Battery
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Battery
Hello forum new user, many questions.I was wondering ,when checking a battery with a digital multimeter,off position it should read between 12.6 to 13.2 right?Well what if it's 12.14,does this mean i need to invest in a battery soon or what?The reason i'm asking is because i seem to have a few problems,such a CMP which i have replaced.Still the (CEL)turn a/c or heat on ,or anything that draws current and i get a stumble in acceleration or a miss,sometimes constant or just a fews jerks.Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks,KC
Thanks,KC
Last edited by 96blackbeauty; Nov 5, 2004 at 06:21 PM. Reason: adding more info
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Swing by your favorite auto store and get them to "load" check the battery. That will tell the story on the battery. Get the codes pulled while at the auto store and report them here and someone will give you some ideas.
Dave
Dave
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From: Cypress, CA
Black Beauty: While having someone "load check" your battery is absolutely the best way to go, you can do some preliminary checking yourself and you are already on the right track.
The voltage on your battery just sitting there should be 12.4 - 12.8 or so. Turning on the headlights for 5 minutes or so should remove any "top charge" and provide a better voltage reading. Turn off the headlights and start the engine - voltage should drop no lower than 10.5 +- some while cranking. Once the engine starts, if all is working correctly, the measured voltage should rise to between 13.8 and 14.2. This tells you that the alternator is recharging the battery. Turn on the headlights -should see a short "dip" in the voltage and it should return to the 13.8 - 14.2 if the voltage regulator is working properly. Same with the Air Conditioning - turn it on and monitor the voltage.
Batteries used to get weaker and weaker before they just quit - just like me - but any more batteries work fine today and don't work at all tomorrow. Any battery over 3 years old is suspect in my book.
With regard to your performance challenge, if your CEL light is not on, look for "stored codes" with a scanner and go from there.
Post the codes here and we will do all we can to point you in the right direction.
Russ
The voltage on your battery just sitting there should be 12.4 - 12.8 or so. Turning on the headlights for 5 minutes or so should remove any "top charge" and provide a better voltage reading. Turn off the headlights and start the engine - voltage should drop no lower than 10.5 +- some while cranking. Once the engine starts, if all is working correctly, the measured voltage should rise to between 13.8 and 14.2. This tells you that the alternator is recharging the battery. Turn on the headlights -should see a short "dip" in the voltage and it should return to the 13.8 - 14.2 if the voltage regulator is working properly. Same with the Air Conditioning - turn it on and monitor the voltage.
Batteries used to get weaker and weaker before they just quit - just like me - but any more batteries work fine today and don't work at all tomorrow. Any battery over 3 years old is suspect in my book.
With regard to your performance challenge, if your CEL light is not on, look for "stored codes" with a scanner and go from there.
Post the codes here and we will do all we can to point you in the right direction.
Russ
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battery
RangerRuss,
thanks for the response ,i've had the battery checked by autozone.They said it was charging like it should .But checking it myself with multitester while running,i was getting nearly 15 volts,is this to high,i mean is it over charging?The reason for this ? is because i have changed the terminal ends as well,and the positive terminal end is black looking like it's getting to hot or something.I have had the alternator checked as well.Said it was working fine.All of my problems started as the result of the previous owner breaking the locking tab off the alternator plug,thought the alt had let go when the light came on.thats when i removed it and had it checked .reinstalled it ,then 3 days later cam position sensor code ,changed it,(CEL) the next day again.code p0340 cam position sensor again,changed again thinking maybe a bad part from the store,still (CEL) p0340.checked for loose connections but have found none.checked the grounds and all good there as well,beginning to think maybe a bad PCM.Could you or anyone else shine some light on these problems .
thanks, K.C.
Running fine then,
1. Alternator light=bad plug
2.CEL=P0340=cam position sensor,replaced twice still getting the code
3.terrible idle stumble when accelerating,but not all the time,comes and goes
4.turn headlights on charge needle fluctuates up and down constantly
thanks for the response ,i've had the battery checked by autozone.They said it was charging like it should .But checking it myself with multitester while running,i was getting nearly 15 volts,is this to high,i mean is it over charging?The reason for this ? is because i have changed the terminal ends as well,and the positive terminal end is black looking like it's getting to hot or something.I have had the alternator checked as well.Said it was working fine.All of my problems started as the result of the previous owner breaking the locking tab off the alternator plug,thought the alt had let go when the light came on.thats when i removed it and had it checked .reinstalled it ,then 3 days later cam position sensor code ,changed it,(CEL) the next day again.code p0340 cam position sensor again,changed again thinking maybe a bad part from the store,still (CEL) p0340.checked for loose connections but have found none.checked the grounds and all good there as well,beginning to think maybe a bad PCM.Could you or anyone else shine some light on these problems .
thanks, K.C.
Running fine then,
1. Alternator light=bad plug
2.CEL=P0340=cam position sensor,replaced twice still getting the code
3.terrible idle stumble when accelerating,but not all the time,comes and goes
4.turn headlights on charge needle fluctuates up and down constantly
Last edited by 96blackbeauty; Nov 11, 2004 at 09:09 PM. Reason: adding
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From: Cypress, CA
Black Beauty: Hmmmmm
Never noticed battery terminals getting hot enough to turn it black. This must somehow be related to your #1 and #4. With the headlights on and the charge needle fluctuating it would cause me to be skeptical about the voltage regulator which is internal to the alternator. I wonder how much work it would be to replace the plug into the alternator with a new one that has the retainer snap. It is also within the realms of possibility that #1 could be a contributing factor to #3.
With regard to #2 - PO340 indicates a problem with the CMP sensor circuit - and does not necessarily mean that the CMP sensor itself has gone south. Again utilizing a scanner one should be able to determine if the CMP is indeed producing a signal to the PCM and check the other components of this circuit for malfunctions. One could also do the famous Ford "wiggle" test which is basically wiggling the wires while the scanner is connected to determine if a component starts working again. Many times there is a broken wire or a bad/corroded connection which can cause all sorts of fun.
Keep digging - you are on the right track.
Russ
Never noticed battery terminals getting hot enough to turn it black. This must somehow be related to your #1 and #4. With the headlights on and the charge needle fluctuating it would cause me to be skeptical about the voltage regulator which is internal to the alternator. I wonder how much work it would be to replace the plug into the alternator with a new one that has the retainer snap. It is also within the realms of possibility that #1 could be a contributing factor to #3.
With regard to #2 - PO340 indicates a problem with the CMP sensor circuit - and does not necessarily mean that the CMP sensor itself has gone south. Again utilizing a scanner one should be able to determine if the CMP is indeed producing a signal to the PCM and check the other components of this circuit for malfunctions. One could also do the famous Ford "wiggle" test which is basically wiggling the wires while the scanner is connected to determine if a component starts working again. Many times there is a broken wire or a bad/corroded connection which can cause all sorts of fun.
Keep digging - you are on the right track.
Russ
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Happy Again
Finally found the problem,bad ignition switch and battery as well.HAd battery checked by auto parts store,said it was fine but i didnt buy that.So i did a hydrometer test and found out diffrent.Load test- 0 Hydrometer -1.Then i found the switch to be defective by mistake because of the door chimes acting up.So Thanks to all who tried to help me.I guess as technology advances,we just become more dumbfounded.Cars are becoming more complicated all the time.Wish i had my'65,'69','72 oldsmobiles back.Such a shame that OLDS never produced a truck.
Thanks Again,
K.C.
Thanks Again,
K.C.
