Need New Battery?

Hellraizer547

Registered User
I put everything back together except for the alternator plug. I started the car and it was running flawlessly, after 10 minutes of ideling the car just shut down. I pop the hood to find that i didn't plug in the alternator cable, so i do so and try to start it again. All i get are clicks from the starter. I try to jump start it but the other car had to be on the gas just to help my car start up. I charged up the battery all night and then put it in the SC and all i got were clicking but no turning over. Is this the starter or the battery? Peace

Sergio
 
Yeah those are the symptoms of a bad battery. Was the battery working good before you let it idle for ten minutes? Clicking is usually a sign of a bad connection.
 
More than likely you fried your battery charging it up all night.
(Even if you have an automatic shutoff charger, they screw up, especially the cheaper ones.)

But before you run out to get a new battery, inspect the battery cables. If they are old, replace them. You need good solid connections between your battery and the engine block, and the battery and your starter, to turn the starter over. Check all connections at the solenoid near the fuse box near the battery also.
 
Before you waste $50

Take the battery to a reputable parts store...Schucks, Napa, Etc....and have them do a "Load Test" on the battery. They hook up a tester that determines how well the battery "Springs back" from a electrical load being placed on it. This test is usually free, but make sure..
 
Either that or your battery charger is a piece of shyt. I would put another battery in the car to be sure.
 
I wouldn't go buy a new battery until you've tested it. You can buy a bulb/bead type battery tester for about $2. It will be the best $2 you've ever spent because it will tell you if the battery is fully charged or not and most importantly, it will tell you if one of the cells is dead. Then spend the $10 and buy a decent trickle charger. The 1-2 amp current will charge the battery over a day or so without overcharging it.

Then do this at least twice a year... clean the posts and cables with steel wool. Keep the clamps tight but not overly tight.

Finally, you really need a voltmeter to check the charging voltage. Its farily simple, if the voltage across the battery terminals is 14V with the engine idling, then the alternator is working. If its 12V, then the battery is running the car and it will get drained.
 
Some tips on jump starting a car

If you ever jump start a car, let the booster car charge up the battery of the non-starting car for at least 10 minutes before you ever try to start the boosted car. Even good jumper cables have tiny contact patches and cannot supply the current to turn the starter. It will heat up the cables, drain the battery on the non-start car and you'll have to start all over again.. Another 10 minutes. Hook them up and wait first. Rev the engine very slightly to help. But there is no benefit to spinning it up.. it won't put out any more electrical power at 6000 RPM vs 1000 RPM. ;)
 
I always keep a spare battery in the garage fully charged at all time cuse the ole lady likes to light up the driveway with her car at all hours of the day. Jumping off that has never failed me.
 
I tested the battery and it had 12.27 volts after i charged it and before it had 12.58, so it wasn't holding the charge. I bought a new battery and the car works perfect. Now i have a huge problem. I did a burnout and got back wheel hop and now the car doesn't work. And i already tryed to reset the fuel pump. Anybody have any ideas?

Sergio
 
Thewood...Hahaha! You are definately married!:D "Lighting up the driveway"..."Please don't nag"!! Love it!

If you ever jump start a car, let the booster car charge up the battery of the non-starting car for at least 10 minutes before you ever try to start the boosted car.

Added note to TbirdSCFan..
I will NEVER jump another car with mine RUNNING. I have imediate family members in the Auto Electric business and they have seen more blown EEC's and other electrical components blown by jumping other cars. I will hook up to dead car with cables and run my car for a few minutes, shut off, then let them try to jump from my battery with my car NOT RUNNING and what juice I gave it from running for 10 minutes. You'll notice that if you ever get a jump from a police car....and your clean cut looking...they hookup jumpers to some sort of relay thing that will protect their charging - electrical systems from the dead car.
 
OK, This is what was wrong. On my negitive side on the battery i have 2 connectors going off of it. Not all SCs have this. This 3rd negitive connector was circular. When i got the wheel hop it knocked this lose. This wire is connected infront of the battery under the hood bay frame. another weird thing is when my car usually runs normally and it is in acc. 2 mode it has both upshift and check gauge light. When this wire was disconnected it only have the check gauge light. Hope this informs some of you, Peace.

Sergio
 
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