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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

got it started..

  • Thread starter Thread starter nitrousrush
  • Start date Start date Dec 12, 2003

nitrousrush

New Member
Oct 13, 2003
101
0
0
pittsburgh, pa
Dec 12, 2003
#1
  • Dec 12, 2003
  • #1
My car was not starting for 2 days me wondering what it was.. it was my battery. Me and my friend bill attempted to do that project which kind of worked. Im gonna need that maf definatly no matter what but i dont know why that would cause my battery went dead out of no where. I never had a problem with it till then hmm?. It will be alright then die now i have to restore my stang back to health with these to parts "battery", "maf". And ill be back moding it agian..

Does any one know why my battery would go dead over this...?
 

Mike SVOR

Founding Member
Mar 28, 2000
649
0
16
Dec 12, 2003
#2
  • Dec 12, 2003
  • #2
Are the sides of your battery "warped" outward?
 

silver pony

Founding Member
Jun 10, 2002
2,013
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0
San Bernardino,CA USA 92405
Dec 12, 2003
#3
  • Dec 12, 2003
  • #3
it could be the altenator, voltage regulator, or a jacked up battery. take the altenator and battery to autozone or whatever and have them tested.
 

mr_woodster

Active Member
Jul 28, 2003
1,314
0
36
Riverside, CA
Dec 12, 2003
#4
  • Dec 12, 2003
  • #4
silver pony said:
it could be the altenator, voltage regulator, or a jacked up battery. take the altenator and battery to autozone or whatever and have them tested.
Click to expand...
or just swap in a new battery, drive it, and when it doenst start again, repeat steps 1,2,3.....or take his advice
 

351wcoupe

New Member
Feb 13, 2003
1,811
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0
Manhattan, Kansas
Dec 13, 2003
#5
  • Dec 13, 2003
  • #5
silver pony said:
it could be the altenator, voltage regulator, or a jacked up battery. take the altenator and battery to autozone or whatever and have them tested.
Click to expand...
Do me a favor if you go to an autozone store.
I tested about 10 batteries today and I had two people say "thanks for testing it" and drove over to walmart and bought a battery. One person came back before I closed and I tested the battery that they just bought from walmart and it was bad too. LOL
If you get autozone to test it and its bad buy one from there. thanks

I had a batteries last week that when you picked them up they bowed down in the middle.
 

Mike SVOR

Founding Member
Mar 28, 2000
649
0
16
Dec 14, 2003
#6
  • Dec 14, 2003
  • #6
Walmart has a 3 year FREE replacement warranty. Autozone doesn't.
 

silver pony

Founding Member
Jun 10, 2002
2,013
0
0
San Bernardino,CA USA 92405
Dec 14, 2003
#7
  • Dec 14, 2003
  • #7
I bought my optima redtop from autozome and it has a 7 year warrenty .
 

muh'stang

If I were rich, I'd make sure all the scoops on my
Sep 26, 2003
277
0
0
Quesnel, B.C., Canada
Dec 14, 2003
#8
  • Dec 14, 2003
  • #8
just drain the battery (pop the caps off and tip it upside down, dont spill on yourself). Once its drained refill it with water (cleaner the better, tap water does work also)...stick in on your battery charger(with the caps off still) and let it charge for a day, after at least 5-15 hours of charging (at a low amperage) all of the cylinders in the battery should be bubbling, if one or more are not bubbling then go buy a new battery.
 

Mike SVOR

Founding Member
Mar 28, 2000
649
0
16
Dec 15, 2003
#9
  • Dec 15, 2003
  • #9
muh'stang said:
just drain the battery (pop the caps off and tip it upside down, dont spill on yourself). Once its drained refill it with water (cleaner the better, tap water does work also)...stick in on your battery charger(with the caps off still) and let it charge for a day, after at least 5-15 hours of charging (at a low amperage) all of the cylinders in the battery should be bubbling, if one or more are not bubbling then go buy a new battery.
Click to expand...


Umm, No. That's the worst idea I've ever heard anyone say before.
First off, The battery isn't just filled with WATER, it's called electrolite. You can't just pour it out and replace it with water.
Second, You should NEVER put tap water in a battery. Distilled or Deionized water only.
 

Mike SVOR

Founding Member
Mar 28, 2000
649
0
16
Dec 15, 2003
#10
  • Dec 15, 2003
  • #10
silver pony said:
I bought my optima redtop from autozome and it has a 7 year warrenty .
Click to expand...

Like I said, Walmart has a Free Replacement deal on their batteries.
Unlike parts stores that charge you a Pro-Rating of .35 - 1.00 dollar per month you've owned it, Walmart, you can just walk in and walk out with a new one.
 

SVO1

Lord of The somethin' somethin' somethin', hell, I
Oct 25, 1999
4,592
1
0
Lord of uh, hmm what was it again?
Dec 15, 2003
#11
  • Dec 15, 2003
  • #11
Mike SVOR said:
Like I said, Walmart has a Free Replacement deal on their batteries.
Unlike parts stores that charge you a Pro-Rating of .35 - 1.00 dollar per month you've owned it, Walmart, you can just walk in and walk out with a new one.
Click to expand...
And the normall class of people working there never ask any questions
I warrantied one that was dropped and the case split and they took it back and gave me another!
 

muh'stang

If I were rich, I'd make sure all the scoops on my
Sep 26, 2003
277
0
0
Quesnel, B.C., Canada
Dec 15, 2003
#12
  • Dec 15, 2003
  • #12
Mike SVOR said:
Umm, No. That's the worst idea I've ever heard anyone say before.
First off, The battery isn't just filled with WATER, it's called electrolite. You can't just pour it out and replace it with water.
Second, You should NEVER put tap water in a battery. Distilled or Deionized water only.
Click to expand...
really? Wonder why its worked several times for me, and currently is working. Theres a guy around here, he salvages batteries and "refurbishes" them, he told me to do this. Now like I said, charge it with the caps off, if all the cylinders dont bubble within a day (make sure its on a 2amp charge) then the battery is toast. Yes distilled water is best.
 

Mike SVOR

Founding Member
Mar 28, 2000
649
0
16
Dec 15, 2003
#13
  • Dec 15, 2003
  • #13
muh'stang said:
really?
Click to expand...

Really!

muh'stang said:
Wonder why its worked several times for me, and currently is working.
Click to expand...

Wondering why you have had dead batteries "Several Times" at the moment.

Look, If you pour out the electrolyte and replace it with water, The battery’s cranking amps will be nowhere near where it used to be. You probably cut it's power in half.

muh'stang said:
There’s a guy around here, he salvages batteries and "refurbishes" them, he told me to do this.
Click to expand...

"Salvages batteries". Wait, you mean he takes junk batteries and sells them again? hehehe. A battery needs to have the lead plates inside replaced once it fails. That's what causes a battery to fail in the first place. Either the lead plates can't transfer the electrolyte back and forth any more, or they've been over heated, warped and touched together.
Trust me, once the sides of a battery have been warped out, it's junk or almost there.
 

muh'stang

If I were rich, I'd make sure all the scoops on my
Sep 26, 2003
277
0
0
Quesnel, B.C., Canada
Dec 15, 2003
#14
  • Dec 15, 2003
  • #14
when I said several batteries, that didnt mean Ive replaced several batteries in the several vehicles Ive owned, once was enough. I hate to bring it up, but Ive done this, and have physical evidence of it working, so Im sorry but you need real proof that im not right to convince me that I cant use tap water, (It does not work as well, depending what kind of water you have).
For general information, to the people reading this post...once youre battery has reached 100% on the charge indicator, and has been there for a while, all of the cylinders should be bubbling. If they are not then you do need new lead plates (so in that case a new battery).
 

mr_woodster

Active Member
Jul 28, 2003
1,314
0
36
Riverside, CA
Dec 15, 2003
#15
  • Dec 15, 2003
  • #15
maybe this is beyond me...but if the battery wont hold a charge, why would i need to double check the fact that its already dead? This seems like one of those long steps that gets you there 2 days later, saying to yourself "why didnt i just go to walmart and exchange the stupid thing!" ...just my thoughts
 

Mike SVOR

Founding Member
Mar 28, 2000
649
0
16
Dec 15, 2003
#16
  • Dec 15, 2003
  • #16
muh'stang said:
For general information, to the people reading this post...once youre battery has reached 100% on the charge indicator, and has been there for a while, all of the cylinders should be bubbling.
Click to expand...

So a Battery Electrolyte checker doesn't mean anything to you then. (you know, the little eye dropper with the small colored balls that float in the Electrolyte and tell you when the battery is dead)
 

muh'stang

If I were rich, I'd make sure all the scoops on my
Sep 26, 2003
277
0
0
Quesnel, B.C., Canada
Dec 15, 2003
#17
  • Dec 15, 2003
  • #17
yeah Ive seen those, theyre quite alot like the ones used to check antifreeze levels in youre coolant. Im saying there is no point in buying a new battery, or fluid to refill the battery untill you know wether or not you need a new one. Seems fine to me, I just leaved the already charged tap water in the battery and it works fine. One time I spilt some on a rag and the next day it had eaten through the rag.
 
J

JohnnyC

New Member
Oct 13, 2003
31
0
0
New Jersey
Dec 18, 2003
#18
  • Dec 18, 2003
  • #18
I have to agree with Mike SVOR here. I wouldnt dump the electrolyte out of a battery and fill it with water. If your going to do that why not just top off the cells with water instead? Also checking the cells with a hydrometer (eye dropper looking thing) is a good method and they are fairly cheap. But if I was gonna get a new battery I would get a sealed battery, Ive had good success with them.
 
P

Pro-Hawk

New Member
Dec 4, 2003
971
0
0
West Texas
Dec 21, 2003
#19
  • Dec 21, 2003
  • #19
JohnnyC said:
I have to agree with Mike SVOR here. I wouldnt dump the electrolyte out of a battery and fill it with water. If your going to do that why not just top off the cells with water instead? Also checking the cells with a hydrometer (eye dropper looking thing) is a good method and they are fairly cheap. But if I was gonna get a new battery I would get a sealed battery, Ive had good success with them.
Click to expand...

I also like the sealed ones my self. Now if the battery is dead I would check the alternator out also. I have never just replaced one, usually on my cars the battery has been slowly killing the altanaitor as it dies also. The volts should be like 12.7 with the car off and 13.7 or 14.7 running, its been sometime since Ive had to check one.
 
J

JohnnyC

New Member
Oct 13, 2003
31
0
0
New Jersey
Dec 21, 2003
#20
  • Dec 21, 2003
  • #20
The charging system should put out 13.5 to 14.5 volts. If its less you probably have a bad alternator. Ive seen GM alternators go haywire and charge over 15 volts. Now that causes some problems.
 
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