Car won't start

[lasvegan]

I have been having trouble starting my car. It will not start off the battery or from a jump start. However, the car will start by "push starting" it.

The battery was practially dead (so much that the windows wouldn't roll down), but after push starting, and driving for a while, the radio, lights, and windows all worked while the engine is not running. Am I correct in assuming that this means the alternator and battery are not the problem?

I replaced the battery terminals and notice that the positive cable was very corroded. Is it possible that this corrosion is stopping enough electricity to start the car (but letting enough electricity through so that everything else will work)?

I was planning on starting to replace parts until the car starts off the battery. I am planning on replacing them in the follwoing order (ordered by price):

battery cablesolenoidstarter

I was wondering if anyone could tell me which of those is most likely the problem, if there are any tests I could do to see if the parts do not need to be replaced, and if anything else could be the problem

Thanks in advance!

[Nismo_Freak]

Sounds like a poor battery... go to Autozone they will test it for free.

[lasvegan]

Am i wrong in thinking that if the battery was bad it would not have charged enough for me to do everything (use the lights, radio, windows ect) after push starting it?

[Nismo_Freak]

The way it works is the battery will hold a weaker charge than it should usually. The battery usually won't be able to hold the charge for too long causing you to have to jumpstart the car when it gets weak. In your case the alternator had charged the battery up from being ran, which allowed you to do that.

Just have it tested... it's free of charge and a simple as it comes for a fix if it is indeed your problem.

[lasvegan]

I will go to autozone after work...For futurte reference, wouldn't I still be able to start the car with jumper cables if the battery was bad? I can only start my car by push starting.

[Nismo_Freak]

Sometimes... depends on how bad the battery is.

I've had cases go both ways.

Remember the alternator puts out a crapload more amps than another car's battery.