Help! Car not starting but battery isn't low...

[Hammyton]

tried to start it up but it just stuttered... tried a few more times but kept stuttering and now it just doesn't do anything when I turn the key... checked the battery and its showing 19V(or at leeast i think its volts?), stereo/lights/etc all work fine..

any ideas?

update : just tried to start it up again after leaving it alone for a while and it stuttered for a few seconds but then started up fine....

 

[pyonir]

starter is shot?

 

[krunchykrome]

Is everything properly connected to the battery? If yes, then it might me your starter.

 

[iwearnosox]

Originally posted by: pyonir
starter is shot?

 

[Hammyton]

Seems like over the past couple of days the car has been stuttering more and more before it starts but it would start up fine.... today it was trying to start but just didnt This happened like 2 weeks ago but the problem was the battery was low on fluid... just put in more fluid and it fixed the problem.

 

[MillionaireNextDoor]

spark plug?
starter?

-MiND

 

[MazerRackham]

Maybe a problem with your distributor cap? What kind of car is it? Do newer cars even have distributor caps anymore?

 

[Vic]

It take a lot more juice (~300 amps) to start a car than it does to power the stereo/lights/etc.

By "stuttering", do you mean it goes "click, click, click"? It seems likely that it could be the starter, but try checking the voltage across the battery terminals while attempting to start the car. If it reads less than 10 volts at that time, then the battery may be shot.

 

[Hammyton]

and by stuttering I mean the engine is trying to start but it just fails... after trying a buncha times I eventually just hear a "click click click"

update : just tried to start it up again after leaving it alone for a while and it stuttered for a few seconds but then started up fine....

 

[MikeMike]

19 volts???? HOLY SH!T

MIKE

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

A wet cell only produces 2.2 volts x 6 cells = 13.2. Charging voltage is 14.0 to 14.2.

By adding fluid I hope you mean distilled water. You most likely killed your battery IF it took a lot of water.

Have the battery charged and load tested. If it fails replace it

Clean both cables connections and the posts clean and bright, reconnect with a light layer of Vaseline.

Make sure the other ends of the cables have a good tight connection.

I have had good batteries carry all the light loads but not crank because of a sever voltage drop over a bad connection.

The ghetto way of securing a better contact at the battery is to beat on the posts with a hammer or run a self tapping

screw between the post and battery cable end

You should take a look at the alternator belt while the hood is up.

 

[Pepsi90919]

19 vdc? k there's problems