[john97rdstr]

i have a 97 diablo.i keep it on a trickkle charger when not in use.idrove it last night,whev i got in and tried starting all lights on etc. but it did not turn over.i put it in and out 0f gear and it started fine,no hesitation.went to dinner,after dinner,started fine .this a.m. same thing as last night: lights on no fuel pumps coming on,just a click, no start. i have a new battery and a1-yr old alternator. is it a short? an immobilizer?(no aftermarket alarms),starter? HELP!!!! :

 

[SI LAMBO]

Hope this helps

John,
Sounds like a short to me. I had the same thing happen with my 88 vette. After five years of four batteries, fuel pump, and alternator, a kid pumping gas at my regular fuel stop (The car wouldn't start after I stopped for gas and shut off the car) told me to check the wire to the fuel pump around the fuel intake. Bingo! The funniest thing, he tapped the gas intake with a hammer and it started right up. I had to do this several times before the wire was replaced. His brother had a car like mine and had the same problem.

My Diablo did the same thing, but went away after I changed the battery to an Optima.

I would first check the voltage outputs of the battery and alternator. Your car needs a lot of juice to start. I think 600 cold cranking amps. Electrical shorts that are intermittent are very hard to find. At $100 (and upward) you don't want just anyone trying to find out what is going on. Make someone find the real problem. Don't just have anyone bull$#@* you into changing this or that needlessly.

Good luck.

 

[ltadmin]

The clicking noise you describe sounds like the starter solenoid. A low battery or a sticking/weak/bad solenoid would give the same symptoms, so it's not possible to give one definative answer. Batteries are the cheapest by far, so trying a new battery is the best, most cost effective way to test this problem.

 

[raymond]

The Optima Battery is amazing, I have one in my oldtimer which has only 6V, the battery is always connected and even after 9 month it has enough power to start the engine. That car has a mechanic fuel pump, this means you have to turn it over for quite a long time to refill the carb.

Perhaps your starter relais got bad... Normally the fuel pump should pump for 15 second then the fuel pump relais needs the current from the ignition.

 

[john97rdstr]

thank you all for the replies.i think it has to do with the alarm/immobilizer.it started again fine BUT.... my hazards are flashing for ~30 blinks and they stop for ~10" and then start flashing again .also i cannnot lock my doors manually;when i turn the key,it power-locks and then immediately unlocks itself.i dont really care about the security of the car as it is never out of sight but it would be damn embarrasing to not be able to leave a reastaurant,function etc. by the way my car is a true 97 not 971/2;i did not think that in 96-97 the ignition was connected to the alarm.Ideas??

 

[ltadmin]

Oh yea, hazards flashing is the alarm!!!!!

first try a new battery for the key fob!!!