[Kyle_KleinSS]

Guys I have a problem with my focus. Zetec engine. Drove to work the other day and it was fine. Fiance Tom it from work to gym. When she came out no start. I tried to jump it same thing. Just got a click. I loaded it on my trailer and brought it home. When I try the first time to start I get maybe one revolution it sounds like. Then it stops and attempts after just click. Come back awhile later same thing. Battery reads 12.3 with car off. At first i was thinking starter when it just clicked. Now that I'm getting it to turn the first try I am possibly thinking otherwise. Any ideas what to check? I'd like to get it fixed asap so I don't have to daily my cobra. Tia guys

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[02fordsvt]

Are you using a battery load tester to test the battery? If not, test it with that or stick a new battery in and try the car then. Could be a battery cell has gone bad so it will read a good surface charge, but as soon as the starter tries to kick in, it will fall flat on it's face. No sense messing with other things until you got the easy stuff out of the way first. Also, check/clean the battery terminals too.

 

[ArcticMynx]

clean the battery posts and clamps they are known to go bad, and have the battery itself load tested ive had several batteries that showed 12v but had no cranking amps.. they couldnt even start a riding lawnmower

 

[Kyle_KleinSS]

I'll start there. Was gonna get it tested when I go to store this weekend. I'll do that and report back. Thanks guys

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[sykozis]

Common misconception: Because a battery can produce 12V, the battery is just fine.
Fact: Just because a battery can produce 12V reliably, does not mean the battery is viable. There is no direct correlation between Voltage and Amperage.

Moving on from that....
Just because a starter can turn an engine 1 revolution, does not mean that the starter itself is viable. It also does not mean that the battery cables are viable....

 

[Kyle_KleinSS]

I'll get the battery tested tomorrow and go from there. I would think that even with a bad battery it should have started hooked to my truck. After I get the battery checked I will be pulling the starter and checking cables if need be. One step at a time

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[ArcticMynx]

Common misconception: Because a battery can produce 12V, the battery is just fine.
Fact: Just because a battery can produce 12V reliably, does not mean the battery is viable. There is no direct correlation between Voltage and Amperage.

Moving on from that....
Just because a starter can turn an engine 1 revolution, does not mean that the starter itself is viable. It also does not mean that the battery cables are viable....

that makes absolutely no sense..

inspect the posts as ford focuses use a hollow core clamp that eventually come loose, the 00-06 clamps are garbage my 06 when i got it wouldn't start the car or even crank.. and if you say its the battery its not as it was bought brand spanking new from ford about a half hour before i got to the car and the battery was load tested by the dealer... used a drill with a wire bottle brush and spun the battery clamps connected it and it started like normal..

ive also had battery cables on a 2002 focus where it corroded to green death about 4 inches from the starter post on the cable and one good yank snapped it..

it doesn't hurt to inspect parts and clean them.. its called maintenance..

 

[amc49]

'There is no direct correlation between Voltage and Amperage.'

I think what he was saying there is battery RESTING voltage versus amperage with battery in USE.

The statement is true in one sense but not as a rule. I've seen a battery with the full new 12.8 volts instantly drop to 8 as soon as the battery was loaded, unload it and let it sit and in 10 minutes back at 12.8 volts. They can do some weird sh-t based on how they flaw internally.

X2 post #5.

OP............commonly if the battery cables are the modern cheap Chinese version they will NOT crank a car, ANY car, them being too flimsy to do so. I sold hundreds of sets that did just that, the clamps are thin enough they will carry no amp. If you don't dig the teeth deep into the lead and simply clamp them on you can count on a no jump about 90% of the time.

Don't ask me why parts stores carry garbage like that now, I would have to show why 30,000 other things they sell are worthless as well.

 

[polygon]

Fact: Just because a battery can produce 12V reliably, does not mean the battery is viable. There is no direct correlation between Voltage and Amperage.

I don't think Mr Ohm will be happy about that one. Probably you were referring to capacity, i.e. the energy stored in the battery measured in Ah.

 

[ArcticMynx]

I don't think Mr Ohm will be happy about that one. Probably you were referring to capacity, i.e. the energy stored in the battery measured in Ah.

[chairfall] x2 ^^^^

 

[amc49]

I agree but again I think he was talking apples to oranges there as I described, in that case he is right. But the two of you are as well.

'There is no direct correlation between Voltage and Amperage.'

The statement in and of itself is not right, I think he mis-stated what he was trying to say. I was at first looking at it the way he was but have gone back to correct to cover both circumstances.

What I'm pretty sure he was saying there is that there is no direct correlation between battery voltage taken with a battery simply sitting there and the amperage obtained once the battery is put into actual hard use like a starter would impose on one. Not nearly the same thing as the volts vs amps basic rule taught in all electrical courses.

 

[sykozis]

Since everyone is trying to analyze my statement....

The nominal voltage of a battery, when tested with a multi-meter, with the vehicle shut off should be roughly 12 volts. However, even though a multi-meter shows roughly 12V, does not mean that when you attempt to start the car, that the battery can discharge the amperage necessary for the starter to function. So, again, voltage and amperage have no direct correlation to each other.

My statement is factually accurate, in both posts.

 

[ArcticMynx]

clarifying it helps for others who may not understand it =3

 

[amc49]

There you go...........FYI, I go a bit further after checking hundreds if not thousands of batteries in the past. I look for at least 12.3 volts battery rested and surface charge dissipated as I have found that 12.2 and lower seems to be a point at which a lot of cars of varied brands begin to have troubles, not cast in concrete of course but a rule that seems to apply pretty much.

 

[polygon]

So, again, voltage and amperage have no direct correlation to each other.

Sorry sykozis but I beg to differ. Voltage is one of the factors that determines how much current can flow in a circuit, whether it's resistive, inductive or capacitive. Otherwise, try connecting a 6V battery with an equivalent Ah of a 12V battery to a vehicle and see what happens.

The thing is that I am talking about how voltage determines the magnitude of the current in a connected load whereas I believe you are referring to the voltage as a wrong indication of the battery's capacity to meet the current demands of the connected load. In which case I suppose we are both correct.

 

[ArcticMynx]

lmao your all welcome to the AC Delco that came out of my wagon.. i just checked its 12.63 volts but it doesn't have the ability to crank even a riding lawnmower

 

[Byron King]

Surface voltage builds up... Technically to test a battery you should apply a 20 amp load(through a good quality load tester, or by turning on the headlights)for 1 minute before reading voltage. That's what sykozis means by voltage not directly correlating to amperage, in a perfect world yes, but not in ours.

 

[Kyle_KleinSS]

Update on the topic guys I replaced the bad battery but same symptom. I just get a turn and then clicks. What's next? Check wires and starter? How hard is it to pull the starter on the zetec?

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[amc49]

'Check wires and starter?'

Yep. Make sure the cables are tight at battery, Ford terminals are crap and can often be turned by hand after getting them super tight, it's a function of bad design. If you clean them it only gets worse.

The battery cable can melt down at the starter as well.

 

[amc49]

ArcticMynx, I ran into Optima batteries that would do that same thing, read charged as high as spit then dropped to almost zero when connected to have to work. Several of them and one reason why I think that battery brand sucks.