TECH TIPS FOR NOVEMBER, 1997

FIRST, NEW PRODUCT NEWS:

THE DELCO/GM SIDE-TERMINAL BATTERIES HAVE ALWAYS PRESENTED A PROBLEM WHEN SOMEONE ATTEMPTS TO ADD A POWER SOURCE FOR SOME AFTERMARKET PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. THESE PROBLEMS USUALLY RESULT IN THE WIRE BEING BARED, WRAPPED AROUND THE STUD AND THE STUD BEING TIGHTENED. TALK ABOUT A PROBLEM, LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO HAPPEN. GM DIDN'T HELP MATTERS WHEN THEY DECIDED TO INSTALL 2 CABLES ON THE SIDE POST BATTERIES EITHER.

WE NOW HAVE A PROPER ANSWER! WE ARE STOCKING REPLACEMENT BATTERY STUDS, FOR BOTH SINGLE AND DOUBLE WIRE SYSTEM, WHICH PROVIDES A 5/16 X 1/2" POST FOR THE ADDITION OF EXTRA CIRCUITS. WE ARE ALSO STOCKING THE STANDARD REPLACEMENT STUDS FOR THE SIDE TERMINAL SYSTEMS.

A QUICK REMINDER, THAT WE HAVE REBUILT WIPER MOTORS, NEW COOLING AND RAD FAN MOTORS, NEW DOMESTIC WINDOW WINDER MOTORS, ALONG WITH OUR WIRE AND CABLE (14ga to 0000).

NOW FOR TECH TIPS. A PROBLEM WITH BATTERIES IS HOW TO TEST THEM. I HAVE COVERED ABOUT ALL OF THE AVAILABLE TESTS IN PAST TECH TIPS BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH A DEFINITIVE TEST TO SAY IF A BATTERY IS GOOD OR NOT. I HAVE IN MY SHOP A BATTERY WHICH IS LESS THAN I MONTH OLD. IT PASSES SPECIFIC GRAVITY TESTS AND WILL PASS LOAD TESTING 3 TIMES IN A ROW. BUT IS IT AND GOOD? AFTER BEING ON AN AUTOMATIC BATTERY CHARGER FOR 24hrs. WHEN IT IS INSTALLED IN A CAR THE CHARGING SYSTEM WORKS AT 28 AMPS ALL THE TIME. WHEN I INSTALL THIS BATTERY IN MY TEST STAND, ANY ALTERNATOR CHECKED WILL RUN AT 28 AMPS. 

THE CAR THIS BATTERY CAME FROM IS AN OLDER MODEL, WHOSE ALTERNATOR IS A 66 AMP INTERNALLY REGULATED ONE. IF THE BATTERY REQUIRES A CONTINUOUS 28 AMPS, WHAT IS LEFT FOR THE REST OF THE CAR? IF YOU MAX OUT THE ALTERNATOR THERE IS ONLY 38 AMPS AVAILABLE. IF THE LIGHTING PACKAGE TAKE 25 AMPS WHAT ABOUT WIPERS, HEATER FAN AND RECHARGING THE BATTERY AFTER THE START SEQUENCE. IN A SHORT RUN SITUATION THE BATTERY IS NEVER GOING TO FULLY RECHARGE AND NO©STARTS WILL RESULT, AND ON LONGER RUNS WHERE THE BATTERY CAN GET FULLY CHARGED, THE ALTERNATOR IS GOING TO BURN UP FROM OVER USE.

THE OWNER OF THE CAR ORIGINALLY COMPLAINED ABOUT A NO START AND A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED (THE ONE I NOW HAVE), THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND A NEW ALTERNATOR WAS NEEDED AND INSTALLED, BUT STILL THE PROBLEM WAS THERE. EVENTUALLY THE GARAGE REPLACED THE BATTERY AGAIN AND THE PROBLEM WAS OVER. ORIGINALLY THE CAR NEEDED A BATTERY, BUT EVERYTHING AFTER THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE BATTERY INSTALLED.

I ONCE RECOMMENDED THAT A CHECK OF A BATTERY WAS TO START THE CAR AND LET IT RUN FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WITH A VOLT METER ATTACHED TO THE BATTERY. ONCE THE VOLTAGE STABILIZED AFTER THE START, CHECK TO SEE WHAT AMPERAGE THE ALTERNATOR WAS PUTTING OUT. WITH EVERYTHING OFF IN THE CAR THE ALTERNATOR SHOULD NOT BE ABOVE ABOUT 12 AMPS. IF IT IS, THEN THERE IS SOMETHING ON IN THE CAR OR THE BATTERY IS REQUIRING TOO MUCH TO KEEP IT AT FULL CHARGE.  IF IT IS THE BATTERY, CHANGE IT NOW OR BOOK THE CUSTOMER IN FOR A TOW CALL AND A NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.

I DON'T WISH TO BEAT A DEAD HORSE BUT YOU MUST DO VOLTAGE DROP TESTS TO MAKE A COMPLETE DIAGNOSIS. IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR A TIME BUT THEY WILL COME BACK UNTIL THE CUSTOMER DOESN'T. NOT BECAUSE YOU FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM, BUT BECAUSE THEY'VE LOST CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY TO DO SO. AN EXAMPLE; A SLOW CRANK CONDITION ON A VOLKSWAGEN CAN BE CAUSED BY ALL THE USUAL THINGS INCLUDING A BAD SOLENOID, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE CAUSED BY A VOLTAGE DROP WHICH TAKES THE OPERATING VOLTAGE AT THE SOLENOID BELOW A MINIMUM 10 VOLTS ON EITHER THE POSITIVE OR THE GROUND SIDE. REPLACING THE SOLENOID MAY SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR A WHILE BUT.... PLEASE REFER TO PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH.

LINCOLNS FROM 1989-92 CAN SUFFER FROM A CONTIUALLY DISCHARGED BATTERY LEADING TO NO STARTS. FORD RESEARCH HAS SHOW A POSSIBLE CAUSE THE BE THE ABS PUMP MOTOR RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY. APPEARENTLY THIS IS CAUSED BY WATER GETTING INTO THE RELAY AND CORRODING THE CONTACTS, WHICH CAUSES THEM TO STICK. BECAUSE OF ITS ISOLATED POSITION IN THE CAR IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSSIBLE TO HEAR.

FORD HAS A REPAIR KIT # FOVY14A303A WHICH WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM BY RE-LOCATING THE RELAY AND REPAIRING THE WIRING. THE KIT DOESN'T REPAIR THE WIRING, YOU DO.... USING THE KIT...YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.