On the loose terminal battery connection...

I like the idea. As I said, I just had two new batteries put in and - maybe - the are loose? But I've been driving for a couple of weeks after the batteries were replaced and ONLY started having problem when the weather got cold, last Tuesday.

I'll have the nice guy from AAA check the battery connections before they tow it, but I didn't see anything obviuous or corrosive.

Thanx again!

g

 

Clean the terminals (all four of them brite and shiney), Clamp them down tight, Charge the batteries up, Wait until the temps go above 45 and I bet she will start right up. You may have run them down below the point that it would not start at all. It may even start right now if you hook a charger up to it. That stroker requires a certain voltage to fire the computers. The computers fire the injectors. The engine can whirl its butt off, but if the voltage goes below this limit, I think it is around 10.8. It requires that voltage in order to stepup up the voltage over 110 to fire the injectors.

If you have any type of volt meter (my radar detector has one built in) that you can plug into the cigerette lighter or any hot line, you can watch the voltage when you turn the key over. When it is cold, I can watch it drop to the low 11's and high 10's when the GP circuit kicks on.

I will give you another instance. I took my wheels to have the oil changed (Not Walley World. I know better). This is a trusted shop. It was about 80 outside. I just do not let anybody mess with my truck. Well it took a while (two hours to for the parts man to bring the filter and oil). In the meanwhile, the shop guys had my kick butt stereo on. I hate to brag, but it will thump you. I got back to the shop, they put the oil in and then upon an attempted start, well, there was no start. It took me a few minutes to figure it out, then remembered when I got there, the stereo was on. They were puzzled at the shop. I told them to hook the charger up. Two minutes later, I started the truck. They stood they with mouths hanging open. I backed out and never told them what was wrong. Let the dummies figure it out on their own.

 

So I may have run down the batteries just trying to start it....

Sounds like I may just need a jump tomorrow when it's 50. But I still need to have to glow plugs looked at... and everything else. I just never had this problem before and that was when it was below 20s last year and the year before.

btw - I DID have the presence of mind to keep off the radio, heater, lights before I started the 1st crank.

I have an aux cigarette lighter, but it doesn't get any power. I guess I could hook it back, but I never had any "burning" need to have more than one...

Thanx

g

 

Try to jump it tonight if you can. I would clean the battery post first, then give ita whirl. Even though new batteries, the monkeys at the battery store may not have cleaned them.

 

Contrary to popular belief, new batteries are NOT 100% ready for use when installed, especially by places like WallyWorld.

Ideally, new batteries should be given a 1-3 hour "topping" charge (time determined by specific gravity of electrolyte). Only then are the batteries "ready" to be put into service. If I remember correctly, "full" is when the electrolyte reaches a specific gravity of 1.28. also, if the "no-load" voltage (i.e. completely disconnected) is less than 12.5, you've got problems.

During the warmer parts of the year, having the alternator "top" the batteries isn't such a big deal because the starting loads are not heavy, and the warm batteries take the heavy charging current well.

Cold weather HAMMERS batteries (perhaps even more than really HOT weather), and so it's entirely possible that you've popped at least one new battery.

Also, during my tenure as a parts salesman, fully 1/2 of the batteries we sold were junk from the time they went over the counter (especially the house brand batteries). Don't assume that a battery is "good" just because it's "new".

You can get even a cheapy hygrometer, and a digital voltmeter for $20 (combined) at WallyWorld, to check your battery health. Might be a wise investment.

The fact that you did not have problems until you changed the batteries suggests that the either the batteries or the connections (or both) are suspect. Concentrate on that idea.

-blaine