B-STOCK

If your battery goes dead can you start a C5 by rolling it down a hill or pushing it and let the clutch out to start it. The newer cars don't have a on position for the ignition but the C5 still does. Just wondering after all these years if there is anything in the computer that would not let you start the car in this manner. Thanks, Mike

JR-01

Good question. I don't think it would start because it needs sufficient electricity to run the computer and ignition. Old cars would start if the battery did not have enough juice to crank the car but enough for the ignition and once started the alternator would supply the electricity.

Might depend on what percentage the battery is charged if push starting would work.

redzg

Haven't tried it, but betting the answer is no, you can't. It's not just the computer, it hasn't really worked since fuel injection and ignitions went electronic. Your battery has to have at least enough juice to run the fuel pump and ignition -- computer controlled ignition -- at the same time.
Maybe, if the starter is just turning slow or going from slow to click, so that the push is basically replacing the starter. But even then I doubt it.

4XLR8N

acuevo

I did this on a newer fuel injected Civic at work once. Worked like a charm... BUT lets not forget that the Vette has twice as many cylinders and nearly 4 extra liters of displacement. I'm sure that would come into play.

blackmachdown

Yes, I did it yesterday

JR-01

How dead was your battery?

dbgoodwin

Yeah it works just fine. With my walmart battery that came in the car I had to do it several times, mostly due to my own deliberate leaving my parking lights on while I was in a store so the buckets would stay up.

Also have done it in a corolla, a celica, a 350z, a mercury cougar, a Civic, a 3 valve mustang, and several others, all of which were newer fuel injected cars.

My 350z wouldn't jump one time, when it was dead as a door nail, but if there's even a little juice at all it will usually start.

Route99

Good to know. I would have thought, like others, that there was too much going on with the new systems to let that work.

Not4spd

Had to do it with a 2005 GTO, a previous I car had. No problem.

blackmachdown

Dead enough to unlock the car but not click the starter. Got a charge system fault after it started.

Vetteman Jack

Wasn't sure it would work on the newer cars either.

B-STOCK

So it did start the old fashioned way of putting the ignition on and popping the clutch right. I would not do that unless I was desperate and in that case would not mind the fault.

burneyr

I did it two weeks ago. Got a low volt message on the DIC, but it went right away after driving down the road.

B-STOCK

Great. Remember the old days-50 & 60s when we would play out radios on accessory for hours at a time with the doors open and interior lights on and the cars would start right up. The C5 seems especially prone to not start even when a little discharged is used. Hood open at shows w/light on etc. Nice to know we can jump the sticks in these.

jepifania

So did I, got the same message. Message still pops up every 20 minutes or so, and its been 3 months since I push started it.

Someone told me I probably fried some of the copper windings in the Alternator...hmmmm???

JR-01

Might want to do more research before trying to push start one of these cars. With all the complex electronics I would not want to try it.

crazystevex

I've done it on mine before but the battery was just low enough to make the starter click but not turn over. No ill after effects

Whiteonrice

If I lived on top of a hill I might be tempted.

KnightDriveTV

As long as it isn't completely dead, it'll start. There is a minimum voltage to make the pcm and systems function, but yeah...did it plenty of times back when I was going through optimas like oil changes. If it'll light up and sweep the gauges, it'll roll start.