Bad Battery or not??

[Jim]

Hello All,
I have a 2000 OBW. It seems to have a problem with the battery not
charging SOMETIMES. Just started this week. After work Monday had to
get a boost. Then fine Tuesday/Wed. Then Thursday morning AND after
work had to get a boost.
Car runs fine once it is started.
I took the battery to Canadian Tire and they put it on the test and it
passed that test.

Unfortunately, I live in Windsor, Ontario and the closest dealer is
1.5 hours away.

Can it still be the battery or could it be something else? As I said,
once it's started, it runs fine and it has no problems starting when
I'm getting a boost.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[MDCORE]

Have you checked the alternator?
If it isn't holding a charge, you could be running the car off the battery,
instead of the alternator.

dukephoto

 

[TG]

find someone to load test the system, this will check the batt, alternator,
starter,etc all on the car. Could be a belt slipping, damper comeing loose,
etc. TG

 

[Todd H.]

Hello All,
I have a 2000 OBW. It seems to have a problem with the battery not
charging SOMETIMES. Just started this week. After work Monday had to
get a boost. Then fine Tuesday/Wed. Then Thursday morning AND after
work had to get a boost.
Car runs fine once it is started.
I took the battery to Canadian Tire and they put it on the test and it
passed that test.

Unfortunately, I live in Windsor, Ontario and the closest dealer is
1.5 hours away.

Can it still be the battery or could it be something else? As I said,
once it's started, it runs fine and it has no problems starting when
I'm getting a boost.

If you've never changed the battery in your 2000 OBW, you're overdue.

And I'm guessing that you're just seeing this now that it's getting
colder makes it even more likely to indicate a battery. When cells
are colder, they can't source the same number of amps to turn your car
over as they could when it's warmer out. Likewise, an old, depleted
battery that's worn out can't source the necessary amperage to get ya
going as wella s a new battery with fresh plates in it--even if
"fully" charged.

That it starts fine with a boost indicates that your starter isn't an
issue. It's really down to the battery or the charging system, and
if you're on your original battery, I'd put big money on the battery
being the culprit.

Best Regards,

 

[JC]

Thanks Todd,
Just wondering can the battery be gone even it it was tested and passed?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Mickey]

Hello All,
I have a 2000 OBW. It seems to have a problem with the battery not
charging SOMETIMES. Just started this week. After work Monday had to
get a boost. Then fine Tuesday/Wed. Then Thursday morning AND after
work had to get a boost.
Car runs fine once it is started.
I took the battery to Canadian Tire and they put it on the test and it
passed that test.

Unfortunately, I live in Windsor, Ontario and the closest dealer is
1.5 hours away.

Can it still be the battery or could it be something else? As I said,
once it's started, it runs fine and it has no problems starting when
I'm getting a boost.

Thanks,
Jim

Don't need no stink'n dealer to make determination of your problem.

What is battery voltage when engine is running? Should be close to
14.25. As you add a load, what happens to voltage? Need to be
running faster than idle when adding load.

How is the qlty of the various connections? Battery terminals clean
and tight, battery connection all the way to the starter.

What is voltage at the battery and starter when trying to start?
Shouldn't be much less than 10V at the starter and maybe a volt higher
at the battery.

Knowledge is much better tool than parts swapping in making repairs.

Mickey

 

[Todd H.]

Thanks Todd,
Just wondering can the battery be gone even it it was tested and
passed?

It depends on how it was tested. A battery can look fine an ducky at
12V with a multimeter with no load on it, but put it under a load of a
starter, if it collapses to a tiny fraction of that, then the battery
needs replacement.

If your battery is over 3 years old and you have starting problems,
I'd always spend $60 to replace the battery, because time wise, it's
due to die soon anyway, and I'd rather not find out on a 0 degree day
in a snowstorm in a deserted parking lot.

Best Regards,

 

[JC]

Well I replaced the battery today. If you don't hear back on this then
the OBW is doing just fine again.

 

[Todd H.]

Well I replaced the battery today. If you don't hear back on this then
the OBW is doing just fine again.

Bet ya a virtual dollar that we don't hear back from ya on this
issue.