So I know these cars are infamous for going through them, but my starter and alternator are brand new, battery is only a year old. Mechanic has checked all three out. Still, every few days my car will just die and not start, usually after a hot start (cold starts are find for some reason). I'll notice the gauge is running anywhere from 9 volts 13 volts during this time. Even at 9 volts shouldn't I at least get a clicking noise?

What is the problem? No gunk on the terminals.....I had a short on a manual fan switch recently, could the short have affected the battery? Mechanic's don't know where to start, claimed that a diode in alternator was causing a drop and getting hot while the car was still cold so I have a brand new alternator. If they just wanted to sell me stuff they would have swore that the battery needs replacing but they say it seems fine. Problem doesn't always reproduce, of course.

Please help/copy all responses to l@laynethrasher.com

Thanks!!!

 

I have a 88 ttop with a 350 police package in it, I got it out of a cab that used to be a cop car. Now that I said that, let me say that I work at a cab company and I have seen new parts come in and put on cars only to find out that they have defects, so I would not solely base your facts on new parts. You may still want to have you those parts fully checked out. It sounds like a altenator going bad and not charging when it gets hot and or the battery may have a dead cell. My brother has a 89 ford p/u with a 460 in it all pumped up and he had the same problem, even though he had one of those high dollar optimum batteries in it. They replaced it and its been fine ever since. Hope that helps you some... Cee

 

First off, COLD starts are difficult on batteries, NOT hot starts. So I would say your batter is OK.

If the starter sol is not clicking, then it is bad OR not getting enough voltage/current from the ignition switch (most likely due to a dirty electrical connection).

As for the “Volts” gauge in the dash, fluctuating voltage readings are very common on our cars now that they are getting old. Many things can cause the dash Volts gauge to go wacko:
1. Loose or corroded ground connections.
2. Loose or corroded power connections.
3. Dirty contacts inside the ignition switch.
4. Funky fuses/fuse links.

The voltage at the battery is the most important thing to worry about. Below 12.5 volts will discharge the battery, needs to be at least 13.0 volts to charge it. Normal is 13.8 to 14.0 volts.

It sounds like your mechanic is mechanically inclined, but not very knowledgeable about electricity.
The best way to figure out what is really happening is use a hand held volt meter (DVM). A $20.00 DVM from Radio Shack should be good enough.

On my car, I have found that the cigarette lighter socket voltage is very close to the actual battery voltage (it dose not go thru the ignition switch).

 

an intermittent problem is normally the hardest to find. it has to be checked out when it is doing it.
as 83 said, you need a good DVMM.
those dash gages are poor indicators as to what is really going on.
you didn't say if it will start once it has cooled down or if it needs a jump or if it will start when hot with a jump.

the way i would check for this problem when it is acting up is,
1, check voltage at the battery both with the key off & with the key in the crank position. if this checks good,
2, check voltage between the positive battery terminal & the motor block with the key in the crank position, & between battery positive & the body with the key in the crank position. if this checks good,
3, check voltage at the main positive cable at the starter with the key in the crank position. if this checks good,
4, check voltage on the start terminal at the starter with the key in the crank position. if this checks good, then you have problems with your starter, if it checks bad then check voltage inside the car to the ignition switch & out to the starter with the key in the crank position. if both of these check good then look for the park/netural switch or if it has a standard trans the clutch switch & check it. if these have checked good then look for the bulkhead connector where it goes through the fire wall & check it.

without pulling up a wiring diagram i think you have 2 positive wires to the ignition switch, be sure to check both of them.

because you said it dies & then won't crank i lean toward a connection problem some where.