Battery related questions ; cum How to start a manual car?

[phunkydude]

I usually only drive my fto during the weekend.
My previous fto got a small battery with one amp and it able to startup with no problem even i didn't drive it for 3 weeks+.

And now my current fto got capacitors + 2 subs + amps.
Battery was flat-out 2 weeks ago and tried jump-start but to no avail, so got a new 520cca battery for it.
I started up and drove it fine last weekend. But today, i cranked the sh*t out of it for like 10+ times and it started at last. I saw the voltmeter was sitting at 8 or 9V before i got it started.

Questions:

1) Is it normal for battery to lost its charge within a week? I didn't crank up the audio at all. Would it be the capacitors that strain the alternator hence not enough to charge up the battery even i drove it every weekend?

2) Do the shops maintain the charge of the new batteries that they put up on the shelf for sell? Or, the shelf batteries usually low on charge and needs to be charged up by consumer before use?

3) Is it OK to crank the engine for that much times just to start it up? Will i damage anything? I know the fuel drops like sh*t for each and every time i crank the engine.

Thanks.

[bass_twitch]

Check your alternator.
Also try unplugging your amps/subs from the battery for a week or two and see if that's the cause?

[Sahin]

Is your remote wire on your amps wired into your headunit remote wire? And what about your capacitors what tells them to turn on? are they wired into your amps remote wire? Check if anything is on when the car is off

[Taz]

My capacitor runs for a good 5min after my car shuts off and i crank my tunes almost every time i drive, doubt its the capacitor causing it. (unless it never turns off??)
I would say its probably the battery needing to be broken in from being on the shelf for god knows how long!

Check your alternator.
Also try unplugging your amps/subs from the battery for a week or two and see if that's the cause?

^^^ This if u can survive without your tunes

[Kustom]

Did it have trouble cranking ? If not, its not a battery issue man.

I wouldn't crank any longer then 10seconds per minute. You will damage your starter.

[phunkydude]

I don't how it's wired man.
Guess the only way to determine whether it's the alternator is to wait and see the battery goes flat?

It cranks but won't start. Couple of times it started for like 0.5secs then dead. This morning is the 1st encounter.
No problem starting it just now in afternoon and night.

sh*t man.. i cranked it like continuously...

[BearOnFire]

Can wear out the starter motor gears.

Check your alternator.
Also try unplugging your amps/subs from the battery for a week or two and see if that's the cause?

The alternator may not supply the right amount of voltage due to the audio gear. Have it modified by auto electrician to 24+ volts, depending on your needs. That or a faulty alternator overall.

Get a auto electrician to check the amps on the alternator, and measure the current on the battery when the cars off, then again when on.

If it's audio problems, just listen to your engine

[Kustom]

To be honest man I don't think its a battery problem

[silverGPX]

Once its started go for a massive long drive and clear that thing out, just go absolute skitz in it!

[Bennoz]

Once its started go for a massive long drive and clear that thing out, just go absolute skitz in it!

This ^^
Go for a decent flog, its only way to get a decent charge back into the battery. Pussy footing around & only starting it once a week wont do it.

[phunkydude]

How to start a manual car correctly?

1) shift to 1st, clutch in, start engine.

or

2) put in neutral, start engine.


This morning, i cranked the sh*t out of it again and it won't start.
Then i shift to 1st, clutch in, and it started up with no problem.

Am i doing something stupid here?

[Bennoz]

Mate, its got an aftermarket computer in it, it will never be easy to start.

Mine takes a good 60 seconds of cranking before it'll even think about starting & then it'll cough & splutter for another 60 seconds before suddenly snapping out of it & hitting cold idle rpm.

And thats every morning... I drive it everyday. So I can imaging you're having issues if you're leaving it off for a week & expecting it to fire first thing. Its got nothing to do with whether you're in 1st or neutral.

Drive it! Everyday!

[Valandis91]

Even mine has issues starting! Always splutters then dies, then splutters for like ten seconds and finally fires up! Just one of the perks of having a modified car!

[Gholdwayne]

I've attempted jumpstarting my car - everything came on, dials, radio, aircon, etc but when I start it, all i hear is a loud buzz... Does that sound like a dead starter motor?

[Bennoz]

I've attempted jumpstarting my car - everything came on, dials, radio, aircon, etc but when I start it, all i hear is a loud buzz... Does that sound like a dead starter motor?

Thats the sound of someone needing to start their own thread

[Gholdwayne]

Ok

[phunkydude]

Hmm, tried again today and it started fine at the 1st crank with the clutch in and 1st gear.
The culprit was definitely something to do with starting it at neutral.
Hope i didn't damage anything. I cranked it like sh*t with full throttle during the last 2 times, didn't sound good as well with weird pops and cracking and sputtering sounds.

[BearOnFire]

That cracking/popping thingy could be unburnt fuel from the lean start-up mixture.
Easy on the starter motor, excessive cranking can over heat the gears leading to wear.