Why won't it start?

[marky]

Battery has gone flat after the alternator packed up, I think I've sorted the alternator, but now it won't start. Tried my booster pack seaveral times, but it seems like it had no charge ( even though its been on charge for ages). Tried jump starting off of wifeys Td5, but there is even less life than off the booster pack! Engines turning over 2 or three times before giving up. I've took the connections off the battery, cleaned them up and replaced them but no change! Anyone got any ideas, I've got a couple of other things to do before a meetup on Sunday and I need to get it started or I can't go!

[Ricky]

you dont say what vehicle your trying to start i assume its a 300

[karlo]

Try charging the battery on the vehicle your trying to start, cos it may be past it.

[marky]

Yeah, its a 300. I would have thought it would have started with the booster or jump start, even if the battery was really flat.
There was nothing wrong (as far as I know) with the battery before and its always started strongly.

[karlo]

Sometimes they seem to get past the point of no return and won't start properly unless they have a certain level of charge even by jumpstart.

[lurch_917]

as karlo says sometimes if your battery  is dead flat they wont start on a jump or boostpack as these  arnt putting enough wallop in

[wizard]

Try attaching a jump lead from the engine block to the negative battery terminal. It might be that you have a bad earth

wizard :twisted:

[Disco Matt]

Check the electrolyte level in the battery too (assuming it's not a sealed one) - mind you, my last Genuine Parts one was happily starting the car with two cells almost dry for some months until I investigated where the white powder around the caps had come from... :shock:

[marky]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. The battery was as flat as a very flat thing :doh:. Charged it up and it started no problem. I thought it would start with a booster or jump leads no matter how flat the battery, now i know different! Thanks