Range won't start!

Hello, I'm having trouble with my 97 4.6 HSE. About a week ago the message centre read "Alternator Fault" while I was driving on the freeway. When I was getting off the freeway the car lost almost all its power but I made it to work (about another mile.) After work (8hrs) it started but didn't have enough power so I towed it home and ordered an alternator. Two days ago the alternator got here I installed it, but the battery was dead, I left the battery charging all night long and tried again in the morning and nothing. I checked the gas shut off and turned it back on and again nothing. I took the battery to get checked out and its good it reads 12.9-13.5 volts ( Just bought it less than a year ago.) When I try to start it just clicks but it won't start, it kind of sounds like the battery was dead (obiously not the issue right now.) Any suggestions?

Hi.
It may be that the starter motor is stuck or one of the leads is loose between the battery and the starter motor, resulting in the connection being broken when load is put on the dodgy connection. Also can you check each cell in the battery to make sure they are full. Be careful of sources of ignition though.

Cheers, Nick.

If you battery has died it might be because it was simply kaput! Just re-charging it does not mean that it will have enough power to start the vehicle.

The clicking is classic of a knackered battery not pumping out enough amps to get the starter going. If you read the battery voltage without a load it doesn't mean a great deal. The 'proper' battery checkers put a decent load across the battery whilst measuring the voltage. Did they check it with a proper car battery tester? If it isn't a loose connection then I'd suggest getting a new battery to be honest - or a warranty claim on your existing one.

One final thing - be careful when changing the battery because if the BECM isn't powered it might loose synch with the immobiliser and permanently disable the engine until you visit you dealer! Either hook up another battery across the connectors, or if you have one of those jumper-packs then connect that whilst you are changing the battery so that the BECM remains powered up.

Matt

If your p38 is the same year as mine, 1999 on petrol (V8) then disconnecting the battery will only mean resetting the windows, and your radio memory. If i wish remap my petrol map i disconnect the battery overnight with nothing worse than the above, just don't reconnect the battery with the keys in the ignition in case the doors lock. If the keyfob wont let you in, open the door with the key itself and insert the key in the ignition, this will resync it.

Cheers, Nick.

Do you hear the click of the starter actuating ? if not and there is no sound at all then check the earth straps that attach to the engine bay. I recently fitted a new engine and it would'nt start. Turn the key....and nothing. After around an hour of checking out the starter motor, hell to get at, i found the earth straps were not giving a good contact. Cleaned all the contacts and hey presto, works great now.
One thing for everyone..... P38 fault codes and adaptions, the learning process of the ECU can be a pain and can sometimes take a few days to settle down and learn, so sometimes its a case of just being patient.