, your comments are scaring me as I've just started using an on-board battery manager. The battery is still connected to the car.

Has anyone else used an on-board battery manager and have problems?

 

[Juice]

Subject change: What about fuel?

What if the car has sat all winter without fuel stabilizer? What type of actions should be taken? And for that matter, how should the oil be looked at? Hope that it is not an issue to ask this question under this thread topic. I feel that it goes hand in hand.