Clarification: The first battery also had to be jump started in order for the car to start. Once started, if I shut it off, it was dead again.
this battery did the same thing for a long time but now it won't jump start either.

 

Roger that, gets better. Sounds as if your correct, the only other thing I can think of is starter then. Those can draw high amperage, barely turn over and appears as bad battery. If starter turns over hard and dies, I’d put my money on that unless clicking is heard when turning key to start may indicate starter solenoid. Those can be integral with starter or separate.

Only relaying things I’ve had trouble with myself, Hanky may offer some better alternatives. Will say I’m not mechanic up front, just always worked on own cars and taught wheeled vehicle mechanics in Army- that’s it.

 

if I try to start the car without the jump starter hook to the battery, I get no sound at all....no clicking like I'd hear if a battery was dead from leaving lights on or something.

 

Um, click would be starter solenoid relay closing heavy duty contact points to allow the high amperage current to starter motor, heavy red cable(s).

Your starter isn’t heat soaked but components can expand so much as with my other car when they race (Boss Mustang) that it will completely bind the starter up- similar symptoms. I won’t track mine of coarse but once the starter cools down everything’s OK. Even make a heat proof wrap for starters under those conditions.

Yup, when I had my Plymouth road runner that happened to me a few times (50 years back). Had to be battery cause you’d walk away, return and car would start right up. New battery, started right up- problem solved. Nope, took nothing but a new starter to fix that issue. But car wouldn’t start again much better lol.

Remember drove car into woods late November, found a hollow and all kinds of room to crawl underneath car. Fell asleep even, beautiful warm, sunny afternoon...... Next day major snow storm, that’s Maine.

These forums bring back times long forgotten; good ole days weren’t ever that good. Car very close to photo was 383, not 440 or Hemi. Many don’t know what a road runner was.

 

Okay - I'll replace the starter and see what happens

 

For the sake of curiosity, when I change the battery in my odyssey or in the camry, there is a code or a special process I have to go through in order for the computer to understand that it has a new battery (I guess).
Would this 1985 park avenue have something like that?

 

To those of us who do this work everyday , we think nothing of using some simple tools to help with some not complicated electrical problems.

If you would like to or do some of your own work I would suggest investing in a fairly good test lite.
If you did have a test lite you would connect the alligator clip to to the smaller terminal of the two on the starter. Then just poke the pointed end into any good metal part that has a clean good ground (sheet metal) . Now when you turn the key to the start position , you should see the test lite lite up, if power is getting from the key switch to that solenoid on the starter. Keep in mind ,the power has to go through a neutral safety switch on the way to the starter solenoid. If the test lite lites up bright power is getting to the solenoid and if nothing happens like the starter attempting to operate, the solenoid or starter is defective. If it doesn't lite there could be a problem with a blown fuse for the starter circuit or bad safety switch or poor or open connection between the ign sw and the solenoid on the starter. Sometimes if the brushes inside the starter are worn, and all you hear is a click, an old mechanics trick was to tap the starter with a hammer once or twice and the starter would operate. That gave you a chance to get another starter before it wouldn't work anymore.
Rich, I know you knew all this and if I left anything out , please correct as you see fit and maybe we can help sputterbug OK. Thanks.

 

I’d say definitely not as I had a Dodge Daytona Turbo Z in ‘85 and things not that advanced yet. Would imagine with newer, computers return to default settings as the newer systems have a parasitic feature that being the case.

Starter bearings or bronze sleeves can wear out and throw things out of alignment. Those have brushes also, can wear out. Maybe Hanky has a few more ideas or he may agree. Not telling you what to do but it would be my next step, see if it even turns freely by hand after taken out, meaning pinion gear. Also if starter relay/solenoid is separate or integral with starter. Those go bad also. Lawnmower had to change both at different intervals, exact same principal.

No, not familiar with Buick’s at all, even still our ‘16 LaCrosse we’ve had going on 4 years now. Didn’t see you there Hanky must have posted just before me lol, glad to see you here. You covered much better than I did, maybe between us she’ll find problem.

 

To Rich and shutterbug,
If we can't get this problem solved , I better pack my bags and go home !

Let's start here and see just what we have.,
If you install a new completely charged battery in that 85 Buick and the battery goes dead shortly after that , something is draining it.
Until we find it , one thing we can do is remove the negative battery cable when we have to stop and that should prevent the battery from going down until we reconnect the cable again and continue looking for the problem. Agreed ?
My first thought since the missing hose was brought up would be to unplug that compressor for the automatic level control. We don't know if it is internally jammed and attempting to operate thereby pulling the battery down, so disconnecting it will just remove that as a possibility. OK, yes- no ?

If shutterbug doesn't find anything with the starter or circuitry , we'll go from there, OK ?

There should be a relay that controls that leveling compressor if it can't be unplugged, we'll just remove the relay
Under the fuse panel cover there should be a description as to just which relay position it is.
If the owner's manual is still in the vehicle it should contain all the info needed to determine fuse and relay location.( in the fuse and relay section)

There is norequirement in the 85 Buick that requires the system to be informed of a battery change.

 

LOL, don’t do that Hanky your the mechanic, I never worked on cars for a trade. Often thought I might but where I worked many have died from lung cancer- too much asbestos exposure.

Good point on compressor, that line may of been to pump up pneumatic shocks with pressurized shutoff; no connection, it would run a long time. Didn’t mean to step on your post earlier, had no idea you posted ‘till after.

One time under hood light wasn’t shutting off or trunk lt. could do it and would actually run down battery. No problem with our car, doesn’t have one but maybe in ‘85? Good topic here, getting Q&A’s and moving along. Not answering decade old ones anyways like I do sometimes.