Battery or Electrical Problem?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,151
Likes: 98
From: Conroe TX
St. Jude Donor '11
Battery or Electrical Problem?
I have a 95 Pace Car that is driven very little. I use a battery disconnect and a battery tender when it is sitting in the garage. I tried to start it last night and it will not crank at all. The battery has 12.4 volts when sitting with the key off. The voltage goes down to 9.9 volts when the key is turned on and the dash lights dim and the only sound is a clicking somewhere at the front of the engine/radiator/fans area.
The battery is about 4 years old and appears ok when I hook it up to a regular battery charger and shows good on the battery tender.
Do I have a bad battery or an electrical problem?
Thanks for the help!!!
The battery is about 4 years old and appears ok when I hook it up to a regular battery charger and shows good on the battery tender.
Do I have a bad battery or an electrical problem?
Thanks for the help!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Likes: 1
From: The land of 10,000 lakes ,Minnesota 89 coupe 6speed with 383 and 89 roadster 6speed bonestock with XXX low miles
See if the car starts by jump starting it if it does have your battery load tested it my have a weak cell!
Also check voltage output when motor is running it should be around 14 volts!
Also check voltage output when motor is running it should be around 14 volts!
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 1
From: Hartland WI
Originally Posted by 89sleeper
See if the car starts by jump starting it if it does have your battery load tested it my have a weak cell!
Also check voltage output when motor is running it should be around 14 volts!
Also check voltage output when motor is running it should be around 14 volts!
Racer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 446
Likes: 13
From: Nine Mile Falls WA
9.5 volts while cranking is not good. A dynamic tester loads the battery three consecutive times in about 30 seconds - if the voltage drops below 10.5 while loaded it is time for a new battery. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,151
Likes: 98
From: Conroe TX
St. Jude Donor '11
Thanks for the suggestions. I am going to go ahead and pull the battery out tonight and get it load tested tomorrow. It really doesn't take that long to take out the battery, but it is just a PITA to have to pull the side panel off the car.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
I would suspect the battery disconnect. The starter draws 100+ amps to crank and it cannot tolerate any resistance in the circuit from the battery to the starter. When you disconnect your battery cables for the load test, observe if the cable lugs and the battery posts are clean and bright. If not, clean them. Also, the battery should measure higher than 12.4 volts if it is fully charged and your battery tender should keep it fully charged. 12.0 volts and below, discharged. 12.9 volts and above, fully charged. 12.4 volts is only 40% charged. Have your battery load tested, at 4 years it is also suspect. My 6 yr guarantee battery quit last month at 3 years old.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,314
Likes: 508
From: South-central Missouri
13.5 volts when running is a GOOD thing...
Originally Posted by rstackjd
Out of curiosty - if the voltage meter shows about 13.5 when driving does that mean anything? Mine will be high after start-up (13.8/.9) but drop to 13.4-.6 after a little while. ('88 btw)
when the alternator is charging the battery. That is how you know the alternator/regulator is working. A reading of ~12.5 or less when the engine is running means trouble - usually the regulator/alternator or a connection.As for your situation, if the voltage drops to 9.9 when you turn the key on, but the engine can be jump started OK, then I agree w/ others that the battery or a connection is suspect. Check/clean the batt connections, and if that doesn't cure it, have it load tested before proceeding. I'm guessing it is a battery or a connection problem.
Good luck!
P.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,151
Likes: 98
From: Conroe TX
St. Jude Donor '11
I pulled the battery out last night, and when I tested it on the work bench it only had 12.1 volts. I am going to load test it on the way home this evening, but I'm betting it is the battery.
Thanks for all the responses!!!
Thanks for all the responses!!!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,151
Likes: 98
From: Conroe TX
St. Jude Donor '11
I bought a new battery. I tested the voltage before I put it in and it only had 12.2 volts. I was expecting something more in the 12.9 volts range. The car started right up.
Thanks for all the help!
Thanks for all the help!
