Need Technical advice

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

SN Certified Technician

Sep 5, 2001

6,065

2,670

224

Vass, NC

Oct 24, 2019

#21

• Oct 24, 2019

• #21

LAFF said:

How do you load test the battery?

Click to expand...

100 Amp, 6/12V Battery Load Tester

Amazing deals on this 100 Amp 6/12V Battery Load Tester at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

Blown88GT

Founding Member

Nov 13, 1999

2,282

523

164

Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Oct 24, 2019

#22

• Oct 24, 2019

• #22

I've had that HF type one for a long time. It works just fine. Recently got one of these, Autool BT-460 Car Battery Tester Charging System Analyzer.
The BT-360 is less expensive at $20 & less comprehensive than the BT-460.

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FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

SN Certified Technician

Sep 5, 2001

6,065

2,670

224

Vass, NC

Oct 24, 2019

#23

• Oct 24, 2019

• #23

That really doesn't look like it'll handle a 30 second 100 amp load test to me. Must depend on the engine itself for that test. I've had the same old style load tester in my garage since I could crawl and it still does its job.

 

Blown88GT

Founding Member

Nov 13, 1999

2,282

523

164

Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Oct 24, 2019

#24

• Oct 24, 2019

• #24

Load test is performed electronically using some kind of voltage analyzing algorithm.
Since I'm not designing one, don't really care how it works.
The AAA road guys use the same sort of thing.

 

M

Mike62

Member

Oct 23, 2019

12

4

13

New Jersey

Oct 24, 2019

#25

• Oct 24, 2019

• #25

LAFF said:

How do you load test the battery?

Last night the battery it was showing 12.3
Haven’t started it today, and now 11.8.
Unless I screwed up on the drain test—
Showed no drain.

Click to expand...

Take it to your local auto parts store, they do it for free.

 

Reactions: LAFF

Blown88GT

Founding Member

Nov 13, 1999

2,282

523

164

Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Oct 24, 2019

#26

• Oct 24, 2019

• #26

Could be the charging system is not working. Use battery charger to charge the battery & see if it drains overnight when the engine is off.

 

Reactions: LAFF

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

SN Certified Technician

Sep 5, 2001

6,065

2,670

224

Vass, NC

Oct 24, 2019

#27

• Oct 24, 2019

• #27

Then it'll work great for batteries in the car with starters and connections in good working order. It will not work great if those conditions don't apply and you're trying to troubleshoot the battery alone.

I do like the ripple test function on that device, though.

Blown88GT said:

Load test is performed electronically using some kind of voltage analyzing algorithm.
Since I'm not designing one, don't really care how it works.
The AAA road guys use the same sort of thing.

Click to expand...

 

Gs1987GT

Active Member

Sep 25, 2019

484

170

53

MidAtlantic

Oct 25, 2019

#28

• Oct 25, 2019

• #28

Take it to advance auto, auto zone or your local auto parts store and they can load test it for you.

It can have proper static voltage but fail the load test. Pull it out and get it tested. Then you'll know

 

L

LAFF

Enough to make my old Nipples hard

Jul 2, 2019

363

321

71

Chillicothe, Missouri

Oct 25, 2019

#29

• Oct 25, 2019

• #29

Gs87GT said:

Take it to advance auto, auto zone or your local auto parts store and they can load test it for you.

It can have proper static voltage but fail the load test. Pull it out and get it tested. Then you'll know

Click to expand...

Thanks
I will do that.

 

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

Admin Dude

Jan 4, 1985

42,928

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Box behind Walmart

Oct 25, 2019

#30

• Oct 25, 2019

• #30

Other rather obvious things to check on:

Sticking starter relay/solenoid
Tired / Weak starter
All ground straps
Wiring to/from alternator and starter

 

Reactions: LAFF

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

Admin Dude

Jan 4, 1985

42,928

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Box behind Walmart

Oct 25, 2019

#31

• Oct 25, 2019

• #31

Ignition Switch! Particularly since it's an intermittent issue.

 

L

LAFF

Enough to make my old Nipples hard

Jul 2, 2019

363

321

71

Chillicothe, Missouri

Oct 25, 2019

#32

• Oct 25, 2019

• #32

Noobz347 said:

Ignition Switch! Particularly since it's an intermittent issue.

Click to expand...

I haven’t done anything yet as far as running down my problem.
In a few minutes I’m taking it down to the shop, and start fixing leaks.
While it’s there I’m removing the battery and taking it to have it tested.
My test at home showed no parasitic drain.

 

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Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

Admin Dude

Jan 4, 1985

42,928

21,103

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Box behind Walmart

Oct 25, 2019

#33

• Oct 25, 2019

• #33

LAFF said:

I haven’t done anything yet as far as running down my problem.
In a few minutes I’m taking it down to the shop, and start fixing leaks.
While it’s there I’m removing the battery and taking it to have it tested.
My test at home showed no parasitic drain.

Click to expand...

If there are bad contacts in the ignition switch, your drain might only be present on occasion.

It might be worth keeping the tools on hand to check again when/if you come across the same condition.

I'm reminded of @jrichker 's Cranks but No Start checklist (you can find this in the 5oh tech forum in the "Useful Technical Index" thread but he might have something more specific to ruling the ignition switch out --and-- I'm not certain it would be helpful with your issue being intermittent. What it [would] bve helpful in doing is eliminating possible problem children as you roll through and run the tests: Cranks but No Start Checklist

I've chased down an issue similar to yours on a Fox before (many moons ago). 30+ years and beat to death.

 

L

LAFF

Enough to make my old Nipples hard

Jul 2, 2019

363

321

71

Chillicothe, Missouri

Oct 25, 2019

#34

• Oct 25, 2019

• #34

Noobz347 said:

If there are bad contacts in the ignition switch, your drain might only be present on occasion.

It might be worth keeping the tools on hand to check again when/if you come across the same condition.

I'm reminded of @jrichker 's Cranks but No Start checklist (you can find this in the 5oh tech forum in the "Useful Technical Index" thread but he might have something more specific to ruling the ignition switch out --and-- I'm not certain it would be helpful with your issue being intermittent. What it [would] bve helpful in doing is eliminating possible problem children and you roll through and run the tests: Cranks but No Start Checklist

I've chased down an issue similar to yours on a Fox before (many moons ago). 30+ years and beat to death.

Click to expand...

I will follow your advice.
At the moment I’m carrying around a Stanley jump starter just in case.
I just finished replacing my transmission pan.

 

Foxslider

im not that much of a idiot

Oct 25, 2019

543

156

53

Houston, TX

Oct 30, 2019

#35

• Oct 30, 2019

• #35

Id bet its a bad "loose" ground. My ignition coil bolts that mount to fender were "tight" ish. But would basicalpy do what ur saying. Random. Click. (Fuel pump would prime if i recall tho) I got a new bolt for ignition coil to mount to fender and tightened that mofo so make a solid ground. Problem has been gone now. I bought a new battery, was like ya. Then click, day later. Re mounted that coil and luckily seened to be the issue. Hasnt done it to me since. I also re tightened the battery cable that goes to it etc... connections. I even almost jump started the car and threw sparks hitting them with my wrench (just to verify i knew what i was doing). Haha. Joking, that was accident.

Point is, what seems like its a solid good ground if it aint solidly tight can do stuff like that apparently. Just an idear.