Bad alternator
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Could be. Loose, or corroded connections anywhere in the starting circuit will mimic a bad battery, very common mistake. Use your voltmeter to check charging voltage (after cleaning the battery posts and terminals, at the starter, at the engine block, etc) AND charging the battery thoroughly with an outboard charger. Clean and bright, shiny tight connections. Perform the checks and report back the voltages found at idle and say, 1500 RPM with headlights and heater on HI. Here's the link:
http://www.aa1car.com/library/charging_checks.htm
If the battery is more than five years old as a general rule it's best to replace it before causing any further trouble. They can last quite a bit longer than this, but that's not the way to bet.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/charging_checks.htm
If the battery is more than five years old as a general rule it's best to replace it before causing any further trouble. They can last quite a bit longer than this, but that's not the way to bet.
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