Battery Issue - HELP
08-06-2010, 12:14 PM
#1
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,516
Battery Issue - HELP
When I first purchased my car, the owner told me that he would disconnect the battery after parking it because there seems to be an open draw. I bought a trickle charger and would connect it to that when I parked the car in the garage because I didn't want to go through hooking and un-hooking the battery all the time.
This worked fine until a few weeks ago when I went to a car event. I took the car out around 10 a.m. to clean, wax, etc. all day. I left it in my yard and didn't plug it back into the trickle charger because I was going to leave for the show in the afternoon anyway... so why bother, it was only a few hours.
Well, the car started up and worked great until about 11 p.m. when we were about to leave the show. I tried to start the car and the battery wasn't having it. We jump-started it for a while and then it finally worked. The drive home was a little over an hour and everything was OK until 10 minutes before I got to my house. My gauges started going cuckoo and then my lights inside AND outside dimmed to about nothing. They were barely on!
I got to my house safely and then parked the b*tch, hooked her up to the trickle charger and haven't touched her since. So, what do you think?
My friend, his dad and I are going to work on it tomorrow but I am wondering if anyone has some tips/tricks or suggestions on how to diagnose the problem???
Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.
BTW, the battery and trickle charger are brand new (if that even matters).
The car is a 1987 LX with a 351W (original 4 cylinder car).
This worked fine until a few weeks ago when I went to a car event. I took the car out around 10 a.m. to clean, wax, etc. all day. I left it in my yard and didn't plug it back into the trickle charger because I was going to leave for the show in the afternoon anyway... so why bother, it was only a few hours.
Well, the car started up and worked great until about 11 p.m. when we were about to leave the show. I tried to start the car and the battery wasn't having it. We jump-started it for a while and then it finally worked. The drive home was a little over an hour and everything was OK until 10 minutes before I got to my house. My gauges started going cuckoo and then my lights inside AND outside dimmed to about nothing. They were barely on!
I got to my house safely and then parked the b*tch, hooked her up to the trickle charger and haven't touched her since. So, what do you think?
My friend, his dad and I are going to work on it tomorrow but I am wondering if anyone has some tips/tricks or suggestions on how to diagnose the problem???
Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.
BTW, the battery and trickle charger are brand new (if that even matters).
The car is a 1987 LX with a 351W (original 4 cylinder car).
Last edited by mAnYsTyLeS; 08-06-2010 at 12:24 PM.
08-06-2010, 12:45 PM
#2
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 21
Well first, I would make sure it is indeed a battery issue. Try turning the key to position two and testing the electric system in the car. See if the lights/signals/etc.. will work while the engine is off. If not, then your battery prolly needs to be replaced (it could fail for a variety of reasons even if it is new).
If these all work with the engine off, it could be a bad alternator. If you alternator is old or underpowered, the electric components in the car could drag it down which could be why your having some trouble.
just my 2 cents.
If these all work with the engine off, it could be a bad alternator. If you alternator is old or underpowered, the electric components in the car could drag it down which could be why your having some trouble.
just my 2 cents.
08-11-2010, 03:53 PM
#3
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,516
Well first, I would make sure it is indeed a battery issue. Try turning the key to position two and testing the electric system in the car. See if the lights/signals/etc.. will work while the engine is off. If not, then your battery prolly needs to be replaced (it could fail for a variety of reasons even if it is new).
If these all work with the engine off, it could be a bad alternator. If you alternator is old or underpowered, the electric components in the car could drag it down which could be why your having some trouble.
just my 2 cents.
If these all work with the engine off, it could be a bad alternator. If you alternator is old or underpowered, the electric components in the car could drag it down which could be why your having some trouble.
just my 2 cents.
Thanks!
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