WHATS DRAINING THE BATTERY?
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Freshman User
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WHATS DRAINING THE BATTERY?
1988 F150 5.8 LTR.
Start my truck up, drive it for 30 minutes, stop at gas station & fill up, turn the key & my battery is dead. I then have to wait for things to cool off before it will charge up again or get it jumped.
1. Battery is good
2. New solenoid
3. Starter is good, with a good heat shield
4. Alternator is newer
Does any of this sound familiar? I can't figure it out.
Start my truck up, drive it for 30 minutes, stop at gas station & fill up, turn the key & my battery is dead. I then have to wait for things to cool off before it will charge up again or get it jumped.
1. Battery is good
2. New solenoid
3. Starter is good, with a good heat shield
4. Alternator is newer
Does any of this sound familiar? I can't figure it out.
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2008
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Actually I had it checked recently. Figured it was bad, took it in as a core for a new one, he checked it & said there was nothing wrong with it.
I also had the same problem years ago with one of my cars that turned out to be a dead cell. I thought maybe this was the same problem.
I also had the same problem years ago with one of my cars that turned out to be a dead cell. I thought maybe this was the same problem.
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This is the story with the battery & the draining.
I had this problem 2 yrs ago when I bought the truck. After changing the battery, the problem went away for a short time maybe 6 months, and then came back again. Thats why I decided to have it tested.
Had it tested twice and was told the battery was fine. If there is a dead cell, would they know this by the testing? Why would a second battery go bad, could something be causing this?
I had this problem 2 yrs ago when I bought the truck. After changing the battery, the problem went away for a short time maybe 6 months, and then came back again. Thats why I decided to have it tested.
Had it tested twice and was told the battery was fine. If there is a dead cell, would they know this by the testing? Why would a second battery go bad, could something be causing this?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Freehold
Not everyones battery testing equipment is good too, some of the old time testers cant detect a bad cell all that easy.
Buy a new battery and see what happens, if you can find one buy an interstate than an ac/delco aka deka if you cant find an interstate. DO NOT buy exide they are junk.
Buy a new battery and see what happens, if you can find one buy an interstate than an ac/delco aka deka if you cant find an interstate. DO NOT buy exide they are junk.
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I currently have a Sears Die Hard truck battery, they are the ones who did the testing.
They claimed it was fine rather than selling me another.
I will give it a try.
They claimed it was fine rather than selling me another.
I will give it a try.
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Posting Guru
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From: Freehold
^ Thats your problem right there. Ever wonder why the testing usually takes awhile? The guy is in the back charging it up during the time they claim they are testing it. This way it ALWAYS comes up good.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Des Moines
To Rothschild- are you sure the battery is dying? Try taking it to O'Reilly or NAPA or someplace else to have it tested. It never hurts to get a second opinion.
I'm also curious because you say you have to "wait for things to cool off" before it will start again. I recently went thru a problem where I would have difficulty with my truck starting and it turned out to be the battery cables. They're easy enough to check- just cut a little insulation off both the positive and negative cables- if the individual fibers are dark, the cable is bad.
But if the battery actually is dying, make sure your alternator is good- even if you're not using lights, radio, etc, the power needed just to operate the computer and electrical components is enough to drain the battery.
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CONFIRMED - NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY!
Took it to a few auto parts stores including a NAPA. Was told that there was no bad cell in the battery but something is drawing it down. Currently charging around 625 when it should be over 800.
What could be draining this? Alternator, solenoid, starter all check out to be fine as well.
Took it to a few auto parts stores including a NAPA. Was told that there was no bad cell in the battery but something is drawing it down. Currently charging around 625 when it should be over 800.
What could be draining this? Alternator, solenoid, starter all check out to be fine as well.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
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From: Lafayette, IN
First off, check all your major electrical connections--clean and tighten the battery terminal connections, the solenoid and starter connections, etc.
You can test the battery yourself with a voltmeter. You have to pop the vent caps off (should be 2 rectangular caps next to the posts on a Die Hard), revealing 6 holes. Simply put the leads of your voltmeter into the acid of each set of adjacent holes, i.e., 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6. You should get about 2.1V on each measurement. Anything significantly different means a short between cells, or a dead cell.
Once you've done that, then you can start looking for a possible drain. First, pull the bulb on the underhood light (that's about a 2A draw right there and can send you on a wild goose chase). Shut off all accessories. Take the negative wire off the battery and put an AMMETER between it and the battery post. Note the amperage on the meter--it shouldn't be more than about 50 milliamps. More than 100 mA is a problem. Now start pulling and reinserting fuses one at a time. If the amperage drops significantly when you pull a fuse, that's the circuit with the drain or short.
Jason
You can test the battery yourself with a voltmeter. You have to pop the vent caps off (should be 2 rectangular caps next to the posts on a Die Hard), revealing 6 holes. Simply put the leads of your voltmeter into the acid of each set of adjacent holes, i.e., 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6. You should get about 2.1V on each measurement. Anything significantly different means a short between cells, or a dead cell.
Once you've done that, then you can start looking for a possible drain. First, pull the bulb on the underhood light (that's about a 2A draw right there and can send you on a wild goose chase). Shut off all accessories. Take the negative wire off the battery and put an AMMETER between it and the battery post. Note the amperage on the meter--it shouldn't be more than about 50 milliamps. More than 100 mA is a problem. Now start pulling and reinserting fuses one at a time. If the amperage drops significantly when you pull a fuse, that's the circuit with the drain or short.
Jason
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Based on my experience with a similar problem, you either have a cable problem, like corroded at cable end or bad connection, or you have a tired high mileage starter.
One clue to the problem is in your post "my battery is dead. I then have to wait for things to cool off before it will charge up again ". A truely dead battery won't charge up again, but an engine will cool off and require less amps thru a bad cable/ connection and or the starter cools off and cranks one more time.
Good Luck Frank
One clue to the problem is in your post "my battery is dead. I then have to wait for things to cool off before it will charge up again ". A truely dead battery won't charge up again, but an engine will cool off and require less amps thru a bad cable/ connection and or the starter cools off and cranks one more time.
Good Luck Frank