Went to start the fox tonight and it was completely dead...no fast clicking this time. Going to do the voltage drop test tomorrow.
Progress Thread Finally got my first Fox Body - 1988 GT
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Can I charge it by jump starting it with the other car again or do I actually need a specific battery charger?
Boostedpimp
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
Jumping it just gets the car going and then you'll have to allow time for the car's alternator to charge the battery up ie drive it allot. Best thing to do is purchase a battery charger and put the charger on the battery for a few hours until it's fully charged. Most all chargers now a days tell you once the battery is fully charged.
Buy a trickle charger like this.
Amazon product ASIN B000CITK8SView: https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2G30UP3FTRZ8J&keywords=trickle+charger&qid=1585755369&sprefix=trick%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-5
There are more expensive options and cheaper ones. Get the one that you like. Put it on the car and leave it over night. It will take the charger a LONG time to charge a dead battery. In my opinion it is better to charge a car battery slow. I've always been told not to jump a car and try to charge the battery with the alternator. The alternator is designed to top off the batter after a start and run the accessories in the car as you drive it. Not charge a dead battery. Having to get a jump in the parking lot. Then driving home is a different story. You cant exactly put it on a charger and wait 8 hours for it to charge in the parking lot!
Having a trickle charger around is useful anyway. You can charge any lead acid 12 volt battery with it.
Nice work with the car!
Amazon product ASIN B000CITK8SView: https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2G30UP3FTRZ8J&keywords=trickle+charger&qid=1585755369&sprefix=trick%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-5
There are more expensive options and cheaper ones. Get the one that you like. Put it on the car and leave it over night. It will take the charger a LONG time to charge a dead battery. In my opinion it is better to charge a car battery slow. I've always been told not to jump a car and try to charge the battery with the alternator. The alternator is designed to top off the batter after a start and run the accessories in the car as you drive it. Not charge a dead battery. Having to get a jump in the parking lot. Then driving home is a different story. You cant exactly put it on a charger and wait 8 hours for it to charge in the parking lot!
Having a trickle charger around is useful anyway. You can charge any lead acid 12 volt battery with it.
Nice work with the car!
I agree with the overnight charge, it would put too much stress on the alternator to charge a dead battery
Thanks fellas. So if I can get my hands on one of those chargers, do an overnight charge, in theory the car should start up without needing a jump, right?
And once I know for sure the battery is charged, I can run the voltage drop tests to check if it's the battery cables that are causing the problem?
And once I know for sure the battery is charged, I can run the voltage drop tests to check if it's the battery cables that are causing the problem?
Boostedpimp
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
throw your voltmeter on the battery terminals and see what the volts are... if it isn't below 12v by much you can go the jump and run the car route without worries but if it is discharged badly than it would be best to go the slow charge route like mentioned above. A fully charged battery should read 12.4 to 12.6 or above
Make sure to disconnect the battery before you charge it. If you decide to go that rout. If you dont and you do have something drawing the battery down it will make it harder for the trickle charger to charge the battery.
Patiently waiting for the trickle charger to arrive....probably won't be here until middle of next week. Thanks for the input, fellas.
Got a few things in the mail this week. Got the plastic clips for the fuel filter and some sway bar end links (I've had some noises at low speed/tight turns). I've also ordered a heat gun so I can replace the center molding stripe
In the meanwhile, I pulled out the battery and I'm taking the drill/wire brush to the rust on the frame. Wanted to get some thoughts on how best to address a few of these spots though....
^ So on this spot, where the hole in the middle has been sort of extended or opened up more by corrosion, is there anything specific that can be done to prevent it from getting worse? This is on the fender side of the battery tray.
I've seen a few spots like this where it looks bumpy and almost wet and shiny (though obviously it is not wet). I'm wondering if this might be an indicator of rusting that is deeper or worse than surface rust. Any ideas?
So it's easier to know what you're looking at, I circled the spots from the pics above in green here:
Got a few things in the mail this week. Got the plastic clips for the fuel filter and some sway bar end links (I've had some noises at low speed/tight turns). I've also ordered a heat gun so I can replace the center molding stripe
In the meanwhile, I pulled out the battery and I'm taking the drill/wire brush to the rust on the frame. Wanted to get some thoughts on how best to address a few of these spots though....
^ So on this spot, where the hole in the middle has been sort of extended or opened up more by corrosion, is there anything specific that can be done to prevent it from getting worse? This is on the fender side of the battery tray.
I've seen a few spots like this where it looks bumpy and almost wet and shiny (though obviously it is not wet). I'm wondering if this might be an indicator of rusting that is deeper or worse than surface rust. Any ideas?
So it's easier to know what you're looking at, I circled the spots from the pics above in green here:
Still waiting on the trickle charger and heat gun. I ordered a POR 15 kit to use on the frame underneath the battery tray and shock tower. Also waiting on some vacuum caps so I can change the fuel filter without burning the car and house down.
In the meanwhile, I finally managed the remove these stickers from the inside quarter windows. They were driving me crazy....the passenger side took me over an hour to remove. Here's what they looked like:
After:
Makes the side profile a little bit more pleasant to look at
Also, got some interesting insight from ORLANDO SPEED STREET DOMN8TORS on Youtube. Apparently I'm doing everything wrong, lol.
In the meanwhile, I finally managed the remove these stickers from the inside quarter windows. They were driving me crazy....the passenger side took me over an hour to remove. Here's what they looked like:
After:
Makes the side profile a little bit more pleasant to look at
Also, got some interesting insight from ORLANDO SPEED STREET DOMN8TORS on Youtube. Apparently I'm doing everything wrong, lol.
- Mar 2, 2015
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I had an 84 that had ziebart corrosion inhibitor. That thing was solid except for one spot where the exhaust spent years rubbing on the inside of the rear frame rail. There was absolutely no rust anywhere else.
Is it just like a sprayed on or painted on treatment all over the undercarriage or what?
Got a new video up on the Fox Body....just showing some of the small bits/pieces/parts I have waiting to go in, a little bit of progress on the rust, and removal of the quarter window stickers.
A few days ago I noticed this square line around the reverse lights...does this look normal or like maybe did something custom to freshen up the taillights? I never looked closely at these before or any other grater light-equipped Mustang. Makes me wonder if it might be an easier fix like just trying to get some color matching vinyl to put in place of the square on the passenger side or something.
It just occurred to me that some of these fox build/progress threads are leaving me behind...I need to catch up on a bunch of them.
So...a viewer on YouTube just commented that he noticed clips on the sun visor (from my first video on the fox) and said that I should check the vanity mirror lights. He said his were staying on and draining his battery and once he fixed that, he didn't have an issue any longer.
Obviously I can't check at the moment but I went back and was looking through some pics I took of the interior and one of the lights on the passenger side vanity mirror was on. I suppose that could be a possibility but can't really check just yet. I'd really like to replace the sun visors anyways.
Obviously I can't check at the moment but I went back and was looking through some pics I took of the interior and one of the lights on the passenger side vanity mirror was on. I suppose that could be a possibility but can't really check just yet. I'd really like to replace the sun visors anyways.
Blown88GT
Founding Member
Go to Harbor Freight & get their $30 battery charger.
www.harborfreight.com
Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977
Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!
www.harborfreight.com
Steel1
Mustang Master
I have the same line around the reverse lights on my cheese graters, it's normal must just be the way they
were molded from the factory.
were molded from the factory.
Coincidentally...this just arrived a few minutes ago.Go to Harbor Freight & get their $30 battery charger.
Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977
Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!
This too
On the Harbor Freight point though...I placed an order for some random stuff over a week ago and it’s been pending/processing the whole time with no updates. They have some disclaimers on their site and marketing emails about shipments being delayed. I imagine they are prioritizing more essential orders given the ongoing epidemic.
Steel1
Mustang Master
I've ordered Harbor Freight on line a few times and I'll never do it again, this was prior to the virus.Coincidentally...this just arrived a few minutes ago.
This too
On the Harbor Freight point though...I placed an order for some random stuff over a week ago and it’s been pending/processing the whole time with no updates. They have some disclaimers on their site and marketing emails about shipments being delayed. I imagine they are prioritizing more essential orders given the ongoing epidemic.
Their shipping is Extremely slow, (I'm talking weeks/months) at least to the east coast.
I have a couple of Harbor Freight stores close to me and if they don't have what I'm looking for in stock
I'll get it somewhere else.
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