Roadster won't start - looking for some diagnostic advice

[Slider]

I've had the MK4 on the lift for storage and went to start it yesterday to move it off. It wouldn't start. Here's the experience and what I've tried.

1. Turned the key... Click, click,click,click,click. Figure its a dead battery as I didn't have the battery tender on it (last start was about a month ago, which also required me to charge the battery, but no problem starting after that)
2. Charge battery, check battery with meter and it shows 12.47 volts. Guage in car shows the same. Turn the key...click, click, click, click. No Start
3. Lift car - check the volts at the starter. 12.37 volts at the input from the battery.
4. Remove all cables from starter, clean connections, reattach cables. Turn key, click, click, click, click
5. Remove battery cables from battery... clean posts, reattach battery cables. Turn Key, click, click, Click, Click
6. Preliminary tracing of cables indicates no damage to cables.
7. Battery is about 7 years old, so may need replacing.... but again voltage shows find. Not able to check cranking amps as I don't have that tester (or don't know how to do it with my voltmeter)

Where do I go from here?

[TMartinLVNV]

A free option is to take a battery from your daily driver and try it out. Or just connect it with jumpers.

[KDubU]

I would replace battery as the first step. Get a good quality one, charge it up as they can sit on store shelves for a bit.

You do or don’t have a voltmeter?

[Slider]

Thanks for the quick response. I should have mentioned the following:
1. I did also try to jump the battery using the "Jump Start" feature of my Charger. No difference. Would a different batter (one from my DD, which is brand new, give me any new information as opposed to trying to jump it? I suppose it could but figured I had that sort of checked off with the jump start attempt)
2. I do have a Voltmeter

[Jeff Kleiner]

Voltage doesn't mean that you have amperage. I'd suspect the battery---especially if it was dead only a month ago (unless it's an Optima which is a different discussion).

Jeff

[Slider]

Voltage doesn't mean that you have amperage. I'd suspect the battery---especially if it was dead only a month ago (unless it's an Optima which is a different discussion).

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. I'm hoping that is correct. I was planning on replacing the battery in the spring, so not a big deal to give it a try now. Thanks

[Papa]

What Jeff said. Amps are the key. In electrical parlance, it's not the volts that will kill you, it's the amps.

[TMartinLVNV]

What Jeff said. Amps are the key. In electrical parlance, it's not the volts that will kill you, it's the amps.

Dave, which one makes it feel like ants are crawling up your arm when you are working on a household outlet without turning off the power??? :p :rolleyes:

[Papa]

Ha! A/C at 60Hz.

[Railroad]

You can put your jumper cables on the engine and starter. Put the negative, on the engine and the positive on the starter terminal where the battery cable hooks up. You might check the engine ground before you do any of the above. An easy way to do this is clip the jumper cable on the engine and then the frame, hope the frame is grounded.

[rich grsc]

You can put your jumper cables on the engine and starter. Put the negative, on the engine and the positive on the starter terminal where the battery cable hooks up. You might check the engine ground before you do any of the above. An easy way to do this is clip the jumper cable on the engine and then the frame, hope the frame is grounded.

I hope you DON'T put one cable on the engine and one on the frame. One to the starter, then one to the frame.

[SteveHsr]

Measure battery voltage while cranking;a big sag below 10volts indicates bad battery.

[CraigS]

Buy a new battery. I always replace them at 5 years whether they need it or not. Even when I was working as a Lexus tech w/ access to a sophisticated battery tester I still used my 5 year rule. It's just not worth it to have a dead battery because it always occurs at the worst time.

[Railroad]

I hope you DON'T put one cable on the engine and one on the frame. One to the starter, then one to the frame.

I do too, since that is not what I posted.