Is it the Battery?

scotricker · 07-06-2009, 01:44 PM

It ran fine all day yesterday. drove 135 miles. all just fine. stop and start.

then today, just a click..like really dead.

charged it up, till the battery charger said all done, but still no go

then jump started the car just fine.

Replace battery? Probably.

Suspect charging system too?

I don't know how old the battery is. Those detailed records that the PO promised me haven't exactly showed up yet.

oldewurtel · 07-06-2009, 02:01 PM

Hi scotricker,

I've had exact the same incident a few years ago!
The battery died overnight (or probably during the last run).

I changed the battery and checked the charging system (approx. 13.8 to 14.4 V when the engine runs -- much better is to check the charge current....) and I never had this problem again.

Don't jump start the engine again!!!!

Of course you engine would run, but if the battery has no filtering capabililties (and I'm sure it has nearly none....) you could ruin the diodes in the alternator.

LG Kassen

scotricker · 07-06-2009, 02:23 PM

oops, no jump start? I guess I didn't know that one. thanks, I'll just get a new battery this afternoon.

911pcars · 07-06-2009, 02:31 PM

Err. no. Recharge battery with a plug-in 120 VAC trickle charger for 24 hrs., then run engine and check charge voltage with a voltmeter. If not within spec, <14 volts are so, alternator might be kaput. Replace the battery only if it doesn't hold the correct charge or if you just want something new.

Avoid buying an alternator AND a new battery if you don't have to.

Sherwood

scotricker · 07-06-2009, 02:37 PM

thanks Sherwood, I'll hook up the charger and give it another go tomorrow morning before rushing over to the auto parts store.

morrisjm1 · 07-06-2009, 02:44 PM

Hi scotricker,

How old is the battery? I would clean the batt terminals and the cable terminals really well and try it again before I bought a battery. Sometimes they they corrode enough to have a high resistance without looking all that bad.

Mike

P.S. This is unrelated to your problem, but it has happened to me twice. While getting into the glove box for garage door opener in the I accidentally have flipped on the light switch under the dash by the glove box lock. If it's daylight, you won't see it come on and it will kill you battery in a day or so. I think I'll just remove the bulb, since I didn't even know the light was there until I was troubleshooting this problem.

scotricker · 07-06-2009, 08:40 PM

I charged the battery until the charger had a green light, and still no start, just enough juice for a few tired cranks.

Then, so I would not be chastised again... I took the battery out of my son's car
and put it in my car, and it started right up!

voltage check while running = 13.8 to 14.2 volts. at 2000 rpm

so it's a new battery for me tomorrow

j_mancini · 07-06-2009, 10:28 PM

I've had more than one battery die overnight which seems odd but happens. Cold or heat will kill an old battery too. A good battery will hold the charge for some time, so it sounds like that's your problem. Do put a voltmeter on the new one, and with the engine running, check that the voltage is between 13 and 14 VDC. If not, you've got other problems - like the alternator.

wildcat077 · wildcat077's Garage

If you have an original Porsche 340 Amp battery,replace it with something way better...
I've had my 89 for two months now and the PO who owned the car for 6 years replaced the Porsche battery twice with oem Porsche batteries.
When i got the car i had to get push started twice after waiting for my son for 10 minutes with the radio on... lol

There was still had 5 months warranty on the Porsche battery and when i brought it to the dealer they basically said they would have to charge me one hour labor to test it and verify if my charging system is good only to tell me that they do not warranty the battery ...

I looked at the service guy and asked him if he was serious ???

I checked the charging system at home and knew it was good !
Alternator was charging at 14.36 volts with engine running but with engine off and voltmeter connected to battery i turned on the headlights and the voltage at the meter started going down like a stopwatch...

Anyhow,i just walked out with my "still under warranty dead battery" and went to my Ford dealer and picked up a 650 Amp,exact same physical size battery for $83.00 dollars...
No wonder the guy at the parts counter wears a suit and tie !

Get yourself a REAL battery

scotricker · 07-07-2009, 07:02 AM

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...eferrerid=5978

I'm thinking of going this direction...

scotricker · 07-07-2009, 07:04 AM

oops, well anyway I just found a bunch of info about optima battery install