Battery Question
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,675
Likes: 13
From: Sudbury MA
Battery Question
Car has started fine every day, new alternator (one month old) is charging perfect according to gauge.
Stopped at gas station after driving 15 miles, car would not start , would not even turn ove ror click starter solenoid.
Coonections perfectly clean.
Put jumpers on it from wife's minivan, after 10 minutes finally started. Drove it 5 miles to home, pulled in garage, shut it off, tried to restart, quiet as a mouse, no clicks form starter, would not turn over.
Checked voltage at battery 12.87 volts, watched voltmeter while wife tried to start and it reads 6 volts but will not start.
Took battery out of car, digital voltage meter shows 12.85 volts and gradually drops by one tenth every 30 seconds or so while on bench.
Battery is 7 years old.
Is it the battery or is it something else electrical?????
Are there any tests I can do to narrow down what it is.
No prior electrical problems of any kind.
Always started right up perfect until today.
Thank you
Kurt
Stopped at gas station after driving 15 miles, car would not start , would not even turn ove ror click starter solenoid.
Coonections perfectly clean.
Put jumpers on it from wife's minivan, after 10 minutes finally started. Drove it 5 miles to home, pulled in garage, shut it off, tried to restart, quiet as a mouse, no clicks form starter, would not turn over.
Checked voltage at battery 12.87 volts, watched voltmeter while wife tried to start and it reads 6 volts but will not start.
Took battery out of car, digital voltage meter shows 12.85 volts and gradually drops by one tenth every 30 seconds or so while on bench.
Battery is 7 years old.
Is it the battery or is it something else electrical?????
Are there any tests I can do to narrow down what it is.
No prior electrical problems of any kind.
Always started right up perfect until today.
Thank you
Kurt
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Be careful with that battery it sounds like it might be shorting internally.If it arches inside its possible it could explode.I would buy a new battery.Even if you have other problems (like a bad neg.battery cable)you have gotten good service from the battery.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,640
Likes: 3,103
From: Shamong, NJ
That battery owes you nothing, at this point, good or bad, replace it. If the problem persists, look at the coil. Cooling oil breaks down in old coils, as they get hot, they stop working, cool down and they work fine again.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,557
Likes: 0
From: Ridgeway VA
If you make lots of short trips the alternator will not have time to charge the battery - thus, no starting. I had the same problem - the solution was a Interstate battery - about $80 - with a 850CA cranking amps, and 650 CCA cold cranking amps - in other words don't get the cheapest battery. I've had mine for about 6 years, with every other weekend driving, with no problems. Of course a propertly tuned engine will give faster starts - new plugs, etc. Have fun!!!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
You have actually done the test, Kurt, when you tried to start the car. With your volt meter hooked up, you mentioned the voltage dropped from 12.78 to 6 volts. This is called a load test and a good battery won't go much under 10 or 11 volts with this test.
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Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,685
Likes: 61
Hope the new one holds.
But if not, don't mess around. Get an Optima Red Top, $110-$130 at Costco.
Had one in a '63 Nova with big 388 sprint car motor. Left it in garage for SIX months, and it spun that high compression engine instantly, Varroom!
Now they're in all my cars and trucks as soon as the "light duty" batteries give up.
But if not, don't mess around. Get an Optima Red Top, $110-$130 at Costco.
Had one in a '63 Nova with big 388 sprint car motor. Left it in garage for SIX months, and it spun that high compression engine instantly, Varroom!
Now they're in all my cars and trucks as soon as the "light duty" batteries give up.
