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'00 Camaro No Power at all


BlackBlazOn
09-15-2009, 09:00 PM
Need help!

My 2000 Camaro SS (M6) with 31,000 miles was acting strange on the way to work today - there was a high pitch whine that sounded like a turbo or something that changed with the throttle. When I turned the car off, the power cut out (no radio even tho the door was still closed), and the needles on the gauges all flickered to the max position, then back down to zero. Later in the day, it had a tough time turning over but then it started up on the second try. I drove it fine for a few minutes, then after turning it off, it would not start up again. Now, there is NO POWER at all - door locks, accessories, even the rear hatch opener won't work, and of course I cannot start the car.

No fuel pump motor since there is no power
Battery is less than a year old and there were sparks when i tried jumping it
All the fuses and relays looked fine to me

I'm wondering if it is one of the other larger relays such as the battery or starter relays. Any way to check those or should I just try replacing them? What else could it be?

Help!

az_jobu
09-15-2009, 09:17 PM
check to see if any of the relays are the same as to the one you are questioning and switch them. For example, if your starter relay and the horn relay look the same, make sure the horn blows, then switch them. Also check your main wiring harness from the battery, to the alt and starter making sure that everything is tight.

izzydjinn
09-15-2009, 09:22 PM
You gave all the symptoms of a failing altenator. But where I'm stumped is on that you got it to start again.

BlackBlazOn
09-16-2009, 06:00 AM
i thought maybe alternator, but when I was still able to drive it, the battery guage was reading normal (actually over 13V).

izzydjinn
09-16-2009, 12:18 PM
I'm still leaning towards the alternator. Being a 2000, have you ever changed it? You probably have a stereo system? Right? Specially if you have an amplifier, that's going to kill the alternator much quicker. Because on mine, it did the same thing gauges going crazy before the alt died. But mine did die, but for the longest time it sounded as if I had a turbo, I would even press on the throttle to make it louder.

BlackBlazOn
09-16-2009, 08:42 PM
well, got the problem at least partially solved. after the first local auto store told me the battery was good, they spent some time charging it and then re-checked and...what do you know? The battery was actually bad. I had it verified at the store that i bought it at, and since it was under warranty (Interstate, only 18 months old) they gave me a new one, gratis.

now, I'm still not sure if it was truely just a bad battery, or if there is something that is draining the battery. checked the grounds and battery cables...all look good. now that i have the car back home in the garage, i'll check the alternator.

thanks guys.

izzydjinn
09-16-2009, 09:33 PM
Well a battery doesn't just act up like that, sooooo bor. The easiest way to check your alt. Is start the car, while is running disconnect the pos from the battery. Don't worry it won't shock you, just don't let touch other metal. If the car is still running, then it was the. Battery or an electrical short somewhere.

classic_327
11-07-2009, 02:53 PM
change your alternator, sounds like a bad bearing inside it. it will still charge with bad bearings,but its just a matter of time before it locks up. quick test, take off the belt grab the pully and shake it around. there should be NO play in any direction, if there is you have a bad bearing. another way is just touch it right after about a 20 min drive, if its too hot to touch, its bad. hope this helps

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