[Shotimes] Battery/Alternator testing questions!

[John J. Weidenbenner]

Steve,

I think you will ultimately that both the battery is weak - a cell shortg
out, and the alternator is going bad. I fough poor charging on my 93 atx for
a couple years. The alternator had a bad diode compounded with UD Pulleys
would not put out to stay ahead of electrical demand. This seemed to be
"deep cycling the battery" prematurely wearing out the battery to some
extent.

This was a slowly degrading effect, ultimately throwing a battery ligtht at
start up going off at higher rpm. I hade the alternator "rebuilt" by a local
3 times, but he never got it right. The diode Assy is expensive and
relatively hard to get in this Mituhishi Alternator. I finally deleted the
UPD and later bought a used alternator.

For the battery, I have good success with Autozone's Gold with the 7 year
warramty. With a couple SHOs with the same battery, I (and they Autozone)
scan't seem to keep the staggarted barrty warrantied strait, so I never had
to but an out of warranty repalcement.;-)

John W.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Tatro" <stevetatro_shotimes@att.net>
To: "Erik" <masho95@charter.net>; "SHOtimes" <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 7:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Battery/Alternator testing questions!


> The fuel pump is original, so it is old.  The CID is about 4 years old.
>
> I still think it's something in the charging/battery system.  The
headlights
> even dim when I try to start it with them on.
>
> I'm curious as to the minimum charge the battery typically needs to start
> the car.  If I let it sit overnight and measure the voltage in the morning
> before I try to start the car, how many volts should I expect?  Around 12?
> Even less?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve Tatro
> Red/Black '93 with 171k miles
> Cincinnati, Ohio
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Erik" <masho95@charter.net>
> To: "Steve Tatro" <stevetatro@att.net>; "SHOtimes"
<shotimes@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 8:57 PM
> Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Battery/Alternator testing questions!
>
>
> > Both your voltages with the car running and it off seem to be within the
> > acceptable limits.  How old is your fuel pump and CMP (camshaft position
> > sensor)?
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Steve Tatro" <stevetatro_shotimes@att.net>
> > To: "SHOtimes" <shotimes@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 6:58 PM
> > Subject: [Shotimes] Battery/Alternator testing questions!
> >
> >
> > > Help.
> > >
> > > This has happened for a couple of days now.  My car is sluggish to
start
> > when
> > > it's been sitting for a long period of time, seems like the classic
weak
> > > battery syndrome.
> > >
> > > When I got home I got the voltmeter out and it registered 13.96VDC
when
> > > running.  It's been off for about an hour and now the battery
indicates
> > (with
> > > the car OFF) 12.75VDC.
> > >
> > > My question is, how do I determine if I've got a bad alt, or batt, or
> > what?
> > > If my battery is dying a slow death would it keep losing it's charge,
so
> > that
> > > if I check it in a few hours it would be even lower?
> > >
> > > Oh, and can someone recommend a good replacement battery if in fact
> that's
> > > what I need?
> > >
> > > Thanks for any help.
> > >
> > > Steve Tatro
> > > Red/Black '93 with 171k miles
> > > Cincinnati, Ohio
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Shotimes mailing list
> > > Shotimes@autox.team.net
> > > http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo/shotimes
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