Battery not charging
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Central Oregon
Battery not charging
Went for the first test drive in my 81 after installing a new cam, lifters and push rods. Ended up having to get jump started when I stopped for fuel. It has a new battery and volt gauge shows 13 -14 volts. Any ideas where to start looking?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 119
From: Springfield Missouri
using a meter, check voltage coming out of alt, should be 14.2 volts, also at battery. Battery may be run down, use a charge to charge battery then check for voltage, 12+ volts there, if not have the battery checked for amps.(it may have 12+volts but have a weak cell) Don't count on the car to charge a low battery very fast. Use a battery charger to do that.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Check to see if your battery 12v or higher, Start the car and put your voltmeter across the battery terminals and it should be 14v or higher.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Central Oregon
Ok, charged the battery, checked 12V at battery. Started car and checked 14V at alternator and 14V at battery. Went for a test drive and when I returned home shut car off and tried to restart. Car restarted, but didn't crank over real strong like it did right after I charged battery. Battery is only about 3 weeks old. Next step is to take battery back to where I bought it and have it tested.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 49
From: Bridgewater nj
It's not unheard of to get a bad battery! It's been happening a lot lately... I had a Harley battery that was bad from day one and a red top optimum battery do the same thing after 3 months.
If you have an optimum battery with the glass mat 6 pack design, they have to be charged with high amperage if they go dead. Like 80-100 amp jump start charge until they start hissing and cooking.
If you have an optimum battery with the glass mat 6 pack design, they have to be charged with high amperage if they go dead. Like 80-100 amp jump start charge until they start hissing and cooking.
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Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
clean up the grounds, especially the short {12-14} inches from the battery to the frame...the engines will seek a ground through the brake lines and also the shifter cable....normally the reason the cables corrode up and break
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Central Oregon
Think I found the problem. Went to pull the battery out to have tested and found I didn't tighten the connections when I installed it. OOPS....
When I installed the new cam I double checked all nuts and bolts, guess I forgot to check the battery. Seems to work fine now. Thanks for all the help.
When I installed the new cam I double checked all nuts and bolts, guess I forgot to check the battery. Seems to work fine now. Thanks for all the help.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Central Oregon
UPDATE: Turns out it wasn't the loose connections after all. Still had issues, so I took the battery in to dealer and had it tested. It tested bad. Have had no issues with new battery.