Gotta go!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,018
Likes: 388
From: Chandler AZ
Gotta go!
Hi everybody, I just found out my grandmother passed away in Texas today, and the funeral is on Wednesday, gotta get in the Vette and go, or let my wife drive the Vette and I take her Corolla.
Here is the thing, last Friday, we went out and the headlights would not pop up when leaving a place we ate at, I must have tried a dozen times before they came up.
I'm thinking it might have something to do with the battery, it is 4 years old, and 6 days before we took the car out (car is usually parked) I put a charger on the battery, with my multimeter and the car off, the voltage before charging was 11.7 volts.
After doing a slow 2 amp charge for about 4 hours, the voltage was 12.6 volts.
I think the battery may be not holding it's charge, and thinking of buying a new one just in case.
How sensitive would the headlights popping up be to a battery that is not fully charged?
I can't pull over somewhere to get gas and risk not having headlights, or even if I take the wife's car, it happen to her.
Here is the thing, last Friday, we went out and the headlights would not pop up when leaving a place we ate at, I must have tried a dozen times before they came up.
I'm thinking it might have something to do with the battery, it is 4 years old, and 6 days before we took the car out (car is usually parked) I put a charger on the battery, with my multimeter and the car off, the voltage before charging was 11.7 volts.
After doing a slow 2 amp charge for about 4 hours, the voltage was 12.6 volts.
I think the battery may be not holding it's charge, and thinking of buying a new one just in case.
How sensitive would the headlights popping up be to a battery that is not fully charged?
I can't pull over somewhere to get gas and risk not having headlights, or even if I take the wife's car, it happen to her.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,018
Likes: 388
From: Chandler AZ
Also, last time I bought a battery, I bought it at Wal Mart (Johnson controls)
It has the screw in posts and the regular posts on top as well for older cars, I looked at new batteries a few months ago at Wal Mart and noticed the battery listed for the car they now have only has the side mount screw in posts, no top posts.
Should I buy a better battery somewhere else like a Diehard, I think they are made by Johnson Controls though?
It has the screw in posts and the regular posts on top as well for older cars, I looked at new batteries a few months ago at Wal Mart and noticed the battery listed for the car they now have only has the side mount screw in posts, no top posts.
Should I buy a better battery somewhere else like a Diehard, I think they are made by Johnson Controls though?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,018
Likes: 388
From: Chandler AZ
I just went out and checked the battery volts with multimeter, car off, it was 11.7 volts, then 11.9 volts with the dome light on (from opening the door to pop the hood release)
When the dome light went off, it read 12.0 volts.
I did not disconnect battery cables, does that make a difference, and do you think I should get a new battery?
Sorry for all the questions so fast!
When the dome light went off, it read 12.0 volts.
I did not disconnect battery cables, does that make a difference, and do you think I should get a new battery?
Sorry for all the questions so fast!
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 545
Likes: 4
From: Calgary Alberta
Johnson Controls/Optima are the same I believe. A fully charged battery should show 13.2 volts immediately after charging. If you can't accomplish that then the battery is not in top shape. These batteries have 6 cells in series which should each produce 2.2 volts. Make sure you torque the battery post connections properly.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Belleville Il
I'd say get a new battery to be safe,,,sounds like the one you have is not very healthy!!For now,,for all practical purposes,,even a Wal-mart battery is better than what you have!! If there should be a problem with it,,,there are Wally World stores EVERYWHERE!! Their top line battery has 3year free replacement(at least they used to),,and have had one in my truck for a while now,,and performs perfect so far!! Better safe than sorry!!
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The AC Delco 7-year professional battery for my 2004 Corvette still has the top mount posts as an FYI.
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From: Edmonton Alberta, Canada
Go to your local GM dealer and purchase a battery for YOUR "CORVETTE", not some knockoff from who knows where!! Why is everyone so scared of your local Chevy dealership? I got one a year ago and it was probably cheaper than at Wallyworld and it fits, whats with that? Rob
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My condolences on the death of your grandmother. 
Take the battery to a store that can do a load test on it - that will tell you if the battery is shot or not. If it is, get a new one and hopefully that will solve the problems you are having.
And have a safe trip to Texas.
Take the battery to a store that can do a load test on it - that will tell you if the battery is shot or not. If it is, get a new one and hopefully that will solve the problems you are having.
And have a safe trip to Texas.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,018
Likes: 388
From: Chandler AZ
Thanks everybody.
When I got the car, it was setup with twilight setting, and they went on and off a lot, would stay on a couple of minutes after the car was off, but I might set it back just for the heck of it.
I just tried turning the lights on with the hood open, never knew those things twisted, cool!
I tried one manually also just to see, I love the information available here!
When I got the car, it was setup with twilight setting, and they went on and off a lot, would stay on a couple of minutes after the car was off, but I might set it back just for the heck of it.
I just tried turning the lights on with the hood open, never knew those things twisted, cool!
I tried one manually also just to see, I love the information available here!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,018
Likes: 388
From: Chandler AZ
I just looked up the closest Gm dealer near me, Henry Brown, and the battery sells for 71.54, I think the Wal Mart battery is 69.99.
It does not give a part number or say if it's AC Delco, but I figured it would be 150.00, hope they have it in stock!
Thanks El Original for the GM dealer idea, I would have never thought I could get a good deal!
It does not give a part number or say if it's AC Delco, but I figured it would be 150.00, hope they have it in stock!
Thanks El Original for the GM dealer idea, I would have never thought I could get a good deal!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,018
Likes: 388
From: Chandler AZ
Of course the dealer is false advertising, even though I told him his price online is 71.54, he gave me 2 prices, 129.95 for a 6 year battery, and 149.95 for a 7 year.
He said the 71.54 battery would not be good enough for a Corvette, even though that is what is listed on their sight!
He said the 71.54 battery would not be good enough for a Corvette, even though that is what is listed on their sight!
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Of course the dealer is false advertising, even though I told him his price online is 71.54, he gave me 2 prices, 129.95 for a 6 year battery, and 149.95 for a 7 year.
He said the 71.54 battery would not be good enough for a Corvette, even though that is what is listed on their sight!
He said the 71.54 battery would not be good enough for a Corvette, even though that is what is listed on their sight!
And people wonder why the dealer's have a bad rep.
