Today when i was driving, small amounts of smoke filled into the cabin of the car. The car went dead for about 5 seconds and then started up while i was moving. thank god I was only a block away from my home when it happened. I pulled it into my garage and checked it out. Seems that my battery termal somehow spun loose and touched my CAI. Scorched spot on my chome now. I tried to turn the car back on, all i get is a click. I check the battery to see if i had shorted it. But it holds a charge. Now I turn to you. Any ideas? Starter, plugs, sparkplug wires? This is my primary car at the moment since i drop the transmission in my jeep last week. so any suggestions would be very helpfull

-ben-

 

I guess it was the postive terminal that touched the CAI? You might have cause a short somewhere

 

Did you measure the volts under load? Turn the headlights on high and then measure the voltage produced under that load. You can also measure the load while someone is trying to crank the car. It should stay relatively close to 12+ volts I beleive.

Easier yet, hook it up to a battery charger on the start setting and try turning it over.

If its just clicking it sounds like its your battery (not enough juice to turn the car over).

 

Mate, I've just posted with almost exactly the same problem, though my car only refuses to start periodicly.

 

If your battery is under warranty, take it in and get another.

 

I am betting that if your terminal was loose enough to spin, it was arcing slightly between the battery and it.. you need to get a battery brush and clean both the battery terminal and the cable and tighten it all down securely.

 

I am getting power. Stereo powers up just fine, lights everything. I already checked my battery on my charger and it is fine.

so. .

I am sure it's a short. Any ideas down this road. When i said click, I meant it gives one click and that is it.

 

I am not sure if the short could have caused this, but check the start relay under the hood... see if thats the clicking you hear. If you fubar'd that relay, I would start wondering what else you could have fried sad.gif

 

that clicking might be your starter too. I would check that, if it just clicks have someone bang on the Starter Solenoid with a long metal rod or a hammer * not to hard, but not to gentle either. That will work about 5 or 6 times..try that..just a suggestion

 

thanks for the suggestions thus far. I'll go out and check it out a bit more.