Cold weather, Hard Start
01-05-2015, 05:00 PM
#1
Cold weather, Hard Start
My car is not enjoying this cold weather we r starting to get. I got a new battery about 2 months ago so that aint the problem. this morning and leaving work today it took a few cranks to start. while cranking it sounds like the battery is low or dead but i know it isnt. im pretty sure its because its cold. this may seem like a piddly issue but is there anyway to make it easier to start in the morning after sitting for hours in the cold?
01-07-2015, 02:07 AM
#2
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Shreveport, LA
Posts: 48
It's not piddly, it could strand you.
How do you know the battery isn't low? Buying it two months ago is no assurance of it being healthy OR charged properly.
Have you verified the alternator voltage at the battery posts? If your alternator output is low, it may not show itself for a few days, or after a long drive. It's only designed to keep things topped off, but if it's not quite keeping up with the ignition and all the other good things you have on while the engine is running, your battery may be very slowly draining.
Cold retards the reactions inside the battery, so it'll show any problems more and more as things cool off outside.
What your describing can be anything from a voltage regulator spiraling down to poor bonding.
Youre going to have to do a little trouble shooting to nail it down.
If your battery voltage when off is lower than 12.6v, you've got some charging to do. Check the voltage, engine running, from the charge stud on the alternator to the case of the alternator; you should see somewhere between 13.7-ish to 14.3-ish. If that's good, move to checking the running voltage at the battery posts (not the terminals) and see if you have the same voltage.
If it's lower at the battery posts, you can start by cleaning the terminals and re-checking. You can check the continuity between the alternator case and negative terminal; you should get VERY low resistance. If you have a ground cable going to the back of the alternator, and I don't think you do, then check the resistance between the alternator case and the terminal on the cable. Your alternator is very sensitive to it's bonding condition. If you don't have the bonding strap going to the back of it, the only way it can bond itself to the vehicle is through the mounting points; making sure that these (and ALL other bonding points) are clean is crucial to not only your starter and charging system, but many other systems as well.
How do you know the battery isn't low? Buying it two months ago is no assurance of it being healthy OR charged properly.
Have you verified the alternator voltage at the battery posts? If your alternator output is low, it may not show itself for a few days, or after a long drive. It's only designed to keep things topped off, but if it's not quite keeping up with the ignition and all the other good things you have on while the engine is running, your battery may be very slowly draining.
Cold retards the reactions inside the battery, so it'll show any problems more and more as things cool off outside.
What your describing can be anything from a voltage regulator spiraling down to poor bonding.
Youre going to have to do a little trouble shooting to nail it down.
If your battery voltage when off is lower than 12.6v, you've got some charging to do. Check the voltage, engine running, from the charge stud on the alternator to the case of the alternator; you should see somewhere between 13.7-ish to 14.3-ish. If that's good, move to checking the running voltage at the battery posts (not the terminals) and see if you have the same voltage.
If it's lower at the battery posts, you can start by cleaning the terminals and re-checking. You can check the continuity between the alternator case and negative terminal; you should get VERY low resistance. If you have a ground cable going to the back of the alternator, and I don't think you do, then check the resistance between the alternator case and the terminal on the cable. Your alternator is very sensitive to it's bonding condition. If you don't have the bonding strap going to the back of it, the only way it can bond itself to the vehicle is through the mounting points; making sure that these (and ALL other bonding points) are clean is crucial to not only your starter and charging system, but many other systems as well.
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