Need help fast, car won't start

[FuriousJDMLBM]

1990 ex, auto. when i turn the key, loud click from the starter, interior light dims so it is drawing power. battery is fine. it' has been leaking oil/low, but i keep making sure enough is in there.

i tried removing ecu fuse and battery completely, didn't work. starting in neutral didn't work either.

does anybody have any ideas???

it does not crank, and the fuel pump does turn on, has a new main relay

[FuriousJDMLBM]

battery is fine, i see no reason for the starter to die. it sounds like it wants to go, but something after the starter doesn't feel like it. i can push it easily in neutral, so the tranny isn't locking the engine from cranking

[FuriousJDMLBM]

voltage is 12.67v after sitting for about 2.5 hours. i didn't check under a load, need more ppl for that. the only other idea i can come up with is seized engine, which i hope it isn't

[shadetreecustom]

as a last ditch effort knock the shit out the starter with something it might be hung up

[trendyexr]

Sounds like it could be the all too common distributor.. Take it apart and see how it's doing inside there.

[YK86]

I know you sort of ruled it out but it sounds like the battery. A bad battery can read 12+V but as soon as you try to start it, it'll drop down below 10V which isn't enough to crank and all the lights dim. I would try jumping the car or swapping with a good known battery so you can rule it out 100%. Also clean the terminals and check the ground wires for bad/broken connection.

Once those are totally ruled out, you can move onto the other things that might be causing it.

[jhondayaaj]

I know you sort of ruled it out but it sounds like the battery. A bad battery can read 12+V but as soon as you try to start it, it'll drop down below 10V which isn't enough to crank and all the lights dim. I would try jumping the car or swapping with a good known battery so you can rule it out 100%. Also clean the terminals and check the ground wires for bad/broken connection.

Once those are totally ruled out, you can move onto the other things that might be causing it.

thats right. a battery may have 12.5 volts but the cca might be at 200 or less. try replacing the battery and check the voltage with the vehicle running when the car is fully warmed up. if you have at least 14.2 volts then the alternator is ok. if you have less than 14.0v, then you have a bad alternator.