Car wont hold a charge.

[Mest30]

During this past winter, I stored my car in the garage. The battery was the original battery from 2003 and I knew if I didn't start the car every couple days, it would die. I kept up with starting it for a while but one day the battery was toast. I waited until it got nice out, probably the first week of march, and bought a new battery. The car started fine and I drove it a few times during the last few months. About ten days ago, I went to the garage to start her up cuz it had been a while and she started fine. Four days later I decided to take the car out the get a new registration sticker and it was dead. So two days ago I used my other car to jump start it. Took a really long time for the battery to get enough juice, like 15-20 min, but it finally fired up. I let it run for about 30 min before shutting it off. I figured maybe I left a dome light or something on so I made sure everything was off, too. That was two days ago. Tried to start it again today, and dead. What could be causing this problem? The battery is seriously three months old.

[ctrlraven]

The replacement battery you got could just be a bad battery. I would take it back and either get it tested or get a another replacement.

If it's a maintenance battery, check the fluid levels in the cells.

[Blackmobile]

1 -A good battery that is dead won't take 20-30 minutes to take a charge.

2 -Next time you get it running, remove the + battery cable from the battery. If the MM dies out your alt has gone bad.

[Mest30]

Remove the plus only from the marauder and leave all other three connected?

[fastblackmerc]

Remove the plus only from the marauder and leave all other three connected?

Three?

There are two (2) connectors on the top of the battery... a + & a -.

[MyBlackBeasts]

During this past winter, I stored my car in the garage. The battery was the original battery from 2003 and I knew if I didn't start the car every couple days, it would die. I kept up with starting it for a while but one day the battery was toast. I waited until it got nice out, probably the first week of march, and bought a new battery. The car started fine and I drove it a few times during the last few months. About ten days ago, I went to the garage to start her up cuz it had been a while and she started fine. Four days later I decided to take the car out the get a new registration sticker and it was dead. So two days ago I used my other car to jump start it. Took a really long time for the battery to get enough juice, like 15-20 min, but it finally fired up. I let it run for about 30 min before shutting it off. I figured maybe I left a dome light or something on so I made sure everything was off, too. That was two days ago. Tried to start it again today, and dead. What could be causing this problem? The battery is seriously three months old.

If bat was dead, letting it run 30 min & shutting off was valueless. There was only a small surface charge on it which = dead when next tried. A dead battery will take upwards of 4+ hours to charge using a charger (let alone just charging off alt). Get yourself a battery charger, charge it properly and check for short/parisitic draw/correct alt charging rate or if won't charge properly = bad battery. Starting system is very basic, should not be diffacult for you to figure out. Good luck! :D

[Blackmobile]

Remove the plus only from the marauder and leave all other three connected?

:shake:

After you get the Marauder running, disconnect the jumper cables, then remove the terminal connector off of the positive terminal of the battery.

[MyBlackBeasts]

2 -Next time you get it running, remove the + battery cable from the battery. If the MM dies out your alt has gone bad.

This was a common test before electronics were introduced on cars. Doing this on a car 1975 or newer (w/HEI vs. points & condenser) is extremely dangerous. Massively high risk of blowing out computer/module/etc...

[Spectragod]

:shake:

After you get the Marauder running, disconnect the jumper cables, then remove the terminal connector off of the positive terminal of the battery.

And smoke your PCM, ABS module, LCM etc., bad idea:shake:


This was a common test before electronics were introduced on cars. Doing this on a car 1975 or newer (w/HEI vs. points & condenser) is extremely dangerous. Massively high risk of blowing out computer/module/etc...

^^^^^CORRECT answer^^^^^^ as was his previous post on charging. You need a battery tender if your a)planning on leaving the car sit for long periods b) don't drive the car long enough to charge the battery.

[Blackmobile]

During this past winter, I stored my car in the garage. The battery was the original battery from 2003 and I knew if I didn't start the car every couple days, it would die. I kept up with starting it for a while but one day the battery was toast. I waited until it got nice out, probably the first week of march, and bought a new battery. The car started fine and I drove it a few times during the last few months. About ten days ago, I went to the garage to start her up cuz it had been a while and she started fine. Four days later I decided to take the car out the get a new registration sticker and it was dead. So two days ago I used my other car to jump start it. Took a really long time for the battery to get enough juice, like 15-20 min, but it finally fired up. I let it run for about 30 min before shutting it off. I figured maybe I left a dome light or something on so I made sure everything was off, too. That was two days ago. Tried to start it again today, and dead. What could be causing this problem? The battery is seriously three months old.

[QUOTE=Spectragod;1188619]And smoke your PCM, ABS module, LCM etc., bad idea:shake:

He's already done it, so I guess he's OK with it. It's been done many time in the past and will be done again in the future. But I do understand your concerns. Personally, I'd just take the battery out and get it checked and or replaced by who he bought it from. Worst case they will pro-rate the exchange.

[Mest30]

Three?

There are two (2) connectors on the top of the battery... a + & a -.

I thought he meant remove the positive jumper cable from marauder battey, which would leave the other three terminals of the cable connected.

[Mest30]

[QUOTE=Spectragod;1188619]And smoke your PCM, ABS module, LCM etc., bad idea:shake:

He's already done it, so I guess he's OK with it. It's been done many time in the past and will be done again in the future. But I do understand your concerns. Personally, I'd just take the battery out and get it checked and or replaced by who he bought it from. Worst case they will pro-rate the exchange.

How did I already do that? All I did was jump start the car.

[Mest30]

If bat was dead, letting it run 30 min & shutting off was valueless. There was only a small surface charge on it which = dead when next tried. A dead battery will take upwards of 4+ hours to charge using a charger (let alone just charging off alt). Get yourself a battery charger, charge it properly and check for short/parisitic draw/correct alt charging rate or if won't charge properly = bad battery. Starting system is very basic, should not be diffacult for you to figure out. Good luck! :D

It may not be hard for most, but I can't even figure out how to put my gas grill together. How do I check for a short, parasitic loss, etc?

[Spectragod]

[QUOTE=Spectragod;1188619]And smoke your PCM, ABS module, LCM etc., bad idea:shake:

He's already done it, so I guess he's OK with it. It's been done many time in the past and will be done again in the future. But I do understand your concerns. Personally, I'd just take the battery out and get it checked and or replaced by who he bought it from. Worst case they will pro-rate the exchange.

Not according to the OP, nor would I recommend it, we had one of our Vics a Deputy thought he would do that with, to diagnose his problem himself, 13k worth of parts blown up, between the car and the electronics in the car. But yes, people still do it, so I guess it's all good.

[Spectragod]

It may not be hard for most, but I can't even figure out how to put my gas grill together. How do I check for a short, parasitic loss, etc?


Start with a charged and good battery, the battery terminals are supposed to be torqued to 17" pounds(that's inch pounds, not foot pounds), make sure that when the car is at idle, with accessories on, AC, rear window defroster, headlights, then you can measure 13+ volts at the battery terminal minimum, it will(and should) be around 14.4 volts with the car running.

Check the voltage on the lug on the back of the alternator with the car running with the above accessories on, the voltage should be the same or a little higher at the alternator, if the difference is huge, the cables are probably bad.

Those thing need checked before checking for parasitic loss.

[DOOM]

Bad cell...

[Mest30]

Start with a charged and good battery, the battery terminals are supposed to be torqued to 17" pounds(that's inch pounds, not foot pounds), make sure that when the car is at idle, with accessories on, AC, rear window defroster, headlights, then you can measure 13+ volts at the battery terminal minimum, it will(and should) be around 14.4 volts with the car running.

Check the voltage on the lug on the back of the alternator with the car running with the above accessories on, the voltage should be the same or a little higher at the alternator, if the difference is huge, the cables are probably bad.

Those thing need checked before checking for parasitic loss.

I appreciate all your help, but you need to dumb it down. Pretend you're talking to a five year old. What tool do I need to check the voltage and how do I locate the alternator? And Doom, what's a cell?

[MyBlackBeasts]

I appreciate all your help, but you need to dumb it down. Pretend you're talking to a five year old. What tool do I need to check the voltage and how do I locate the alternator? And Doom, what's a cell?

Ok, gotcha. Jumpstart the car, drive to shop. Let them charge battery, test, diagnose and repair if needed.

When repaired, get a storage maintenence charger, hook up (even u can do this) and plug in while parked. :beer:

[Mest30]

Took the car to the shop finally. They said they checked the charging system and everything was fine. They believe the hood light is staying on. They took off the bulb and let the car sit for a day and it started fine. Hopefully that was the only problem.

[ctrlraven]

I kept having a dead battery in my 89 Mustang, come to find out passenger vanity light mirror was staying on.