blybrook PE
Veteran 10k Spammer
Get a small dab of wheel bearing or lithium grease and coat the terminals before installation. It'll help combat future corrosion.
The Automotive Thread
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Lol, I have no idea what's going on with my car. Didn't replace the battery yet, since I'm lazy and it was raining like Noah's Ark was going to come down the street this past weekend, and the battery was suddenly working no problem so I didn't want to mess with it. Driving around with the new battery in my trunk with my toolbox, but I did cover more distance this weekend in general, so maybe that has helped the original battery. It's also been warmer these past couple of days, which, idk if that helps?
I think I'll replace it today after work, since it seems like it's going to be sunny later today and the temps are predicted to drop suddenly later this week. Was going to go to AutoZone but I'm being ultra lazy/want to be able to go to the gym later tonight and I feel like if I go to AutoZone that my whole schedule will get wonky?
I think I'll replace it today after work, since it seems like it's going to be sunny later today and the temps are predicted to drop suddenly later this week. Was going to go to AutoZone but I'm being ultra lazy/want to be able to go to the gym later tonight and I feel like if I go to AutoZone that my whole schedule will get wonky?
I think that's the answer...All of our new cars have needed batteries around 3 years. All of the really old cars' batteries last a long time, especially if you keep them on the trickle charger when you don't drive them regularly.
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Update: stayed late at work so didn't replace battery. Drove over to AutoZone because I figured, why not. They said my battery was charged 100%/it's good and that there were no problems on the starter or alternator.
uhhhhhh. EB car gurus, should I still change out the battery? Or was it maybe just a fluke from cold-weather temps suddenly dropping instead of gradually easing into below zero?
uhhhhhh. EB car gurus, should I still change out the battery? Or was it maybe just a fluke from cold-weather temps suddenly dropping instead of gradually easing into below zero?
IMO, yes. I never bother bringing batteries in for them to test anymore, because they've tested several as "good" that were duds/had a shorted cell. It's one thing for the cranking speed to slow down when it's cold by a fraction, its another for it to barely turn over/sound like its not going to catch.
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This is exactly what I wanted to hear. I don't mind changing it out, but then when AutoZone said it was good...I started questioning myself. Can't bug my dad (he just traveled with mom and bro to Hawaii) and everything online isn't exactly clear. The cranking speed def slowed down and it felt like it almost wasn't going to catch so, idk, maybe it's slowly discharging during the day when I'm not driving and it won't catch because of that. Either way: JK is to replace battery and just be done with it. Thanks everyone for helping me with this simple question that I spiraled out of control so I wouldn't go to a dealership or auto repair place!
Part of the reason I say replace the battery is that you can rule it out. If your alternator is bad, or the starter, and either one kills the new battery, you can just bring it in and replace the battery under warranty. If its doing this every day, one thing you can do (although it will reset your radio, etc.) is to disconnect the battery cable overnight. If it still lugs in the morning, then that will rule out parasitic draw in most cases.
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This is the first time anything has gone 'wonky' with my car starting and it's only 3.5 years old/60k miles. I'm thinking it might be the battery since I was in a car accident in November 2018 where they crunched in that side of the car, but the battery wasn't damaged, so they reinstalled afterwards (leading me to think there might have been a pinhole leak or something). Since I was driving a lot every day when I was in NY (around 3 hours a day), maybe that kept the battery charged? Once I moved, and I started letting the car sit more/only drove maybe 20-mins a day total per day, perhaps the battery drain finally catch up (and then the cold day finally killed it).
Either way, the car has been starting like normal and there aren't any weird sounds, which makes me think it was the battery and AutoZone was reading it as 100% because I had been driving? Would that make sense, the battery reading 100% after driving it over, since it wasn't from a cold start?
Either way, the car has been starting like normal and there aren't any weird sounds, which makes me think it was the battery and AutoZone was reading it as 100% because I had been driving? Would that make sense, the battery reading 100% after driving it over, since it wasn't from a cold start?
Flyer_PE
Jr. PE / Sr. Company Pilot
If they are applying a load to the battery, driving there shouldn't affect the results. There is a difference between state of charge and battery capacity (i.e. you can have a fully charged battery that only has 10% of it's rated capacity).
The USB charger I use in my truck has a voltmeter built into it (see Amazon link below). With the engine running, the alternator should be able to maintain the system voltage higher than 13.5 Vdc. At idle, it may vary a bit with load but it should stay pretty solid when driving. You can also do a quick and dirty capacity check on the battery by seeing what the voltage does when you load it (turn on the headlights and heater blower etc.) with the engine off.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRV0XNG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The USB charger I use in my truck has a voltmeter built into it (see Amazon link below). With the engine running, the alternator should be able to maintain the system voltage higher than 13.5 Vdc. At idle, it may vary a bit with load but it should stay pretty solid when driving. You can also do a quick and dirty capacity check on the battery by seeing what the voltage does when you load it (turn on the headlights and heater blower etc.) with the engine off.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRV0XNG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Ahhhh, so it is possible to have a 100% charge but a lowered capacity? AutoZone, I think, did a load test? They brought out a thing with wires, looked at it a ton before and after I started my car, and said my car sounded nice after it had been idling for a few. Said the alternator and starter were fine. Tbh, just going to replace the battery (I already bought it) and see how it works following. If it fails with a new battery, then I'll poke the beast a little more. @Flyer_PE, prob going to buy that little usb thing since I've been thinking of getting a double port for a while, so I might as well get one that gives me a little more data.
Road Guy
Well-known member
And knock on wood the wire harness replacement on the jeep seems to have done the trick - 5 days in and no weird warning lights coming on....
F'n squirrels, need Cousin Eddie to pay a visit and eat some of them
F'n squirrels, need Cousin Eddie to pay a visit and eat some of them
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Master slacker
Something awesome.
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I'd volunteer P2, but she only eats the top half. Do you need the whole squirrel eaten or can the bottom halves be left behind as a warning?
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Okay. Final battery update. I checked the ccr (the cold crank whatever) on my new battery and it’s like twice the amount of my old battery, so maybe it being older with the lower cold crank is why it wasn’t happy with the sudden drop in temp. Was able to swap the battery out in less than 10-minutes. Not going to lie, I felt very self sufficient (I am aware I am lame for this), and I brought it back to Costco to get the core refund. When I turned the car on, it didn’t catch the first time, and I thought I fucked it up, but I turned it on right after and it worked perfectly!! Maybe it just needed to close the circuit or something to make sure the battery was established? All radio settings and my phone still synced and everything and I’m just like, relieved I didn’t blow up my car. Thanks guys for walking me through something ultra simple!!!
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Master slacker
Something awesome.
The starter will draw what current it needs to draw, but about double the old battery CCA? Got dam!
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YEAH. My old battery, when I popped it out and was able to read the top, said the CCA was 350-something. New one is 640. So I'm thinking this is just a bigger/better battery for my bbyCorolla. I'm just happy this hopefully means 3-years of JK not having to worry too much about the car.
The starter will draw what current it needs to draw, but about double the old battery CCA? Got dam!
Flyer_PE
Jr. PE / Sr. Company Pilot
CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) is a standard measure of the capability of the battery to deliver starting current. It is defined as the number of amps a 12 volt battery can supply at 0 deg. F for 30 seconds while maintaining a terminal voltage greater than 7.2V. My practice has been to install the highest CCA battery available that will fit the battery box. The idea being that the battery with the higher CCA rating can be substantially degraded and still be able to start the car.
FLBuff PE
Multi-disciplinary engineer
I just realized I never updated this. I asked about the best three-row SUV, but decided that since Mrs. Buff has the minivan, we didn't need a three-row SUV. I wanted something we could off-road in, and haul our popup camper with. I've always wanted a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and I found a 2016 Limited with 11,000 miles on it in Minnesota when we were there in November. Had enough from my former company paying my stock options off to buy it outright, then drove it from Minnesota to Colorado. It's everything I had hoped for, so far. Not great mileage, but good for an SUV. It has the V6, which means it doesn't guzzle gas, but it will be powerful enough to haul the camper. I considered the Overland model, but I didn't want to get into the adjustable airbag shocks, which are at least $3k to replace when they break.
Ever since I was little I have wanted a 68-69 Camaro. I am only 39 so its not like I grew up with one or anything and I am not a grease monkey, so I'm probably not the typical owner of one. Still I cant help but drool over them. I am able now to get one if I want and have been looking for a few months. I've found this 68 local that has had a frame off restoration. I've shown it to a friend that owns one and a few other peeps that are more mechanically minded than me and they have all given the go ahead. My wife loves the idea and I can kick the old truck out of the garage and keep this thing in a semi-conditioned area. I'm looking for a reason to not do it. Can anyone talk me out of this?
