PDA

View Full Version : Battery Dieing :(


89AccordNate
10-31-2002, 12:42 PM
Whenever my car sits overnight, the battery likes to die almost to the point of when I cant restart the car. (the loooong crank and dim lights) Everything works fine when the car is running, but the battery dies recently at night for some reason. Is it the battery or the altenator? I have a feeling its the battery since it runs fine when is on, no dimming lights, etc.

The battery doesnt look that old, so im not sure :(

Damn, I had to post, im pissed.

Nate.
ACCORD EX
10-31-2002, 12:47 PM
does it have to stay overnight to die ! i mean if you shut it down and turn the car back on ! does it turn ?
check the battery voltage when car off should be 12 V

MIKE
89AccordNate
10-31-2002, 12:48 PM
No the car restarts fine when I start it and then restart it, I dont get it?

Nate.
Jims 86LXI HB
10-31-2002, 12:51 PM
I told ya'll he couldn't stay away. How was your board vacation nate?;)
89AccordNate
10-31-2002, 12:54 PM
I had to post, my car is being retarded, I will still be 'absent'

Nate.
89AccordNate
10-31-2002, 01:02 PM
How can I check to see which one it is? (battery or altenator) Im going to go buy a new battery if I cant figure it out. Its to risky!

Nate.
jteuton
10-31-2002, 01:43 PM
Sounds like battery. When your car is running it charges your battery back up and everything is fine but when it sits overnight it discharges too fast and almost doesn't have enough left to crank the car the next day. I bought a new battery the week before I tore my car down and left it tore down for three months....put the battery in.....vroom.....cranked right up cause the battery was still good and was holding its charge.
markmdz89hatch
10-31-2002, 01:53 PM
...but it could be the alternator too. if the alternator is on it's way out, then wouldn't that do a shitty job of charging up the battery.

...but one question for you Nate... ...does it get real cold at night where ur at? If that's the case, I'd lean more toward a bad battery. If it has trouble starting when it's cold, then I might guess that it's losing it's power. The batt. may have enough power to blast it over when it's warm, but your cold-cranking-amps may no longer be up to par. Making it take longer to kick over, if it kicks over.

(DISCLAIMER: By no means am I trying to prove anyone wrong. I'm certainly not a mechanic, and don't know much about the technical end of cars. I'm merely putting in my two-sense for whatever it's worth.)
mindlos
10-31-2002, 02:53 PM
If you havent bought a new battery why dont you disconnect it when you park for the day. If you can start on the next day normaly even when cold then you have drain on your battery through the electrical system.

Hook up an inline diagnostic light to the battery when the car is completely off. If it lights up then you have a drain via short or some functional electronics. Now you have to start eliminating possibilies.
1. Pull the fuses to electronics that work even when the car is off like clocks, stereo memory, lights (you definitely want to eliminate the hood light coz that will be on when open, pull out bulbs if you have to), etc (I dont know them all).
2. Disconect the alternator wiring harness. If the light goes off then it has a problem. It should not be eating power.
3. If the light is still on then you will have to start pulling the remaining fuses one by one until you find the one that makes your light goes off. At this point you have to think to yourself if the system the fuse is protecting has any devices that would normally use power even with the key out. Otherwise you will get a false positive. Thats really the determining factor on finding the culprit.

I hope you get the picture coz I dont remember the exact procedure too well. Its something along those lines. I'll look at the Haynes manual when I get home.

Otherwise forget all I said and get a new battery. If the problem pessists you can return it and ask autozone to do their free battery/alternator diagnostics on your car. I dont know how extensive it is but it might save you the trouble of troubleshooting.
jteuton
10-31-2002, 03:42 PM
Yeah but I figured if it was doing a shitty job of charging it then the battery would finally lose all its power due to the faulty alternator not charging it properly. When it runs everything is fine so it is charging it or when its cut it off and recranked it he would still have a slow sick crank. I totally forgot about something pulling power from it with the car off. That could definitely be a problem.
ACCORD EX
11-01-2002, 01:00 AM
to check the alternator > run the car the voltage must be 14.5 V at idle !
it could your battery or a short circuit draining the battery !

try disconnecting the battery terminals for an over night and see if it starts in the morning if it doesn't so it's the batter , if it does then you have a short somewhere !

MIKE
smufguy
11-01-2002, 12:11 PM
go to autozone (cause they have a new free diagnosis for electrical system). Check it out. Besides nate, i do have fun reading ur posts, man.. i wish i knew how u looked like.
ACCORD EX
11-02-2002, 05:11 AM
Originally posted by smufguy
man.. i wish i knew how u looked like.

i wouldn't wish for that if i were you ! :p :D

MIKE