Possibly damaged battery?

dimeified · 01-11-2008, 01:15 PM

I guess i'll never know unless i visit autozone and let them test my battery and charging system. But, i suspect my battery may be on it's way out. Same battery since i bought the car 2 years ago. Who knows when it was replaced before t hen.

Originally i had to replace my alternator because of a "not enough shims" on the alternator shaft mistake. Got rebuilt one from Eagle Auto Electric on ebay, rebuilt. Worked excellent. Bunch of months later, tach got bouncy during cold starts. Replaced voltage regulator on alternator. Same problem. Also, i've had to replace my idle control valve as well because i find it necessary to hold my foot on the accelerator when i start the car in the morning or it dies immediately. I replaced my clock for a working used clock from dc auto (they test it before they send it.) Well, 2 days in a row, i set the time, it works all day. Next morning when i go to start the car, i look at the clock, and its the wrong time. Im thinking it might be possible my battery got messed up if the voltage regulator on the alternator i bought from eagle auto went bad. And even though i replaced the voltage regulator, the battery wont hold charge, so clock wont keep time after about 8 or 9 hrs, and idle valve wont power on to keep idle stable.

Can anyone let me know what battery valves should be?

patkeefe · 02:27 PM

Put a voltmeter across the battery, and check your voltage. It's probably in the 12.x volt range. Start the car, and repeat the test. You should have around 14V this time, which will indicate whether the alternator is performing the charging function.

Post the results, and we'll go to the next step. You may have a "voltage leak" somewhere, so you will then need to find that. Do you have a voltmeter?

Where are you in the Garden State?

dimeified · 02:32 PM

I'm in Fairfield. I left a voicemail for Stables Engineering in Garfield, asking them for a quote to set my idle speed and mixture. With idling issues, as ZONAS says, if you don't get this done, you'll end up chasing a ghost. But unfortunately I havn't heard back from them.

I'll wait till tomorrow when the clock is dead again, and take a voltage reading and post results.

dimeified · 02:57 PM

Strange, i walked outside to check the time in the car. I turned the key and put on the headlights to get the dash lights on too. The clock light wouldnt come on. Aha, must be a bad ground since the clock and light share ground. I left the car to come back in to tell everyone. Shut the door walked away. Then i realized i left my lights on. Walked back to the car opened the door went to shut off the lights. Well, the clock light was on. Possibly vibration from the door closing shook the cable. Aparently the clock stopped about 50 minutes ago fyi. I will check the voltage 2mmrw morning. So far its looking like the "holding the pedal" cold start problem is unrelated to voltage.