My turn.. car won't start after changing plugs/coils

[Metallic36]

Alright, so now my car won't start. It has a new battery, even tried jumping it off. It doesn't click when I turn the key over, dome light isn't on at all, the only light that is on is the little "open door" light on my cluster.

I got some coils from DubbyDoo on here, and replaced the spark plugs, along with adding some new NGK wires. I'm curious to find out if maybe the coils I got were bad, or ?? When I turn the key, the radio doesn't do anything, so it's completely dead. And yes, everything is plugged back in. Throw some thoughts out here!!

[NCZ13]

did you short something out and blow a fuse?

what about switching back the old stuff?

[Metallic36]

I just read about it possibly being a fuse, I'll check that. It's dark and cold outside now, so I will try switching everything back tomorrow and check the fuses, hopefully I'll find something. Weird car.


did you short something out and blow a fuse?

what about switching back the old stuff?

[Metallic36]

Just went outside and checked the fuses (that I could see into through the top) in the engine bay, all of those look fine.

[aubrandb3]

did you short something out and blow a fuse?

what about switching back the old stuff?


That was my fist thought as well. Although i think that chainging the coils and plugs could not make your car have issues cranking. The next thing that comes to mind is the grounding system. Check and see if your engine is grounded.

[Metallic36]

Where would I check for the grounding? Everything worked fine before, never had an issue with cranking, etc. Just really weird. Any chance the fuses by the driver floorboard would have any effect? Didn't get a chance to do anything today, but tomorrow I'm going to try to figure it out.


That was my fist thought as well. Although i think that chainging the coils and plugs could not make your car have issues cranking. The next thing that comes to mind is the grounding system. Check and see if your engine is grounded.

[Outlawstar98]

Check Fuses, then grounds, then check for power going to the Ignition itself. Because if there's no click its gotta be something with the Ignition IMO, someone correct me if I am wrong.

[Metallic36]

I'm almost thinking it's just a very dead battery. Car has been sitting for a while now, and it was previously as well.. battery says 02/08 on it, but the strange thing is that if I open the door (and the little red light comes on saying my door is open), it eventually fades to where it is no longer illuminated. My truck did the same thing, just freaking died and it was the battery. I plan on taking it to Advance tomorrow and finding out if it's charging or not. I didn't mess with any of the ground stuff, I've checked all the plugs, etc. and everything is plugged in, no loose wires anywhere, and all my fuses look okay. Just strange that a while ago it ran, then now it doesn't. I could have worn down the battery also by leaving my doors open occasionally while I worked, the battery was still connected at this time and it wasn't until I decided to do the spark plugs, coils, and wires that I took off the negative cable. So hopefully that's what's wrong.. I have no idea what else it could be.


Check Fuses, then grounds, then check for power going to the Ignition itself. Because if there's no click its gotta be something with the Ignition IMO, someone correct me if I am wrong.

[Outlawstar98]

Do you have a booster pack? or jump start it. Should atleast start up and run off the alternator.

Heres some useless information for you, My dad got his truck 8 years ago..... hes still on the same battery :D haha No lie.

[Metallic36]

I did try jump-starting it, and got nothing.


Do you have a booster pack? or jump start it. Should atleast start up and run off the alternator.

Heres some useless information for you, My dad got his truck 8 years ago..... hes still on the same battery :D haha No lie.

[bgibb68]

if the bat is really DEAD it won't even jump start

[Outlawstar98]

I have had really dead batterys in the past though, and jump starting started it right up........ Y cant things be easy? haha

Check the battery i guess, and go from there? haha (while checking the fuses, did the test light, light up.... because if it did how is it a dead dead dead battery? haha)

[Kypatrick]

If the Batt has a dead cell, it wont charge. I would put a Multi meter on the Batt see what the voltage is. Also, IMO just to be sure, pull the fuses out and make sure, sounds like the Batt tho.

[Metallic36]

If it is the battery, I may go with a different kind.. this is the second one of the Titanium brands to just kick off like this after not too long. Maybe I need one with more power to it? (dunno) But yeah, I'll try the battery, then switching everything back (coils, wires), then test the fuses.. I visually inspected them before, haven't gotten to do the test light yet.

[bgibb68]

just do the bat first without switching everything.....always start simple and work your way up the chain....

[Metallic36]

Yup, that's the plan :) I'm determined to figure it out tomorrow.


just do the bat first without switching everything.....always start simple and work your way up the chain....

[bgibb68]

i used to work on pc trouble shooting and i don't know how many times it came down to something simple and stupid that just got 'skipped'.....i started on the easiest routes then worked up and it seems to work although that failed me when i hooked up vac lines wrong....WHOOPS....oh well...you live and learn

[MS3_KIDD]

start with a 3 minute battery test
charge at 40 amps for 3 minutes...then check voltage
if its greater than 15.5 volts then the battery if sulfated and needs to be replaced
even if you can get the car started after the test

no need for 200amps for 10 min, most jumper boxs only put out 80 to 100 amps and even then you only have it on the battery for 3-5 minutes

[dstmsp03]

Jen, do this, take a big battery charger and let it sit on at least a 200 amp charge for 10 mins, then check for cranking while leaving the charger on the battery, the Cavalier that i recently bought was doing this same thing.. did you leave the battery in the car when it was sitting? or was it out? if it was out was it on concrete?

[Metallic36]

I left the battery in the car when it was sitting. I'll take it to Advance Auto today and they'll put it on a charger thing to see if it is dead or not. Thanks for the info :D


Jen, do this, take a big battery charger and let it sit on at least a 200 amp charge for 10 mins, then check for cranking while leaving the charger on the battery, the Cavalier that i recently bought was doing this same thing.. did you leave the battery in the car when it was sitting? or was it out? if it was out was it on concrete?

[Pmpkinhead]

When you put in the new battery or put the jumper cables on her, you will need to reset the alarm.

[Metallic36]

Yeah, I know.. right now my alarm doesn't even work anyway.


When you put in the new battery or put the jumper cables on her, you will need to reset the alarm.

[Pmpkinhead]

Is it possible the alarm is causing the starter cutout? (Did you get it to crank over yet, even if it doesn't start?)

[Metallic36]

I just got home, but was able to take my battery to Advance. They said that they did a full charge on it twice, but that it was definitely dead. So, I got a replacement for free (gotta love warranties). It's raining now, but will hopefully find out if this was where the issue lied, so far it looks like it.



Is it possible the alarm is causing the starter cutout? (Did you get it to crank over yet, even if it doesn't start?)

[dstmsp03]

let us know.. N watch out for that alarm beep when u recco the battery.. It gets me everytime, n I know it's comming.. Haha

[Metallic36]

LOL yeah, I always have my keys in hand, with my finger ready as soon as I reconnect the battery so the alarm doesn't freak out hehehe


let us know.. N watch out for that alarm beep when u recco the battery.. It gets me everytime, n I know it's comming.. Haha

[dstmsp03]

LOL yeah, I always have my keys in hand, with my finger ready as soon as I reconnect the battery so the alarm doesn't freak out hehehe

haha.. did you get it started?

[bgibb68]

so did ya get it sorted out???

[Metallic36]

Planning to do it tomorrow, I thought I'd have a chance today but we went to Petsmart and adopted a cat, so we had to get everything we needed for her and didn't get home until after dark.

[Pmpkinhead]

The cross we must bear for pussy (cat)

[Metallic36]

Okay, put the battery in and it started fine. It took a while to get it that way, had to lock/unlock, then it tried to start once (had a quick shh sound) and didn't so I took off the neg cable, put it back on, did everything all over again and it started right up. It's still idling high, so I may clean the EGR and look in my shop manual, maybe the little screw on the throttle body needs tightened a bit more.. I had to do it once before when I got the car back from the shop (it was idling at 2500K).