Car COMPLETELY dead, but battery is fine..what gives?

[ponygt65]

Fired up the car today and the needles didn't do a sweep

So, did you end up getting a new battery, keeping the old one? How did the cables look? Did you check the negative wire and trace back for a good ground/lose connection?

 

[Eval95]

Well I tried to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I pulled the battery out and took it to autozone so they could do a load test and charge test on it. Said it needed to be charged, so I left it for them to charge (free). I cleaned up the contact points on the terminal cables and on the battery itself. I went back, put the battery on, had all terminals scuffed to a far better connection and the car fired up fine. For the last 2 days I turned on the car just fine, no cutting off at all...and yesterday when I fired it up the needles didn't sweep at all. I hope this has resolved my situation. I can't pinpoint what it was but it may have been a combination of the battery needing a slight charge and the terminals needing a bit of scuffing for a better connection (note: no corrosion was on battery or cable ends)

 

[ponygt65]

Well I tried to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. I pulled the battery out and took it to autozone so they could do a load test and charge test on it. Said it needed to be charged, so I left it for them to charge (free). I cleaned up the contact points on the terminal cables and on the battery itself. I went back, put the battery on, had all terminals scuffed to a far better connection and the car fired up fine. For the last 2 days I turned on the car just fine, no cutting off at all...and yesterday when I fired it up the needles didn't sweep at all. I hope this has resolved my situation. I can't pinpoint what it was but it may have been a combination of the battery needing a slight charge and the terminals needing a bit of scuffing for a better connection (note: no corrosion was on battery or cable ends)

glad it's been working out. Sounds like you just had a 'low' battery.

 

[Eval95]

And/or the terminals didn't have the best contact point..or BOTH

 

[mineralgrey01gt]

If the needles go all the way up and back down you need a new battery. That ones damn near done.

my needles have always done that in my car and my trucks. Even with new batteries it still done that

 

[Eval95]

Well after all I did, the needles have NOT done the full sweep. So I guess this fixed it...let's keep our fingers crossed

 

[Swannyvill]

check connections pos/gnd make sure shits tight on batt and starter

 

[93cobrajunkie]

I'm a mechanic and I've had batteries that checked out at 12 volts but when you load test them they're totally shot. Plus with you cleaning the terminals it probably helped a little, wasn't completely charging.

 

[Eval95]

Yeah I think it wasn't completely charging. So a combination of point of contact and low charge on battery. Been 1 week with a perfect starting car now

 

[ponygt65]

I'm a mechanic and I've had batteries that checked out at 12 volts but when you load test them they're totally shot. Plus with you cleaning the terminals it probably helped a little, wasn't completely charging.

Glad to see someone else state that...LOL.

Nice car.

Yeah I think it wasn't completely charging. So a combination of point of contact and low charge on battery. Been 1 week with a perfect starting car now

Good to hear it man. Glad I could help.

 

[Eval95]

Yeah I never realized that the battery had another form of use besides the voltage. So I learned something new for sure You guys rock