Battery issue
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 103
Likes: 7
Battery issue
Hi all!
My 91 C4 6 speed wouldn’t start this morning and all signs point to low charge from the battery.
The battery is from 2019. It recently got cooler here than it had been (40s).
my first inclination was to replace the battery outright. But I figured 2019 is still fairly new. So now I’m curious— did it just drain because it hasn’t been driven in a week and it got cold? Or is there an electrical draw somewhere? No interior lights have been left on and off and the under hood lights work quite well. I know I don’t have a lot of information to go off of, I plan on charging the battery with a tender and driving in a bit more never had issues with the battery in the past.
I ordered a battery tender to give that a try but i’m not sure. would love your thoughts. Thanks
My 91 C4 6 speed wouldn’t start this morning and all signs point to low charge from the battery.
The battery is from 2019. It recently got cooler here than it had been (40s).
my first inclination was to replace the battery outright. But I figured 2019 is still fairly new. So now I’m curious— did it just drain because it hasn’t been driven in a week and it got cold? Or is there an electrical draw somewhere? No interior lights have been left on and off and the under hood lights work quite well. I know I don’t have a lot of information to go off of, I plan on charging the battery with a tender and driving in a bit more never had issues with the battery in the past.
I ordered a battery tender to give that a try but i’m not sure. would love your thoughts. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: May 2000
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From: Plantation Florida USAF(Retired) 1966-1990
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My advice a 4 year old battery in Corvette, it would be the battery.
Jump the car, and take it to any parts store in your area, they can check your battery and tell you if it's need a charge or replacement.
Then you make a decision, a battery tender does what it says it keep your battery charged, it doesn't charge a dead battery.
I would say week doesn't kill good battery, get it checked before throwing parts, our local stores like Advance Auto, Autozone and O Reilly and others check for free, and if you buy battery even replace them if you don't know how.
Watch the video:
Jump the car, and take it to any parts store in your area, they can check your battery and tell you if it's need a charge or replacement.
Then you make a decision, a battery tender does what it says it keep your battery charged, it doesn't charge a dead battery.
I would say week doesn't kill good battery, get it checked before throwing parts, our local stores like Advance Auto, Autozone and O Reilly and others check for free, and if you buy battery even replace them if you don't know how.
Watch the video:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,874
Likes: 764
From: Sligo PA
Hi all!
My 91 C4 6 speed wouldn’t start this morning and all signs point to low charge from the battery.
The battery is from 2019. It recently got cooler here than it had been (40s).
my first inclination was to replace the battery outright. But I figured 2019 is still fairly new. So now I’m curious— did it just drain because it hasn’t been driven in a week and it got cold? Or is there an electrical draw somewhere? No interior lights have been left on and off and the under hood lights work quite well. I know I don’t have a lot of information to go off of, I plan on charging the battery with a tender and driving in a bit more never had issues with the battery in the past.
I ordered a battery tender to give that a try but i’m not sure. would love your thoughts. Thanks
My 91 C4 6 speed wouldn’t start this morning and all signs point to low charge from the battery.
The battery is from 2019. It recently got cooler here than it had been (40s).
my first inclination was to replace the battery outright. But I figured 2019 is still fairly new. So now I’m curious— did it just drain because it hasn’t been driven in a week and it got cold? Or is there an electrical draw somewhere? No interior lights have been left on and off and the under hood lights work quite well. I know I don’t have a lot of information to go off of, I plan on charging the battery with a tender and driving in a bit more never had issues with the battery in the past.
I ordered a battery tender to give that a try but i’m not sure. would love your thoughts. Thanks
I've had batteries be bad after a year. So it's very possible that it's just shot.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,219
Likes: 696
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Well this is an easy question to answer with a multi meter that can read DC amps. If you don't have one then stop what you're doing and go to Harbor Freight and get a basic automotive style meter. There decent one is under $50. Anyway open the hood and disconnect the under hood lights. Then remove the positive terminal on the battery. Open the passenger side door and use a stick or some other creative method to hold the door plunger button in. Then set your meter to DC amps and put the meter leads in series with the positive terminal on the battery and the positive lead. Wait 5 minutes. What is the current draw? Start removing fuses from the fuse box one at a time until the current draw goes down. Congratulations! you just found the circuit that your parasitic loss is on.
I've had batteries be bad after a year. So it's very possible that it's just shot.
I've had batteries be bad after a year. So it's very possible that it's just shot.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,219
Likes: 696
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,311
Likes: 1,125
From: Vermilion OH
My father in law had a draw in his 93 and kept having battery failure. He called me and we tracked it down to the vanity lights in the left side sunvisor. Couldn't see that they were on very easily bit when going through the parasitic draw testing, we found the culprit. They're easily overlooked.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,360
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It hasn't been established that one exists!
@Crusinfanatic was just being @Cruisinfanatic - Costco is a good go to and it might be wise to check product date code. Just record date code to the receipt and you're good
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,219
Likes: 696
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
@Crusinfanatic was just being @Cruisinfanatic - Costco is a good go to and it might be wise to check product date code. Just record date code to the receipt and you're good
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 103
Likes: 7
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 103
Likes: 7
Pro
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 628
Likes: 80
From: Canada
When I first bought my 1989 the battery would mysteriously drain/die over night. Turns out it was the power seat motor underneath the drivers seat. It was super hot and drawing power. I unplugged it and the battery stopped dying. HTH.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 103
Likes: 7
thanks for the tip! battery still fired up this morning in a 25 degree garage: will see how it does going forward