Battery keeps failing

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Oct 17, 2008 | 11:10 PM

Jab9182

Thread Starter

Intermediate

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 31

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From: Coconut Creek Florida

Battery keeps failing

I only drive my vette on the weekends so it sits a lot. I have had a problem about a year ago and the battery was completely dead, got it replaced and hadnt had an issue until now. I havent driven the car in a little over a week, tried to start it up and got the clicking noise and nothing else. The computer read low voltage. I'm hoping this is just a dead battery that I can jump. If it is something like the starter, how much trouble and money am I looking at. Please tell me its a dead battery.

Thanks,

Mike

Oct 18, 2008 | 02:27 AM

Dave68

Race Director

Joined: Dec 2000

Posts: 19,304

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From: San Diego CA

The first thing you should do is check that all cables are tight. Next, charge the battery until it is completely charged. If you don't have an automatic charger, take the battery to an auto parts store and ask them to charge it and then perform a load test on it. If the battery checks out okay, chack or have checked, the alternator. My guess is that you may not have fully recharged the battery from the last time it had been drained.

Oct 18, 2008 | 11:44 AM

DeeGee

Tech Contributor

Joined: Dec 2003

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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England

2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified

If its clicking its almost certainly nothing worse than a dead battery

You might want to find out why its discharging. If its just irregular use you might want to invest in a battery tender to keep it topped off.

Out of interest is it the original AC Delco battery? If so you may want to do a pre-emptive change. Its probably on its last legs in any case if its 7 years old. 01 was about the time they switched to AGM batteries. The earlier batteries were prone to leaking.

Last edited by DeeGee; Oct 18, 2008 at 11:46 AM.

Oct 18, 2008 | 11:55 AM

AU N EGL

Team Owner

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 43,084

Likes: 33

From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC

Battery tender.

We keep both our vettes on battery tenders when not in use.

Oct 19, 2008 | 01:56 AM

rikhek

Safety Car

Joined: Aug 2005

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From: Tulsa Oklahoma

I'll give you odds it's another junk Red Top...

Rick

Oct 19, 2008 | 05:34 AM

Bill Curlee

Tech Contributor

Joined: Dec 1999

Posts: 32,910

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From: Anthony TX

CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet

St. Jude Donor '08

Have the Battery check and charged. If its good, you have an excessive current draw issue. Heres a link to something I posted in my electrical post that explains how to check for excessive current draw:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...post1567522286

Its on the LAST page.

Bill C

Oct 20, 2008 | 08:55 PM

VetteTech81

Le Mans Master

Joined: Nov 2002

Posts: 7,179

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From: Charlotte, NC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Curlee

Or it maybe it's sitting and not being driven enough to keep the battery near fully charged?? I would say check for excessive current draw and or buy a battery tender...
-=Rick

Oct 21, 2008 | 11:40 AM

TEXHAWK0

Le Mans Master

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 8,847

Likes: 795

From: Longview Texas

Once a battery goes completely dead, they are never the same, so you might be in for a new battery soon. The ACDelco Professional grade batteries have a 50 month free replacement warranty, and I think they have improved the design to minimize leaks.
Do you have a voltmeter? I would charge the battery and check to make sure it is putting out 12 volts, and does not have a dead cell.

If you are not going to drive the car for an extended time, disconnect the battery to avoid parasitic drains.