Troubleshooting: Can someone look at my battery test results?

[dstantdog]

Hello. I am trying to troubleshoot an issue I'm having with my 2000 LC and I was wondering if someone could be kind enough to give me some advice.

Quick breakdown of the issue -

Last week I replaced my broken antenna mast but when doing so I killed my battery from all the ups and downs of the antenna. I didn't have much time or options so I went to a local auto parts store and got the lowest priced battery that fit the min spec's for the vehicle in the computer that had - 650CC. Worked great but over the next few days I noticed a slower than normal cold start time...3-5 seconds sometimes. (newer starter) I also noticed my headlights get brighter when I rev the engine which I then thought could be an alternator issue possibly. It has been cold here...around -5 at night and 20 during the day.


Anyways, I went back to the parts store and they did this battery test and said pretty much they don't know what's wrong with it but the battery is good and the alternator doesn't look bad but there is some draw/pull on the system. I did have BestBuy hook up a Navi/CD player but that was 7 months ago and never had any issues until I messed with that darn antenna mast! He suggested I just wait it out and see if I have these issues as it gets warmer but I'd rather get the issue fixed. Should I take it to a mechanic for an alternator test or just get a new alternator or a higher CC battery?


Also weird thing when we were doing the battery test I turned everything on inside the car including the rear air - and I found the rear air blows hot while my indash blowers are medium warm - at best - usually lukewarm I'd describe them as. Any ideas why that might be happening? Thanks!


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[jemsec]

Check your circuits with each fuse removed with an amp meter. You can get one cheap, $10-$20.00. Look for draw with the ignition off. Suggest you check the radio, antenna circuits first as you may find your problem there. If not, check all the others under the dash and engine compartment. It will show up.

It doesn't sound like you have a battery issue. The battery is ok unless you plan on running a lot of extra accessories. Due to the changing headlight brightness, you might want to get the alternator checked to, hopefully, eliminate it as a problem. If you do have a draw, as it continues, it will take less and less time to drain the battery. The extreme cold doesn't help either.

Had a draw in my wife's and finally determined there were two cd's in the player. The battery would be dead after 2-3 days and eventually would drain it overnight.

My front heater works just fine but the rear will almost melt the floor mat. Must be common.

 

[TXLX100]

It kind of sounds like an alternator if the head lights are dimming at idle. But your truck is charging at 14v, which is good. Things I would check, the circuits like the previous poster mentioned, your battery cables, terminals, and ground, consider you might have a pulley or AC compressor seizing up (wouldn't explain dead battery, but maybe the dimming lights). You mentioned you purchased the minimum required battery, what size and brand did you get? I suppose it's possible it could still be a bad unit, even with good readings. Were you having these problems before the antenna repair and battery replacement?

I had an issue with my LX draining the battery over a couple of days I had a hard time figuring out. It ended up being a bad door lock actuator that kept trying to lock/unlock itself.

 

[2001LC]

One very common issue that may cause this is: battery posts & clamps not cleaned and most importantly they must be greased. I use white lithium grease, some just use Vaseline.

A friend was just about to buy a new $250 battery, when I check and found the post were not grease on last cleaning by a (discount) shop. I re-cleaned and grease, no issue with old battery since even cold starts down to -8 F.

 

[TXLX100]

Another important question, is the battery losing voltage while parked? You can test it with a volt meter after it's been driven and then again after it's been parked for a while.

 

[PADDO]

Being minimum capacity and sub zero temps I'd get your battery on a good, smart charger and let it do its thing. If you installed a maintenance accessible wet cell then you should charge to the correct temperature compensated specific gravity. That's the most accurate way of assessing the health of a conventional battery. Don't rely on the alternator bringing an undercharged battery back to its full capacity. As mentioned by others, ensure your terminals and chassis ground are clean, no corrosion and tight and when testing the terminal voltage be aware that the measured voltages will vary pretty significantly depending on if the battery is warm and the vehicle has just been driven compared to cold and been sitting overnight. A warm, just driven battery will have a float charge and will give a higher voltage reading than when the float charge has diminished (overnight sitting or run the lights for a couple of minutes) so you can be seduced into thinking your battery is fine/ok when its not. Chuck some jumper cables or a starter pack in the back too .

 

[AllLC]

COuld something have been disturbed w\ the new antenna install?
Check all of your Chassis grounds incorporated with this system.

Start your car and watch the belt tensioner. It might move a little but it shouldnt bounce all over the place. Any one of the pully's driven by the belt that drive the alternator could give you these symptoms (If bad or going bad). Maybe its always been there and the new smaller batt is just exposing the problem.
Maybe not- but its an easy check.
oh and yes like 2001lc mentioned clean those posts and then tighten as much as possable (with out breaking them) and then apply whatever your going to put on them. Some of these treatments are created to insulate and so will prevent the flow of electrons. put it on after tightening.

Good Luck

 

[mod5csi]

I would look at your battery cables the drop at startup could indicate the starter trying to pull too many amps due to a bad connection.

Then I would look at your alternator. I don't like those ripples in the output. I don't know for sure what normal is but 36mV seems excessive. It can say its within specs all day, but I will bet your voltage regulator is working overtime to keep it in spec.

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[hankinid]

...Worked great but over the next few days I noticed a slower than normal cold start time...3-5 seconds sometimes. (newer starter) I also noticed my headlights get brighter when I rev the engine which I then thought could be an alternator issue possibly. It has been cold here...around -5 at night and 20 during the day.

Also weird thing when we were doing the battery test I turned everything on inside the car including the rear air - and I found the rear air blows hot while my indash blowers are medium warm - at best - usually lukewarm I'd describe them as. Any ideas why that might be happening? Thanks!

Cables fooled me here in Idaho 2 months ago when it was cold...but not quite as cold as your location...Noted longer turnover time and slower turnover during the time...had battery and alternator tested and they were gtg. Removed both cables...nuts were tight enough to just need a wrench...cleaned cables and terminals...tightened everything up and used NAPA terminal protective stuff in a spray can...NO more issues...I think it's something to check as the seasons go from fall to winter.

The auxiliary charger is money well spent...I have Batter Tender Jr.'s on a small Kubota tractor and the LX , and Battery Tender's on 's Dodge Cummins (2 batteries) and big Kubota tractor. Batteries stay topped-off automatically from late fall through early spring. They're fantastic. WalMart sells 'em cheap. If you're looking to install a small charger on the truck itself, Shumacher (sp?) has one with a short power input cord, while the Battery Tender Jr. has a power-turd that plugs into a wall plug or extension cord.

As to the rear heater...No idea if you're driving a LC or LX. My LX rear a/c-heater control is independent from the front climate control...switch on dash simply turns it off or on. I leave the rear on melt-down in the winter, and simply turn it off I I start to sweat.

Good luck and hth.

Steve

 

[Sandroad]

Couple things.....any chance the antenna motor/wiring from the R&R work is draining the battery? Can you easily unplug that motor wire and see what happens. It's challenging to test a battery with the short term tests at auto parts stores. Those tests don't catch slow (overnight) battery drains from internal defects. That could cause your symptoms. New batteries fail, especially if they have been sitting on the shelf for a while and are sulfated. What's the date code on the battery? All things considered, I suspect the new battery or the antenna motor, since those are the things just replaced.