So my 98 decided it wanted to do some strange things. Ive already searched and asked around to no avail. Here is the issue: Tuesday morning on the way to work my battery gauge on the dash pegged to the low side and the check gauges came on, made it to work, shut it off, went to turn it back on and it cranked super slow and sluggish but it did crank. Turned it off again and tried to crank a 2nd time and it just clicked...so I figure eh, dead battery. I go into work and around noon I have to go out on a job, get outside and it starts up a little slow, but nothing like it did the first time around. Halfway to the job the battery meter pegs to the low side again and the check gauges light comes on once again. I get to the job site, turn it off, go to crank and get clicks. Was on the job site for around an hour, came outside and it starts up slow once again, on the way back to my office I ran by oreilly to have everything tested. I didnt want to shut it off so I asked the guy if the system could be checked with the car on, he said they can test the battery with it on but not the alternator. He hooked up his diag and it showed LOW OUTPUT when the car was still on. I decided to turn it off and he tested the system with the jeep off and it said BAD BATTERY. So I said I guess its the battery huh, he replied with "Oh, im not sure, never seen it say low output then bad battery." Had to get jumped off to get it started again and I made it back to my office. When I left the office it started but slow. Got home and started messing around. I was told that leaving the jeep on and pulling the neg cable should allow the jeep to run off the alternator, i did so and it turned off the second I pulled the cable..so I figure alternator! Wednesday I pulled the battery on my lunch break and have it load tested and the test shows..BAD BATTERY, so I figure..battery maybe..at this point im ****ing confused. I pulled the alternator last night, take it to be bench tested and it test good 3 out of 3 times, I have the battery with me at the same time, they hook it up also and it says..GOOD BATTERY. So wtf guys.. is it the battery? and if so why would the jeep not run off the alternator like everyone says it should? The battery isnt very old ( 2 years or so).. Lets hear it...im thinking battery just isnt holding a charge but who knows. Kinda pissed I pulled the alternator as it was kind of a PITA.

 

Just suggesting BC I've never sewn that replace both that way you can cross it off at least giving you a place to start? Idk man....

 

Trying to stay on the cheap side. Id prefer not to have to buy another alternator if this one is constantly testing good.

 

It can be a number of thing. Such as bad grounds, a bad starter can cause the same problems if it is shorting out. I would start by checking all your grounding points and have the starter checked.
BTW, You NEVER want to pull the battery cables on any vehicle with a computer system while running. It works fine on older vehicles without the computer system. You have a poss ability of frying the computer when you pull the cables.

 

Its been started since I pulled the cables and it started fine. Ill clean everything off and get to digging around and see whats going on. Im going to replace the battery I think though. I dont know why it would test bad then good..thats sketchy

 

If you don't have any shorts maybe try hooking it up to a charger see if the battery holds the charge

 

Well the machine at oreilly is supposed to test and then charge it. I didnt sit to watch it do its thing but when I came back it said bad battery, then when I had it tested the 2nd time it took a charge (took longer then normal) and tested fine. So maybe its a cell in the battery.

 

Oh duh forgot that hmm......

 

I had an issue where my battery meter was reading low (like 11) around a month ago and had it tested then also, said the alternator was good the battery was just a little low. I am leaning towards battery, just dont want to get stranded.

 

Get an interstate, that have them meet you?

 

What? If I get a battery ill just buy a duralast from walmart with a 3 year warranty lol

 

sorry using my phone i was asking if they have interstate batterys near you lol

 

Im sure someone does, but I just assume buy a walmart one and if it craps out in 3 years take it to any walmart for a free replacement.

 

Sounds similar to what my '97 did when my alternator went out.. It always tested good, but I think it might have been some kind of intermittent thing.. If you have another battery you can use temporarily, try that.. Sounds cheaper than trying one or the other without knowing for sure.

 

Im just going to try a battery for now I guess. Everyone seems to think that those bench tests for alternators are a sure thing. Like I said I tested it 3 times back to back and it tested good each time.