Battery died (warning: long post)

5hadow · Post by **5hadow** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 3:39 pm

Here's the story...

A couple weeks ago I was driving around with my girlfriend and I noticed that my headlight beams were flickering. Then I turned on my dome light and it was flickering soon. Shortly after, my battery light turned on.

The next day I got my battery and alternator tested at Autozone. My battery tested fine but my alternator was only putting out like 16 amps when it should be putting out like 80. I took it back later in the day because I noticed my battery light wasn't coming on anymore. Then it tested at like 90 amps so the alternator isn't the problem.

After all that the battery was fine and that didn't ever happen again.

But tonight as I was driving to my girlfriend's house, the battery light went on again. When I was leaving my girlfriend's house after being there for a few hours, my car wouldn't start. I tried to jump it with her car but that didn't work. I could turn the car on but not the engine. I tried a couple more times and waited a little longer while her car was on and mine wasn't so it could charge a bit more. It still wouldn't start.

Then we got out a battery charger from her garage and tried that. We let it charge for a few minutes (I didn't feel like waiting a long time) and then I tried to turn on my car again. This time it didn't even seem like it was trying to start. I heard the starter clicking, but that was it.

We parked the car at her house and I got my friend to pick me up and give me a ride home.

What do you think the problem is? I know that my battery cables are pretty worn out...on the negative one, the rubber outside is completely worn out in one spot and you can see the eroding metal inside. Do you think that's the problem? I just need new battery cables? Or could it be something else?

5hadow · Post by **5hadow** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 3:39 pm

I went to go check out my car a little while ago, and when I turned the car on (couldn't get the engine to start), the positive battery cable was sizzling at the connection with the terminal, and it was more eroded than before. I left the battery cables connected all night...I hope I didn't fry anything. But the cable only sizzled while the car was on, so I don't think I did any damage by leaving the cables connected.

I bought some new cables from Autozone and I'm going to attempt to replace them in a couple hours. Is that a pretty hard thing to do? The positive cable just goes to the starter and splits right by the terminal to go to the PCM, right? What about the negative cable?

sohcneon13x · Post by **sohcneon13x** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:09 pm

changing cables is not to hard. Check allyou grounds while your at it. If you get your car to start take and check the battery and alternator again. Sounds like a bad connection, but my alternator had the same symptoms before it died on me.

5hadow · Post by **5hadow** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:12 pm

sohcneon13x wrote:changing cables is not to hard. Check allyou grounds while your at it. If you get your car to start take and check the battery and alternator again. Sounds like a bad connection, but my alternator had the same symptoms before it died on me.

My alternator is brand new though...like less than a month old. I had to buy a new one because I broke the B+ bolt on my stock one.

I really hope it's not the alternator...that thing is a BITCH to remove/install.

Where does the negative battery cable go to?

sohcneon13x · Post by **sohcneon13x** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:18 pm

you shouldn't have to replace the neg cable. Just cut the old terminal off and attached wires to the new terminal.
It could be your alternator. Breand new can still go bad.

5hadow · Post by **5hadow** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:25 pm

sohcneon13x wrote:you shouldn't have to replace the neg cable. Just cut the old terminal off and attached wires to the new terminal.
It could be your alternator. Breand new can still go bad.

The negative cable has a huge gash in it like a foot from the battery though. If I take the electrical tape off, I can see the inside of the wire eroding.

And what do you mean cut the old terminal off?

sohcneon13x · Post by **sohcneon13x** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:28 pm

5hadow wrote:
sohcneon13x wrote:you shouldn't have to replace the neg cable. Just cut the old terminal off and attached wires to the new terminal.
It could be your alternator. Breand new can still go bad.
The negative cable has a huge gash in it like a foot from the battery though. If I take the electrical tape off, I can see the inside of the wire eroding.

And what do you mean cut the old terminal off?

If your neg cable wasn't bad you could just cut the wires where they met the factory neg battery terminal, then connect the wire to a new terninal to connect to the battery.

5hadow · Post by **5hadow** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:29 pm

I'll be replacing (or attempting to replace) the battery cables soon, so I'll let you know what happens when I do.

5hadow · Post by **5hadow** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:51 pm

I replaced the battery cables, and everything's fine now.