Dead Battery

BADs Crew · Post by **BADs Crew** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 9:59 am

Yesterday I had new shocks installed. I came out this morning to run up the driveway to get the morning paper and my battery was dead. I did wash and detail after the shock install. ( Greasy Mechanic) so I thought I might have hit one of the interior light switches that would have killed my battery overnight. I found nothing that was turned on. My truck is a 2001 that I purchased used so I looked at the battery and its a A.C. Delco. I am guessing its the one that came in the truck new so I installed a new 900 crank amp battery. When connecting the new battery I noticed that something was drawing amps, not much but enough to produce a small light spark when I was connecting the positive wire. After the install I took the truck down to Auto Zone and let them check it out. They where able to tell me that my charging system was operating correctly by putting something on the battery terminals without even starting the truck. I cant understand how you can tell if the alternator is working without it spinning. I know that my under hood light and the computer system my have caused the small spark I saw but it just bugs me that this happened rite after I had some work done to my truck. I looked around the post here and could not find what our Volt Gauges should be reading. I am running around 13.5. Is this the correct reading? Anyone have any thoughts?

top_sgt · Post by **top_sgt** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 10:25 am

between 13.5 and 14.5 is ok,,,showing the alternator is working!! your boys at auto zone must have a "magic wand" to check alternators. whenever i had to check one, the vehicle had to be running!!!!

Post by **Walt** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:50 am

A small spark is normal. Your vehicle will almost always have something drawing current, even when the truck is off. I've never had an AC Delco battery that lasted me longer than 2 years. Somehow the original battery in my CC lasted until I bought it--then died two weeks later.

SONOMA915 · Post by **SONOMA915** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:35 pm

If you have a draw, sometimes it will not affect your charging system. You need to check for parasitic draw. Anything above 50 milli amps is considered a draw. If you had a small draw and drove the vehicle daily you would never notice a problem. If you check for draw remember to close all doors, hood latch and arm you alarm if you have one that way everything can go to sleep mode. Hope this helps a little.

BADs Crew · Post by **BADs Crew** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:25 pm

O.K. I am picturing myself following all that you stated and removing the bulb from the under hood light. Disconnecting the positive terminal and putting one probe from my volt ohm on the battery terminal and one probe on the positive wire end. This should show current draw. Any idea what I should be reading?

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:31 pm

I guess I'm on borrowed time...original battery 3 1/2 years

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 5:09 pm

Jim wrote:I guess I'm on borrowed time...original battery 3 1/2 years

I was just thinking the same thing.

SONOMA915 · Post by **SONOMA915** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 5:21 am

You will have to use an amp meter to get an accurate reading. For the cars that I service (VW) anything more than 50 milli amps is considered a slight draw. I'm guessing ours will be lower depending on equipment. I'll check mine tonight.

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 9:42 am

Yea, the stock battery sucks. Mine went dead last year. Get the optima, it won't let ya down.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 12:48 pm

Rusty wrote:
Jim wrote:I guess I'm on borrowed time...original battery 3 1/2 years
I was just thinking the same thing.

I'm feeling like I somehow jinxed myself with that post! I've noticed that for the past week or so my truck sounded like it wasn't turning over as fast as usual when I would start it. Today I went to go somewhere, turned the key and all I got was that tell-tale rapid fire clicking sound of the starter relay as all the dash lights faded out. I guess tomorrow I go and get a new battery!

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 6:04 am

Good Bye Delco, Hello Optima!

Ahh! Much better!

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 2:33 pm

just got an Optima Red Top at Sears. My Mother in-law gave me $100 for my birthday ..figured it's time to go for it. I found my Delco was leaking at the positive post. It did some damage to the tray and the positive terminal. I scrubbed things up good with some baking soda paste painted the tray and added a coating of di-electric grease on the terminal.

rlrnr53 · Post by **rlrnr53** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 8:48 am

As I started to work Friday, the crew almost didn't start. I didn't think much about it, as it has done this a couple of times before. When I started home, all it would do was click. After $91.00 for a new battery, problem solved. I've noticed that it runs smoother and doesn't hesitate when pulling out. I can't figure out why the battery would cause these problems unless it was somehow grounding out. Any thoughts on this anyone?

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 8:53 am

You were probably running mainly on the alternator and it was overworked trying to charge the battery. Minimum voltage wasn't there to make the pcm or ecm perform correctly is my guess.

rlrnr53 · Post by **rlrnr53** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:47 am

My thoughts also. I hope it didn't start the alternator on it's way out.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 1:12 pm

I don't know how many miles are on your CC but, the oem one on my '97 took a nose dive with under 60K on it. I replaced my CC's with an upgraded one under 20K and would offer it to you if, yours is on the way out. The problem is that I traded it to a "handy man" for some labor here on the plantation.

rlrnr53 · Post by **rlrnr53** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 3:15 pm

Thanks for the offer, but I should be OK for the time being.