Stupid Question-Battery
04-02-2011, 10:55 PM
#21
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
That said, a battery tender IS a good thing to have if you're parking it for extended periods of time.
04-05-2011, 01:34 PM
#22
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Big Thanks!
After a little investigation, my girlfriend told me she got my registration out of the Vette for proof of residence for a school. She said she used the passenger side door. Well, I looked and it wasn't shut all the way, kind of cracked open. For like 6 weeks!!!
Thats why the battery died. I went to Auto Zone and got a 12V trickle charger for $20 and after 24 hours it started up with the turn of the key. Thanks for the advice Corvette Forum!
I took the Vette out to knock the dust off. Man I love driving that car. Problem is my throw out & pilot bearing are about to go, so it was sort of bittersweet to drive her again.
Thats why the battery died. I went to Auto Zone and got a 12V trickle charger for $20 and after 24 hours it started up with the turn of the key. Thanks for the advice Corvette Forum!
I took the Vette out to knock the dust off. Man I love driving that car. Problem is my throw out & pilot bearing are about to go, so it was sort of bittersweet to drive her again.
07-21-2011, 01:36 PM
#23
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Its back...
Hey, y'all. Darn battery died again due to me not driving the Vette that much (Throw Out Bearing is about to go). I've driven her a few times, but its been a good 2 months since I dove her last.
The darn battery is dead and the battery tender I have (12V/750mA) indicates it isn't charging the batter. I first unbolted the leads and clipped the charger into the metal threading in the battery as I did once before. I waited a day...Nothing.
I then threaded the battery leads in and clipped on to the screw (head of screw). Waited 2 days...Nothing.
Can a less than 2 year old Die Hard battery have a broke connection that early in its life?
If so, is removing a battery in my 1988 the same as about every other car or do I have to remove the bottom fender in order to remove it? Any help would be appreciated.
The darn battery is dead and the battery tender I have (12V/750mA) indicates it isn't charging the batter. I first unbolted the leads and clipped the charger into the metal threading in the battery as I did once before. I waited a day...Nothing.
I then threaded the battery leads in and clipped on to the screw (head of screw). Waited 2 days...Nothing.
Can a less than 2 year old Die Hard battery have a broke connection that early in its life?
If so, is removing a battery in my 1988 the same as about every other car or do I have to remove the bottom fender in order to remove it? Any help would be appreciated.
07-21-2011, 05:49 PM
#24
You will need to remove the lower fender. There are several screws in the fender wheel behind the wheel, a couple along the top, and the tricky one that is not obvious is a 10 mm one that is on the bottom between the fender and the rocker panel. If you look carefully, you will see it. You will need an open end wrench to loosen it a couple of turns or so (not needed to take it all the way out) so that you can slip the fender off. Once you figure all of this out, it only takes about 5 min to take the battery out.
Hope you figure it out quickly. I never like to take up chances with batteries or tires, particularly in hot weather with temps around 100 and chance of t-storms to boot. Not a good time to have problems on the road!
Hope you figure it out quickly. I never like to take up chances with batteries or tires, particularly in hot weather with temps around 100 and chance of t-storms to boot. Not a good time to have problems on the road!
08-09-2011, 07:10 PM
#26
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Darn 13mm battery hold down bolt
It took me all but 15 minutes to remove the bottom fender to access the battery-easy as pie. EXCEPT that I have no wiggle room to losen the 13mm battery hold down bolt. I've used my open ended wrench and a socket wrench, but the darn bolt is in such an odd area I have no room to twist the bolt lose. Below are some pis. Any advise on how to get this bolt off?!!!
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08-09-2011, 08:46 PM
#28
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Take that battery to an auto parts store and have them check it. I had two three-month old marine batteries lose a cell in the same week last year. Last year was a bad battery year for me, 3 in the boat(2 twice), Vette, 2 cars and a lawn mower
You may have to just start driving that thing more often
08-10-2011, 11:58 AM
#29
Extensions are the way to go to get the hold down bolt on the battery. Should make it pretty easy. This is pretty typical on a lot of cars in my experience since it is usually down at the bottom of the battery as compared to older cars that have a hold down frame around the top of the battery (not a good place though).
08-10-2011, 12:27 PM
#30
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My car can sit for 2 weeks and starts strong with no problem. I'm sure 3 weeks or maybe 4 would be OK with my present battery. But to have no lights on the dash tell me that the battery was basically completely dead and probably would have measured a few volts.
When a battery is that dead it may hard to charge it up and may not have the full power or stamina that it should. It might not be able to sit for a week and start the car. Batteries don’t like to be DEAD for long periods of time because it will destroy them.
I would think since you had no dash light that a light was left on, there is a abnormally larger current drain on battery or the battery is just tired and can't go for a long period of time without being charged very regular.
At this point I would not be surprised if you needed a new battery now regardless of whether you have a current drain in the car. With a little luck the car is probably fine and a battery will solve the problem.
If you want to measure your current drain when all is off, the FSM says less than 50 ma. My car draws about 30 ma. but I think the norm is about 35 ma.
When a battery is that dead it may hard to charge it up and may not have the full power or stamina that it should. It might not be able to sit for a week and start the car. Batteries don’t like to be DEAD for long periods of time because it will destroy them.
I would think since you had no dash light that a light was left on, there is a abnormally larger current drain on battery or the battery is just tired and can't go for a long period of time without being charged very regular.
At this point I would not be surprised if you needed a new battery now regardless of whether you have a current drain in the car. With a little luck the car is probably fine and a battery will solve the problem.
If you want to measure your current drain when all is off, the FSM says less than 50 ma. My car draws about 30 ma. but I think the norm is about 35 ma.
ive ran into this bfore in my 87. Dont try to jump start because you will most likely fry your cables.
