Symptoms of a bad battery?

[Ifixyawata]

Ok, as some of you might've read earlier I replaced the alt in my car not too long ago and occassionally I experience slow cranking and even a dead battery (not totally, but enough that the car won't start). Now I'm pretty sure the alt is still good because I don't notice any dimming lights, etc. It also seems that if I start the car more frequently that it starts easier.

It makes me think that the battery cannot hold a charge over a long period of time, could this be the case?

Will simply load testing the battery tell me if this is what's wrong?

Thanks in advance.

 

[KazMan]

batterys life is supposed to be 5 years. you can get a bit more most of the time but they recommend replacing every 5 years.

the voltage may be ok with a volt meter but over time the cranking amps goes down.

you can take it to autozone or advance auto to test it free.

 

[93MTXSHO]

That battery thing depends. I've often seen batteries last 7-9 years or more. You'll notice the ill effects of a battery, especially in cold weather. A battery is always weaker in cold weather. That's why the starter will struggle to turn the engine over. From the description, I'm pretty sure that you need a new battery. Look for the most Cold Cranking Amps you can get. I've got 850 in my MTX, but I'm not sure if the battery in an ATX is still a 34 series.

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

take your battery to autozone or pep boys or someone similiar, most of them will test it for free if you want

 

[Ifixyawata]

Alright, sounds good. It's a motorcraft battery, so God only knows if it's the original battery or whatever. Methinks this is the case because I've never seen motorcraft batteries for sale anywhere. Anyway, I'll go have it tested, maybe if I'm lucky the Interstate battery out of my Cougar will fit in it, it seems to hold a real nice charge and always spun the 302 over real easy. If not I'll just have to break down and buy a new one.

Are the Autozone Duralast and/or Duralast Gold or whatever good batteries? I should start pricing them, I just wanna make 110% sure that it's the battery first before I drop $75 on a new one.

Thanks for all your quick replies. thumbs_u

 

[SHOZ123]

With a voltmeter you should get 14.3-14.5V at the battery with the rpms around 1500. Anything less and the alternator is suspect. If the battery is shorted out it will have < 12V when the engine is off.

 

[philallemang]

go to wal-mart and just get yourself a new battery. you can get one with a 3 year free replacement for less than $70 with 900 CCA its going to last a long time. Just bought one for my mom's Lincoln Town Car and they are the same size. with a dead/almost dead battery puts extra strain on your alt. and make it go out faster

 

[Random]

Like is said above, the battery may just be failing under a load. But, you said you just replaced your alternator, as I did. was your battery fully charged before cranking your car up after changing the alternator? For some strange reason, somtimes batteries wont take a charger properly unless they start out at full charge. if the battery is good, holds up under a load, just take it out and give it a full charge on a charger. I know it sounds wierd, but it may help.

 

[SHOZ123]

somtimes batteries wont take a charger properly unless they start out at full charge

One of the problems of the present types of batteries. If discharged they will not take a high amp charge but must be slowly brought up to full charge.

Personally I will not buy a regular automotive battery again. They are all POS compared to a good (not Optima) deep discharge such as THIS type.

 

[rangerj]

While you're at it make sure you have good clean connections, especially the groundS. Cha ching $.02 worth, rangerj

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Paul, with the car sitting outside dead I decided to do a little reasearch on the Odyssey. The guy I talked to said that they are motorcycle batteries. I explained to him the use (VAK) and he said that a red top Optima would do me fine... Before I toss money to the wind and advice?

 

[SHOZ123]

The Optimas are overpriced by 50%. The guy does not know batteries. Look at the amperage available for delivery.

A 26 Ah Odyssey will deliver 450 amps (starter draw) for close to 40 minutes. Industrial batteries are rated at an amp hour discharge rate for ten hours, hence 26A x 10 hours = 260 Ah total rating. Or one hour at 260 Amps, or 30 minutes at 520 Amps, or 15 minutes at 1040 Amps. No way will a regular automotive battery even come close.

Your starter will burn up first.

 

[SHOZ123]

Another thing. The high price of the Optima is because the companies making it have to pay a licensing fee to Varta Batteries of Sweden. This is the company that holds the Optima patent. The active material, grid alloys and separator material are all the same or very close to being the same as the Odyssey. I worked for a large industrial battery manufacturer for 29 years. We are the company that developed this type of battery back in 1979. It is a sealed lead acid battery that uses a micrtubular fiberglass wicking mat as the separator material to both insulate between the plates and hold the acid in suspension so it can be classified as non-spillable.

The reason Varta has a patent is the shape of the cell. Instead of an odd number of plates stacked like cards vertically (usually 7-15 plates per cell) Optimas have two, one positive and one negative, that are rolled up like a **-**.

It was GNBs experience that the cells should be laid in such a manner have the flattest surface area horizontal to the ground to reduce the vertical height of the separator which caused the acid to pool at the bottom.

Optimas are a good battery but the Odyssey is good too. The price of the Odyssey is half that of the Optima and they are a proven design. Optimas will be a better bargain in 5 years when the patent runs out and they sell for $50.00.

That guy giving you advice is looking solely at his marked up price margins, not on knowledge of batteries.

Here is a good place to buy them.

Odyssey Battery Line

Look at the PC 925 or PC 1200 series. The difference in weight and price within a line is because of the termination and case design.

<small>[ December 10, 2002, 09:42 PM: Message edited by: SHOZ123 ]</small>