# Zero charge flowing to car even with jump cant start **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** thunderbird, start, ford\ **Created:** [January 13, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907 "2011-01-13T19:27:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TBIRD76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@TBIRD76](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TBIRD76)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/1 "2011-01-13T19:27:19Z")
My Tbird wont start. turn key, no click, no, dash lights nothing. Rang AAA, they came out to jump car still nothing, i mean zero charge, even with the jumper pack attached to my battery there was no charge coming in. My batter is under 6 months old. don?t think it the start motor as there isn?t even a charge flowing into the car. The alternator? maybe but it has never been a problem? Coil wire the ignition leads are as old as the battery under six months… Any ideas would be appreciated. Many Thanks, ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/2 "2011-01-13T19:36:11Z")
If the battery connectors are bad then this could cause the problem. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/3 "2011-01-13T19:36:21Z")
Check the battery cable connections (clean and tight) at both ends of both cables. Also test the continuity of the battery cables. ---
**Author:** ![TBIRD76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@TBIRD76](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TBIRD76)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/4 "2011-01-13T19:39:57Z")
yeah they all seem to normal, the AAA guy went through it as well and he was scratching his head… thanks though i will go and have another look and make sure they are all connected. properly. also checked the earth wire too that was secure as well. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/5 "2011-01-13T20:47:46Z")
We see this condition time and time again when the dead battery is reall,really dead. Your car will never display the same reliability as it used too until you replace the battery. Bringing a battery down to a total discharge state damages the battery. ---
**Author:** ![JayWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@JayWB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JayWB)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/6 "2011-01-13T20:56:56Z")
The car needs some troubleshooting done rather than random guesswork repairs. Get a voltmeter and use it to check the battery voltage, battery cables and connections. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/7 "2011-01-13T21:07:46Z")
The battery is most likely ok. The trouble is most likely due to a blown fusible link or bad power connection from the battery to the power panel under the hood which distributes power to all the accessories in the car. Using a test light probe check to see if power is getting to the panel under the hood. If that is okay then you need to check for power getting to the ignition switch and beyond it. ---
**Author:** ![tarcaulk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tarcaulk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tarcaulk)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 5:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/8 "2011-01-14T05:10:28Z")
“Bringing a battery down to a total discharge state damages the battery.” That’s interesting. What’s the mechanism for that? ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 5:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/9 "2011-01-14T05:11:27Z")
Connect the pos and neg jumper cable ends to the neg terminal on the battery and the other two ends to some metal attached to the engine block and try to start the engine. If the starter turns, replace the negative battery cable. Or, just check the negative cable for cracked rubber and change it if you find cracks. Or, change the negative battery cable without looking at it. Some old Fords had an extra lug that connected to the inner fender. Sometimes it is russsty. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/10 "2011-01-14T19:14:53Z")
You need to redeem yourself from “troll” status first, lets see if you can behave yourself for a while.I won’t give you fish (in fact I won’t even teach you to fish) but here [http://www.progressivedyn.com/battery\_basics.html](http://www.progressivedyn.com/battery_basics.html) [http://www.progressivedyn.com/battery\_basics.html](http://www.progressivedyn.com/battery_basics.html) ---
**Author:** ![tarcaulk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tarcaulk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tarcaulk)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/11 "2011-01-14T22:42:30Z")
It’s a valid question. In the digital world there are batteries that the manufacturer TELLS you to “deep-cycle” i.e. fully discharge. Different technology, I know, but a valid question. NO NEED FOR YOU TO GET SNIPPY and prove “Whitey’s Law” (thank you, Whitey). The link you provided didn’t address the question: “What’s the mechanism for that?” so it was less than useful. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/12 "2011-01-14T22:58:07Z")
google it,you will find your answer. Right at figure #5 it is explained. Do I have to do everything for you? ---
**Author:** ![tarcaulk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tarcaulk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tarcaulk)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/13 "2011-01-15T23:08:39Z")
You’re right, I missed that. "LEAD ACID BATTERY DISCHARGE CYCLE In figure # 5 the battery is now fully discharged, the plates are almost completely covered with lead sulfate (sulfation) and voltage has dropped to 10.5-volts." ``` Fully discharged, yet still putting out 10.5 volts. Super! ``` “NOTE: Discharging a lead acid battery below 10.5 volts will severely damage it!” ``` Yet at 10.5 volts it's fully discharged. Super! ``` “Lead sulfate (sulfation) now coats most of the battery plates. Lead sulfate is a soft material, which can is reconverted back into lead and sulfuric acid, provided the discharged battery is immediately connected to a battery charger. If a lead acid battery is not immediately recharged, the lead sulfate will begin to form hard crystals, which can not be reconverted by a standard fixed voltage (13.6 volts) battery converter/charger.” ``` And the definition of "immediately" is....? Nice site, nice cite, but self-contradictory, and contradicts my personal experience. Plus the site is devoted to selling battery-charging equipment. Thanks just the same. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/zero-charge-flowing-to-car-even-with-jump-cant-start/59907/14 "2011-01-15T23:17:37Z")
You don’t give the year your T-Bird was manufactured. I do remember that some Ford models in the late 1960’s had a problem where the positive battery cable connected to the starter motor and the cars would have the same symptoms you describe. As other posters have recommended, check both ends of each battery cable.