Battery won't maintain charge + Starter Issue?

Jutzi420 · Post by **Jutzi420** » April 27th, 2005, 7:25 am

Ok, here's the problem. While driving at high RPMs the car would give quick studders occasionally. This problem started right after I ran the thing almost completely dry (did it then), so I figured I shot the pump, changed it up with a Walbro - no dice, seemed like it helped, didn't do it nearly as frequently. So as I'm driving trying to think of what else it might be, the car just dies, volt guage reads about 10, since I don't have my guages mounted yet I wasn't paying attention to it. Needless to say it wouldn't start back up. I figured the alternator just wasn't keeping a charge, so I got one from a scrapper from an mx-6, pop it in, start her up with the battery charged and the volts drop mad low when I turn the key... like 9.5 to 10, but she starts, only she still won't charge past 10.2 or so at idle.

Battery is Orbital, half a year old, never drained before this problem. I'd say starter is next on the list but even if it's the starter why would a second alt still not charge the battery while it's running? Two bad ones maybe?

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » April 27th, 2005, 9:18 am

Have you checked your battery terminals? I did that once, where I could have sworn i had them on right...it was on enough to start the car, not not on enough to allow the alternator to charge the battery, go figure...

guyaverage · Post by **guyaverage** » April 27th, 2005, 9:54 am

If the terminals check out ok, dont assume the battery isnt bad. They can crap out early like anything else, especially if they were run down a few times or the alternator wasnt keeping it charged. It may have a shorted-out cell.

Jutzi420 · Post by **Jutzi420** » April 27th, 2005, 4:19 pm

Well, I had the alt and battery checked, alt's good, battery needed a good long charge. My battery light on the dash has been burned out for about a year, guy at the battery shop told me without that light functioning properly the alt won't charge teh battery and said I was s----lucky that it lasted as long as it did. Anyone know if that's true? Seems kinda funny that the charging system could be foiled by a teeny-little light bulb, but I guess I've seen stranger things....

Gonna go fix it all up now and see what happens.

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » April 27th, 2005, 5:09 pm

guyaverage wrote:If the terminals check out ok, dont assume the battery isnt bad. They can crap out early like anything else

True, my one Red Top quit on me after about 8 months.

Jutzi420 · Post by **Jutzi420** » April 27th, 2005, 11:37 pm

Well, the charging system and batt seem to be a-one now, but she still skips sometimes when the revs are above 4k or below 2.5, at least now I can start it when she stalls

Seems there might just be some truth to that dummy light thing.

I'm thinking maybe the tensioner pully on the timing belt is dragging....