Stranded by starter at 324,000 miles

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#16

04-29-2018, 06:28 PM

annaleigh

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Tedster9

Full battery voltage is 12.80 volts. Hate to be "that guy" but if using the old numbers it will only be ~75% charged! Internal battery chemistry changed when the manufacturers went to the sealed "maintenance free" type. A very few people still buy the old school batts that have filler caps.

Oftentimes when you buy a longer warrantied battery there are no internal differences, the only difference is the sticker. And the price.

Thanks for the info!
I remember at my dads old shop.. The batteries were dry and he had to add the acid to them then I believe charge them... I also remember him using a hydrometer to check the cells.

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#17

04-29-2018, 09:04 PM

jeffreyclay

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Im50fast

Now that I own two vans I need to be even more proactive.

Funny now now how much more important Preventive Maintenance is, since I own a business with employees on the road in my trucks. A $145 starter seems cheap compared to a stranded employee 75 miles away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Im50fast

Battery was dead. Jump started and drove to nearby Advance Auto. Bought a New “no label” $69 battery and hit the road. Only to notice the battery light was on twenty minutes later.

At Another AAP shortly after, the kid put the fancy machine on it and told me everything was fine. Lol it showed 12.1 volts at idle.

Quite unusual, sounds like the thinking of two different people and it would have been a waste to put new brushes in that starter. I knew a fellow that made an emergency set of brushes from a Carpenter's pencil. Lasted for almost a year. A #3 works the best.

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#18

04-29-2018, 09:07 PM

Im50fast

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Quote:

Originally Posted by annaleigh

Did you check the voltages again after installing the alternator? There are many other things that can cause your issue. Bad ground, bad connector, bad cable, ect.
A fully charged battery by itself should have 12.6 volts.

What kind of replacement warranty do you get with a cheap battery?

the guy said he load tested it.
And he said the brushes were worn down to nothing- so I’m confident it was the root cause.
Plus it was verified as the factory original- 11 years old with 334,000 miles on it.

AAP gives 30 day warranty on the no-label batteries. I’ve bought a few over the years and never been disappointed.

One of my employees is a gearhead and he texted me today saying he got it reinstalled this afternoon. So it should be good now.

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#19

04-29-2018, 11:31 PM

Tedster9

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Quote:

Originally Posted by annaleigh

I remember at my dads old shop.. The batteries were dry and he had to add the acid to them then I believe charge them... I also remember him using a hydrometer to check the cells.

That's still the best way probably, except, they are sealed so impossible. Those batteries you remember are called "dry charged" or something like that. They still sell them, I think they get around HAZMAT regulations that way. Buy battery electrolyte locally. They last for years in the dry charged state.

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