So - when to just give up on the battery?

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
Yeah it’s my wife’s mom’s old car - and we’re more or less GIVING it to my daughter once she gets her license. Still, it’s barely worth it to do a lotta repairs.
 

LightRoasted

If I may ...
For your consideration ...


I'm battling the same situation with the Jeep right now, but it seems my dead battery was a symptom. I'll be ordering an alternator.

I don't use the minimum recommended battery for my vehicles, but if I get 3 good years I consider it a win.

I believe I have a faulty diode, but the alternator looks to be original, so it's 20 years old. The standard replacement starts at over $200. :nomoney:

A cold snap like we experienced can definitely do a number on a marginal battery.


Don't order an alternator just yet. Start the car then disconnect the battery. If the car is still running after disconnecting the battery, the alternator is fine.
 

black dog

Free America
I'm battling the same situation with the Jeep right now, but it seems my dead battery was a symptom. I'll be ordering an alternator.

I don't use the minimum recommended battery for my vehicles, but if I get 3 good years I consider it a win.

I believe I have a faulty diode, but the alternator looks to be original, so it's 20 years old. The standard replacement starts at over $200. :nomoney:

A cold snap like we experienced can definitely do a number on a marginal battery.
If you rebuild it yourself, install new voltage reg, rectifier bridge, diode trio and brushes if you can find the parts.
 

PrchJrkr

Long Haired Country Boy
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For your consideration ...





Don't order an alternator just yet. Start the car then disconnect the battery. If the car is still running after disconnecting the battery, the alternator is fine.
For now. There was a 7.62vdc drain before I isolated the alternator. Drain dropped back to 0vdc when I disconnected it. It never came back after reconnecting it, but I didn't have enough daylight or patience to go any further. I didn't want to futz up Sam's thread too much, but I'm fairly sure that the alternator could use a refresh after 20 years.
 

PrchJrkr

Long Haired Country Boy
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Patron
This reminds me my truck battery is going on six years.

FWIW I just buy the cheap EverStart batteries from Walmart and they seem to last just as long as any others I've owned.
I've had quite a few Everstart and they're fine batteries. We sell Interstate, so there's an added incentive.
 
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