Battery/charging problem?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 6
From: Long Valley NJ
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'07-'08,'11 thru '17, '21
Battery/charging problem?
I don't drive my 98 very often, and occasionally I've had to put a battery charger on it for a few hours to get it started.
I've had occasion to drive it more frequently in the last week, and there seems to be a problem. Yesterday morning, it was completely dead; nothing but a clicking sound when I tried to start it. I jumped it with another car & got it started. Drove it around the block, came home, & put the charger on it for the rest of the day into the evening. This morning I get nothing but the clicking sound again, and had to jump it to get it started. We went out for a ride for about 1-1/2 hours, and the voltmeter on the dash consistently read just under 14 V. Got home, tried to restart it, and got the clicking again.
So I put it on the charger for an hour or so, and it then was able to start OK.
I'm thinking the car's charging system may not be working properly, but could that be possible if the voltmeter is reading almost 14V while I'm driving?
I cleaned & retightened the battery cables at the battery, but haven't checked the other ends yet.
FWIW, the battery is an Optima, less than 2 years old.
Any & all suggestions would be appreciated!
I've had occasion to drive it more frequently in the last week, and there seems to be a problem. Yesterday morning, it was completely dead; nothing but a clicking sound when I tried to start it. I jumped it with another car & got it started. Drove it around the block, came home, & put the charger on it for the rest of the day into the evening. This morning I get nothing but the clicking sound again, and had to jump it to get it started. We went out for a ride for about 1-1/2 hours, and the voltmeter on the dash consistently read just under 14 V. Got home, tried to restart it, and got the clicking again.
So I put it on the charger for an hour or so, and it then was able to start OK.
I'm thinking the car's charging system may not be working properly, but could that be possible if the voltmeter is reading almost 14V while I'm driving?
I cleaned & retightened the battery cables at the battery, but haven't checked the other ends yet.
FWIW, the battery is an Optima, less than 2 years old.
Any & all suggestions would be appreciated!
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: Arvada Colorado
I don't drive my 98 very often, and occasionally I've had to put a battery charger on it for a few hours to get it started.
I've had occasion to drive it more frequently in the last week, and there seems to be a problem. Yesterday morning, it was completely dead; nothing but a clicking sound when I tried to start it. I jumped it with another car & got it started. Drove it around the block, came home, & put the charger on it for the rest of the day into the evening. This morning I get nothing but the clicking sound again, and had to jump it to get it started. We went out for a ride for about 1-1/2 hours, and the voltmeter on the dash consistently read just under 14 V. Got home, tried to restart it, and got the clicking again.
So I put it on the charger for an hour or so, and it then was able to start OK.
I'm thinking the car's charging system may not be working properly, but could that be possible if the voltmeter is reading almost 14V while I'm driving?
I cleaned & retightened the battery cables at the battery, but haven't checked the other ends yet.
FWIW, the battery is an Optima, less than 2 years old.
Any & all suggestions would be appreciated!
I've had occasion to drive it more frequently in the last week, and there seems to be a problem. Yesterday morning, it was completely dead; nothing but a clicking sound when I tried to start it. I jumped it with another car & got it started. Drove it around the block, came home, & put the charger on it for the rest of the day into the evening. This morning I get nothing but the clicking sound again, and had to jump it to get it started. We went out for a ride for about 1-1/2 hours, and the voltmeter on the dash consistently read just under 14 V. Got home, tried to restart it, and got the clicking again.
So I put it on the charger for an hour or so, and it then was able to start OK.
I'm thinking the car's charging system may not be working properly, but could that be possible if the voltmeter is reading almost 14V while I'm driving?
I cleaned & retightened the battery cables at the battery, but haven't checked the other ends yet.
FWIW, the battery is an Optima, less than 2 years old.
Any & all suggestions would be appreciated!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 8
From: North\East Wisconsin
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 6
From: Long Valley NJ
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'07-'08,'11 thru '17, '21
I just went out & checked the alternator connection, and it didn't seem very tight to me; I could actually wiggle the terminal back & forth without too much force. I tightened it up & I'll take it out for a drive again tomorrow & see if it charges.
The Optima has a 3 year full replacement warranty. I bought it at Autozone, so maybe I'll take it over there & have them test it, as 65GGvert suggested.
The Optima has a 3 year full replacement warranty. I bought it at Autozone, so maybe I'll take it over there & have them test it, as 65GGvert suggested.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Before you get too excited about your red top,,,,, have it tested. Clean the battery cable terminals and when you sort out the battery,, TORQUE the battery cable terminal bolts to 11 ft/lbs "97 to 03 C5 spec"
Once you reinstall the battery, read the battery charging voltage directly on the battery terminals.
BC
Once you reinstall the battery, read the battery charging voltage directly on the battery terminals.
BC
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 6
From: Long Valley NJ
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'07-'08,'11 thru '17, '21
I went out this morning & connected the charger again for a little over an hour so I could get it started. While idling (charger disconnected...) my DMM indicates a steady 14.73V at the battery terminals. Would that indicate that the charging system is working OK?
I'm going to take it for a drive again today & see if the battery runs down again as it did yesterday. I guess what I'm hoping is that the less-than-tight connection I found yesterday at the alternator may have been the problem. I never thought to check the charging voltage at the terminals yesterday, which might have been helpful.
Thanks for all the replies.
I'm going to take it for a drive again today & see if the battery runs down again as it did yesterday. I guess what I'm hoping is that the less-than-tight connection I found yesterday at the alternator may have been the problem. I never thought to check the charging voltage at the terminals yesterday, which might have been helpful.
Thanks for all the replies.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Thats ample charging voltage... What you need to figure out is "what is your sleep current draw?"
It should be LESS than 25 milliamps measured with a DC Amp meter in series with the negative battery cable/terminal.
Measure it and see what it is.
BC
It should be LESS than 25 milliamps measured with a DC Amp meter in series with the negative battery cable/terminal.
Measure it and see what it is.
BC
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 6
From: Long Valley NJ
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'07-'08,'11 thru '17, '21
However, I did take the battery out & left it with Autozone for a while today. They gave it a charge, and said they could watch the voltage drop with very little load afterwards. It was within the replacement warranty period, so they gave me a new Optima at no cost.
I'm hoping that the battery was the whole problem, but if I get some time in the next day or so, I'm going to check the sleep current as Bill C suggested.