Battery or Starter

[ToughCountry]

He guys i got a little question for u..the other day it was foggy so i had my lights on and left them on all day..My battery was totally drained to the bone. My friend had a battery pack thing and she started right up...since then..maybe 5 days or so, the truck sometimes starts like an old truck then fires right up, sometimes i got nothing and it wants to turn over then i hear click click click....i assumed that the cells were dead and i needed a new battery. I just wanted to make sure so i went to my next door neighboors shop and he put it on a tester and it said it was fine..he thinks it was the starter...my dad thinks battery..what do u think?

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

If the battery tester says it is fine, then its most likely fine. You may want to take off the alternator and get it tested to see if its fully charging your battery. Just about any parts store can test the starter and alternator for you.

 

[spindlecone]

You can test the alternater with a VOM, inplace, no need to remove it, if it's putting out 14.5 volts it's okay, if you think the batts okay, get a new set of cables, they may look fine on the outside, but they may be history on the inside

 

[project92]

did you?

put the battery on a charger? also when he tested it did he load test it???? or just volt test it? if you ran your battery dead the alternator will NOT recharge the battery like the old generator style cars they will put a little juice back in them but not enough put it on a regular charger for the night and see what happens...

 

[ToughCountry]

yea my dad said to go have a auto store test the alternator....i think he just volt tested it...yea the battery is putting out enough volts..so i will try to get new cables..can i get them at the auto store?..i wont be able to charge the battery tonight since the charger is at my dads..but i will try that and the cables 2morrow...just as another refrence to whats happening..i went to my g/fs house which is about a 25 min drive...shut the truck off, then turned it on right away and it started but some was lackin a normal start...then sat for 5 min, and she wouldnt start...ill do what u guys suggested but i just wanted to let u know the most recent thing.

thanx for the help

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

You can test the alternater with a VOM, inplace, no need to remove it, if it's putting out 14.5 volts it's okay, if you think the batts okay, get a new set of cables, they may look fine on the outside, but they may be history on the inside

That method does not test it nearly as well or accurately as taking it off and putting it on a bench tester. I've seen a lot of alternators test fine on the car but end up being the problem in the end.

 

[project92]

I would say your battery just needs to be recharged also check the acid level in the batterry before chargeing ... if you have to add water use distilled water not tap water

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

I would say your battery just needs to be recharged also check the acid level in the batterry before chargeing ... if you have to add water use distilled water not tap water

There are almost no batteries left for sale for automotive applications that allow you to add acid/water. Almost all are fully sealed. The only fillable batteries I've seen now are for small engine applications. Don't try and add to a car battery. Either it works or it doesn't, you can't repair a car battery.

 

[budwich]

I don't think that is totally correct. If it is a maintenance free battery then yes, it is likely sealed. However, places still sell "low maintenance" batteries which do require regular checking of electrolyte and the adding of water. As for "repairing" a car battery, I wouldn't consider adding water, a repair.

 

[CDW6212R]

Don't start the car, constantly, to test it.

Check the voltage, when the engine is cold, before it has been started. It should be over 12 volts. Bad batteries drop well under 12 volts quickly, in a day or two.

Avoid real battery testers, they pull huge amounts of current, and can push a battery to its death much faster. They are quick tests, and can quickly confirm that a cell has/is failing.

Monitoring the voltage off/cold, when running, and with accessories on, can usually find the problem, without hurting anything, or costing anything. Watch the voltage to be sure that it is much higher than 12V running, say 13-14.5, and not less than 12V when off(cold).

Poor battery or alternator connections can hurt charging and starting performance. Always check those connections before concluding that some part is bad.

Please tell us that you do not have bolt on battery teminals, meaning new bolt on terminals as replacement for factory terminals. Those bolt on terminals cause more starting and charging problems than anything else. Regards,

 

[ToughCountry]

Thanx guys for all the help..it was the battery i went and got a brand new one, so everything is good to go..thanx again