jdmkolbi proclaimed:
> went to start my durango this morning and when i turn the key all i hear is
> a rapid clicking. there was a bunch of green crud bulit up on the negative
> terminal that i cleaned off but it still doesnt start. the crud has been
> there for a while and when i clean it it would jsut come back and never
> affected anything before this. the day before it started no problem. is my
> starter engine bad? cables? thanks
If you let green crud build up, it is very likely that your care for
your battery and charging system is severely lacking. Hopefully
this is not bad enough to cost you a new battery. However if your
battery is 4-6 years old, is a good idea to replace it anyway.
Your battery has to charge up as you drive. The green crud tends to
make this difficult.
Check to make sure your battery isn't leaking. Leaks will tend to
look like a greasy crud across the top of the battery. Best not to
touch it as it is sulfuric acid. Clean the top of the battery well
with a plastic bristle brush and baking soda. Wear eye protection as
battery acid in your eye tends to sting a bit and could damage your
eye.
Then carefully pull the battery terminals and clean them. Make sure
the inside is nice and bright and shiny. Then put them back on the
battery. If you have a buddy to run errands, get a battery brush to
shine up the inside of the terminals, plus get a set of those
protective felt washers and put them under your connections.
Then you may need a jump to get started. Run your engine for an hour
with no lights or heater fan on. Then stop it. Try to start, which
if fails, your battery is probably toast. If that works, run the
engine for about ten minutes then turn it off. Then turn on the
key and turn on your headlights and leave them on for about 10
minutes. Then turn off the headlights and try to start. If this
fails, your battery is only getting a skin charge and the most likely
culprit is your battery.
Figure a new battery will run you $50 to 90. So does a good pair of
walking shoes. Spring for a new battery and you can avoid the need
for the walking shoes.
Seriously, if there is a Sears automotive near you, they can check
your battery and charging system quickly. If your battery is old,
buy a new DieHard and you get that charging system check as part of
the install. However, clean those connections first, or at least
clean the crud off the top of your battery and ask your Sears store
if they can clean and tighten the terminals, plus spring for a set
of felt protectors. Change those protectors no less often than once
every two years.
