first time hard start

[Danimal86]

well, i live in sacramento, CA and we just got our first decent sized storm come through....i dont know if the weather has anything to do with the problem im having, but worth note'n.....i went out this morning to go to the store, and it was a really hard start. it almost seemed like my battery was very low, i drove it around, when i was leaving the store, same thing....when i turn the key, i can hear the engine trying to turn over, but its slow and loud...then it will fire up....i tested the battery with my voltemeter, and it read out 12.5V and 14V while running. I did drain my battery a week ago (forgot to turn my headlights off) got a jump and drove it home...hadn't had any problem with it till now. any help would be great!

 

[Heavymentill]

For starters test your battery with a hydrometer.

 

[dogfriend]

Your battery may not be dead, but it may be mortally wounded from being run down. Its may be trying to warn you before it gives out completely.

Another thing to be aware of: corroded battery cables are common on the first gens (91 - 94) mainly due to the age of the vehicle. This can cause starting and charging problems. Sometimes the cables look ok, but are corroded under the insulation. The best way to determine if they are ok is to test resistance with an ohmmeter.

 

[Danimal86]

how hard is it to change the battery cables?

 

[dogfriend]

Negative cable should be pretty straightforward, the positive cable will be in two sections: from the battery to the starter relay on the fender, and from the relay to the starter itself.

Again, I would recommend testing them before replacing, I have no idea if yours are bad or not, but I mention it because it is pretty common with the 1st Gen Explorers.

 

[Danimal86]

i will definitly check it....the terminals are corroded, and they have a bunch of that white junk on it, that wont seem to go away....tried to put baking soda on them, and it keeps comming back...so i think i'll get a gel cell battery, and some new wires.....
is there any other way that i can check the batteries health?

 

[dogfriend]

The corrosion on the terminals can definitely cause problems with the charging system.

Some auto parts stores can load test the battery (see how it responds under electrical load). Sears can do this, but they will want to sell you a battery (well, actually most of the parts places will too). If you find a dealer or store that has the gel cell battery you want, ask them if they can load test your old battery to make sure.

Also, you didn't say how old the battery is, but in Sac the summer heat is very hard on the battery. If it is older than 3 years, you may want to consider a new one anyway.

 

[Danimal86]

yeah, its about 3 years old....might just be time for a new one...any recomendations on a good battery? i was origionally thinking of getting a sealed cell battery....like an optima....but not sure if its worth the $$$

 

[dogfriend]

I think the main thing is to make sure it hasn't been sitting on the shelf for a long time. Partial discharge is not good for lead acid batteries. They last a lot longer when fully charged, including the time they are sitting in the store.

I don't really have a favorite brand anymore - my current battery is from Napa.

 

[Danimal86]

well, i went to Costco today, and bought an Optima Red Top. I installed and the rough start problem was fixed! while i was in costco, they had yellow top batteries also, i noticed that the red top had more cca and ca than the yellow top....yet the yellow tops were about $40 more.....why?

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Just to add what Dogfriend said earlier about battery cables:

I just replaced my positive battery cables, and it was "easy". Autozone/Advance Auto normally sell cables with the ends all ready on them, and to make the cable from the relay to the starter is pretty easy. But there is another cable from the battery to the starter I didn't see Dogfriend mentioned.

I would start with the positive side first, because they're the easiest and provide the power to the starter. I haven't touched my negative side yet, but I think it looks harder then the positive side.

 

[dogfriend]

well, i went to Costco today, and bought an Optima Red Top. I installed and the rough start problem was fixed! while i was in costco, they had yellow top batteries also, i noticed that the red top had more cca and ca than the yellow top....yet the yellow tops were about $40 more.....why?

The Red Top Optima is a automotive starter battery that puts out more CA (cranking amps) while the Yellow Top is a Hybrid of a Starter and Deep Cycle battery that is designed to withstand more discharge without damage. The Blue Optima is a true Deep Cycle battery for RV's.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_products/

 

[Danimal86]

do yellow tops make good primary batteries?

 

[dogfriend]

The Yellow top would probably be better if you were running a winch or you had a stereo system that used a lot of battery power (because the yellow top is designed to allow greater discharge cycles without damage). If your truck is stock, then either one would probably work ok.

 

[mechjames]

by storm i'm guessing snow. and by snow i'm thinking cold. what weight oil are you using?

 

[dogfriend]

by storm i'm guessing snow. and by snow i'm thinking cold. what weight oil are you using?

Snow? What's that? :

In Calif, +40°F (4 °C) is cold.

 

[mechjames]

were -4 C right now and my truck seems to start alright with 5w30. If you're using 10w30, maybe some hard starting may occur, but I doubt it. Just wanted to rule it out.