99 Astro - Drove to the store, now won't start.
March 30th, 2012, 1:59 PM
#1
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99 Astro - Drove to the store, now won't start.
99 Chevy Astro van - hasn't been driven in a couple of days but otherwise has driven strong. No lights were left on or anything like that. The car started fine, drove about a mile to a convenience store, came back out of the store and it wouldn't start.
Tried jumping it, nothing. The voltage meter on the dash wen't up some, but no start. No clicks, no turnover at all. Dash showing battery light, service engine soon light. All lights inside working fine, headlights on. Tried better quality jumper cables, the voltage went up more, to about high 12s, or 13ish. Still no start. But there was at one click this time. Same lights on the dash. (And the check gauges light - everything within limits except possibly the battery section).
Tried bypassing the non-starting van's battery by disconnecting the leads to the battery and connecting the leads directly to the jumper cables. Still no start.
I have no way of towing it until a week from now, so getting it to an auto zone even to get the code from the service engine light is not an option. Any ideas?
Tried jumping it, nothing. The voltage meter on the dash wen't up some, but no start. No clicks, no turnover at all. Dash showing battery light, service engine soon light. All lights inside working fine, headlights on. Tried better quality jumper cables, the voltage went up more, to about high 12s, or 13ish. Still no start. But there was at one click this time. Same lights on the dash. (And the check gauges light - everything within limits except possibly the battery section).
Tried bypassing the non-starting van's battery by disconnecting the leads to the battery and connecting the leads directly to the jumper cables. Still no start.
I have no way of towing it until a week from now, so getting it to an auto zone even to get the code from the service engine light is not an option. Any ideas?
Side terminal battery? Check the ends of the battery cables for corrosion. Mind, the corrosion can be inside the cable where you can't actually see.
March 30th, 2012, 9:59 PM
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Thanks EinST! Yes, side terminal. I checked the corrosion on the outside, nothing major, little bit of green-ish corrosion but nothing that should be blocking the connection. I have cleaned it though, and still having a problem.
Just to add - I went back when cleaning the cables and the volt meter on the dash was reading between 9-10. When hooked up to a jump, it read about 12-13, but still no start. I used a multi-meter to test the volts at the battery itself and got about 12-13. Hard to get to the starter and I can't get under the vehicle to hit it with a hammer or to jump the starter with a screwdriver or anything.
The voltage can still read between 12-13 and not start due to a bad cell or something lowering the CCA right? I'm still hoping for a bad battery! haha.
Just to add - I went back when cleaning the cables and the volt meter on the dash was reading between 9-10. When hooked up to a jump, it read about 12-13, but still no start. I used a multi-meter to test the volts at the battery itself and got about 12-13. Hard to get to the starter and I can't get under the vehicle to hit it with a hammer or to jump the starter with a screwdriver or anything.
The voltage can still read between 12-13 and not start due to a bad cell or something lowering the CCA right? I'm still hoping for a bad battery! haha.
March 30th, 2012, 10:26 PM
#4
I wonder what the voltage drop is across the starter solenoid. When you turn the key to START, the ignition switch closes the circuit between the IGN A fuse in the underhood fuse block and CRANK fuse in the I/P fuse block. So, measure the voltage at the CRANK fuse against a chassis ground with key in START and then measure the voltage across the battery terminals again with key in START. If you see a much lower voltage at the CRANK fuse, there's too much resistance somewhere. If voltages are equally low both locations, that usually means a battery that cannot keep up with the drain.
One thing, you do NOT want to disconnect the battery while jump-starting. If it does start and you disconnect the jumper cable, there's better than good chance you'll end up with a runway alternator output and damage electronics.
One thing, you do NOT want to disconnect the battery while jump-starting. If it does start and you disconnect the jumper cable, there's better than good chance you'll end up with a runway alternator output and damage electronics.
March 31st, 2012, 11:13 AM
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Thanks for the advice. I'm glad hooking up that way didn't work, then. When you say check the voltage at the crank fuse against a chassis ground, I just want to make sure I have it right. I put one lead on the crank fuse itself (any idea which one it is?) in the fuse panel in the dashboard and the other on the chassis somewhere? And then compare that to a straight reading from the battery itself, both while trying to start the van. Is that right?
March 31st, 2012, 12:39 PM
#6
Jeez, they called it the "Starter Enable Relay" fuse (fuse #8) according to http://www.extendedgmwarranty.com/ow...olet-Astro.pdf. The fuse has a couple of holes for probing. A "chassis ground" is something that screws into the metal chassis.
March 31st, 2012, 2:14 PM
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Sorry. I realize I don't really know that much about this stuff, or astro vans in general - just traded for it. I feel like if I'm given detailed enough instructions, I could do just about anything though.
Anyway, tested the battery at start, 12.5V. I was finally able to get it out and get it load tested at auto zone, tested out good. I tried doing the crank fuse putting one probe on one of the holes on the fuse, and the other on a bolt going into the frame, but it didn't read anything when at start. The guage on the dash reads about 10V still.
I was able to climb under and the starter/wires look to be in pretty bad shape. There is some corrosion, but I can't really tell how much because there is no room to get my head up there to look. I'm thinking it's just the starter now, maybe just the connections from the battery to the starter.
Anyway, tested the battery at start, 12.5V. I was finally able to get it out and get it load tested at auto zone, tested out good. I tried doing the crank fuse putting one probe on one of the holes on the fuse, and the other on a bolt going into the frame, but it didn't read anything when at start. The guage on the dash reads about 10V still.
I was able to climb under and the starter/wires look to be in pretty bad shape. There is some corrosion, but I can't really tell how much because there is no room to get my head up there to look. I'm thinking it's just the starter now, maybe just the connections from the battery to the starter.
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March 31st, 2012, 3:40 PM
#8
Okay, then, let's start over. The battery positive terminal connector has two red cables. The thinner of the two supplies the voltage to the IGN A fuse in the underhood fuse block. When you turn the key to START, the current from IGN A flows to fuse #8 in the I/P fuse block. From there, it flows to through the PNP switch (closed with the shifter in P or N) and energizes the Starter Enable relay. This relay then closes another power circuit between the IGN A fuse and starter solenoid. This finally engages the starter.
You say you didn't see any voltage at the CRANK fuse (fuse #8) with key in START. With key in RUN, using the same grounding point, is there any other fuse that shows voltage? If so, that proves the grounding point is good. Then, truly no voltage at the CRANK fuse means you need to look upstream. Is there voltage at the IGN A fuse (measured against the battery negative terminal)? There should be good voltage even with key in LOCK. How about the voltage at the battery positive terminal and another grounding point (any chassis metal or engine block). I hope you follow my logic.
You say you didn't see any voltage at the CRANK fuse (fuse #8) with key in START. With key in RUN, using the same grounding point, is there any other fuse that shows voltage? If so, that proves the grounding point is good. Then, truly no voltage at the CRANK fuse means you need to look upstream. Is there voltage at the IGN A fuse (measured against the battery negative terminal)? There should be good voltage even with key in LOCK. How about the voltage at the battery positive terminal and another grounding point (any chassis metal or engine block). I hope you follow my logic.
March 31st, 2012, 7:43 PM
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Yes, I think I'm following you now that I can picture the whole thing. I tried testing voltage at the solenoid, but couldn't really get a reading. I couldn't see the bolts that hold the wires on the solenoid, and since I've never seen one hooked up before I guess I had a hard time getting a good reading.
I remember seeing all those fuses so I can do all that. The only question I have is - on the bigger fuses like the starter enable relay and I think the IGN fuse is the same, they don't have metal contacts on top to probe so what's the best way to go about getting a reading for those?
I remember seeing all those fuses so I can do all that. The only question I have is - on the bigger fuses like the starter enable relay and I think the IGN fuse is the same, they don't have metal contacts on top to probe so what's the best way to go about getting a reading for those?
