Car Battery Question...need a fast answer.

1507 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Jimbochap, Sep 27, 2015

Jimbochap

Discussion Starter · Sep 27, 2015

Mods feel free to move this if you like..........

Just bought a Car battery at Advance Auto Parts Store tonight................I had the guy test it for me before bringing it home.

I have not installed it yet. Anyway after reading the slip the tester sent out. I see now where it says:

Results
Good--- Recharge
Voltage : 12:45
Measured: 876 CCA
Rated : 1000 CCA
Temperatur 75 degrees.

Recommend Charging Battery Prior to Full System Test with EXP-1200

Battery meets or Exceeds Industy Specifications but is Low on Charge

Okay, now the question is should I take it back and have them fully charge it or just put it in? thing is this battery is a Pita to put in because it is kind of located in the wheel well and is not that easy to install.

K what should I do?

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Chris279

· #2 · Sep 27, 2015

Sounds like you have a Chrysler product. Fun spot for the battery huh? ? the battery is fine. Just sat on a shelf for awhile. It'll charge and test fine once it's in a running, charging vehicle. Those Midtronics testers are finicky.
In my opinion as an ASE L1 master auto tech for almost 20 years, Interstate batteries are well worth the extra money. I won't own anything else. The performance difference is profound. The Silver/Gold ones from Advanced are ok but you'd be best served with an interstate. You WILL get 7-8 trouble free years out of it.

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Diesel Powered

· #3 · Sep 27, 2015

Put it in. It's just saying that you're not going to get accurate test results until it's 100% charged after sitting on the shelf.

Chris279

· #4 · Sep 27, 2015

BTW, what kind of car is it? If it is a Chrysler, you'll need to perform a "relearn" procedure on the TCM if you disconnect the old battery without a memory saver installed. If you don't it's shifting can be a bit wonky for awhile.

Diesel Powered

· #5 · Sep 27, 2015

Chris279 said:
BTW, what kind of car is it? If it is a Chrysler, its shifting can be a bit wonky.

Fixed it. :fing32:

:sidelaugh

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Jimbochap

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 27, 2015

2001 Dodge Intrepid...............102,000 Miles........ Have disconnected the battery before and never had a problem with the shifting?How difficult is the "relearn" procedure on the TCM to do?

I'm going to put the battery back in tomorrow morning.

Had to take out the air filter casing and even the front headlight because one of the 2 bolts holding down the battery back nut part was just spinning. Just ended up bending that bracket into where the headlight was to get the battery up and out.

I guess after they put the engine under the hood, they said dammit, we forgot to put a battery in this car.:sidelaugh

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Chris279

· #7 · Sep 27, 2015

Jimbochap said:
2001 Dodge Intrepid...............102,000 Miles........ Have disconnected the battery before and never had a problem with the shifting?How difficult is the "relearn" procedure on the TCM to do?

I'm going to put the battery back in tomorrow morning.

Had to take out the air filter casing and even the front headlight because one of the bolts holding down the battery back nut part was just spinning. Just ended up bending that bracket into where the headlight was to get the battery up and out.

I guess after they put the engine under the hood, they said dammit, we forgot to put a battery in this car.:sidelaugh

Lol, yeah, it does seem that way. You can relearn that with a decent scanner but shouldn't need to (like you said). As Diesel stated, there's nothing wrong with that battery

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Jimbochap

Discussion Starter · #8 · Sep 27, 2015

One more question, how do you test the alternator on this type of car. I do have a multimeter.

I have noticed the car not starting as quick as it used to, like not turning over as fast as it used too.
Jumping the car with another car and it starts fine.

Old battery was at least 6 or 7 years old, so with winter coming decided it was time for a new battery anyway since I didn't want to be bother by this in the winter with the colder weather coming.

So how can I tell if the alternator is doing it's job or not?

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SEVA318

· #9 · Sep 27, 2015

Since you haven't put the new battery in yet it should be turning over like new in a few days or sooner if you drive it a good ways without starting it a lot.

If you test the battery with the engine running voltage should be 13-14 volts. After it has had time to charge up should test at 12.7 or so volts with the engine off.

If a few days after putting in the new battery your engine won't crank because the battery is discharged your alternator needs replacing.

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Vonrow

· #10 · Sep 27, 2015

It's not at all unusual for a "new-off-the-shelf" battery to only be holding about 80% of it's charge capacity prior to installation. There are a number of factors & reasons why a new battery might not be at 100% -just suffice it to say that you should be ok. And I can relate to everyone's weariness of battery placement in late 80's and up Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge products.... uugh... fender compartments.... I'd like to Gibbs-smack the yay-who engineer that came up with that idea. grrrrrr!

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fmdualexhaust

· #11 · Sep 27, 2015

I always put a new battery on a charger before installing it.

Dave Shaver

· #12 · Sep 27, 2015

Jimbochap said:
One more question, how do you test the alternator on this type of car. I do have a multimeter.

I have noticed the car not starting as quick as it used to, like not turning over as fast as it used too.
Jumping the car with another car and it starts fine.

Old battery was at least 6 or 7 years old, so with winter coming decided it was time for a new battery anyway since I didn't want to be bother by this in the winter with the colder weather coming.

So how can I tell if the alternator is doing it's job or not?

Jimbo,

Just this week my Ram was starting to do the same thing. Just made it to get a new battery. Got it barely started and was very close to my dealer so called them en route and they were ready for me. Busy day for them too but they always take care of me.

Before you guys give me crap about going to a dealer for it, they have the keep alive equipment and I don't. These new vehicles don't like low batteries or being disconnected. In fact, the morning of the issue it lit up the "Service 4WD" and gave me a yellow engine light. Dealer said they act really weird when the battery goes south. Replaced quickly and I was back on the road for work in no time.

Main message for ya' it starts normal now.

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Ingersoll444

· #13 · Sep 27, 2015

No flack at all dave. I work at a dealer, and sadly a lot of stuff is just not easily user serviceable like it used to be.

And ya... batteries go a little flat just sitting. That one will charge right up and be fine in short order.

As for those 90-2000s era pentiastar mopars... what where they thinking??? Really some of the hardest cars to work on out there. And you know coming from the K cars that were really the easiest cars ever to work on!!

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Jimbochap

Discussion Starter · #14 · Sep 27, 2015

Just put the battery in, I'm getting 14.25 with the engine running. I drove around for about 25 minutes and then turned it off.

See what happens in the next few days.........did find another issue though. When I took the front headlight out, saw some slight drips on the radiator.

Checked the overflow container on top of the engine and there was very little water in it..............Might be time for a new radiator.:banghead3

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Whirly

· #15 · Sep 27, 2015

Jimbochap said:
Just put the battery in, I'm getting 14.25 with the engine running. I drove around for about 25 minutes and then turned it off.

See what happens in the next few days.........did find another issue though. When I took the front headlight out, saw some slight drips on the radiator.

Checked the overflow container on top of the engine and there was very little water in it..............Might be time for a new radiator.:banghead3

u may have a hose with a leak.. check that out first.. then see if the radiator has pressure in it after runnin for 15 minutes.. if not u do have a leak..

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Jimbochap

Discussion Starter · #16 · Sep 27, 2015

Actually it may not be as bad as first thought.........it's not really a dripping, more like a weep where the plastic fan housing is bolted to the radiator.

I think for now I'm just going to *** coolant in the overflow tank and keep an eye on the level.

So far there is no puddle or anything on the floor of the garage. So just going to keep and eye on it.

Thanks for everyone helps.

Car has started fine the 3 or 4 times I went outside to try it. Real test will come when I try starting it in the morning.

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