Battery Issues
08-23-2011, 07:44 PM
#1
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Year: 2000 Limited, Black
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Engine: V12 Dual Turbos
Battery Issues
Hello everyone,
I brought my Jeep out of the garage tonight for about a half an hour to let her get some fresh air
. When I went to start her back up again she turned over once and then made that dreaded clicking noise and the lights fluttered. I'm sixteen so my dad and I tried to jump-start it but it did not make a difference.
While it was outside for those thirty minutes, all the doors (and lift gate) were closed as well as the windows. The hood wasn't popped either. As far as I can tell no electronics were running within that period of time. The battery is a Chrysler Mopar, barely about a year and a half old. I only have a permit so the Jeep gets out every weekend. All the fluids have been flushed a month ago if that also helps.
Tomorrow if it starts I'm going to let it run for a while. In the meantime I would greatly appreciate it if you guys could help me out. Worse comes to worse its time for that Optima Red Six pack
Thanks!
George
I brought my Jeep out of the garage tonight for about a half an hour to let her get some fresh air
. When I went to start her back up again she turned over once and then made that dreaded clicking noise and the lights fluttered. I'm sixteen so my dad and I tried to jump-start it but it did not make a difference.While it was outside for those thirty minutes, all the doors (and lift gate) were closed as well as the windows. The hood wasn't popped either. As far as I can tell no electronics were running within that period of time. The battery is a Chrysler Mopar, barely about a year and a half old. I only have a permit so the Jeep gets out every weekend. All the fluids have been flushed a month ago if that also helps.
Tomorrow if it starts I'm going to let it run for a while. In the meantime I would greatly appreciate it if you guys could help me out. Worse comes to worse its time for that Optima Red Six pack
Thanks!
George
08-24-2011, 08:00 AM
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Year: 1997 & 1998
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There could be a number of reasons that the battery died. There's an easy way to do a general diagnosis of a couple possible reasons that you should do first.
Charge the battery completely. You have to start here. Still, remember that just because the battery is newer doesn't mean that it isn't defective. After it's charged, you can take it to an auto parts store like Auto Zone or Advance and they'll check it for free. Step one. And just because it's an Optima doesn't mean anything. I had the same problem with my Ford truck and it turned out to be a defective battery not holding a charge, a one year old Optima red top!
Now, with a fully charged battery, get or borrow a digital multimeter. This is an almost necessary tool in one's tool chest. You can buy one as cheaply as $5 at Harbor Freight or for not much more nearly anywhere. Sears sells them also in the tool department as well as the auto parts stores. Start the XJ with the charged battery. Put the meter on the battery (red to positive, black to negative) and set to DC volts, 20 volt range. The reading running should be between 13.5 and 14.5. If it's less especially if under 12, you have a bad alternator. Turn on everything and read the meter again. The reading should be nearly the same. If low, bad alternator.
If everything checks out so far, there is possibly something causing a drain while off. To find out which circuit is causing the issue, the simplest way, but not quick by any means, is to have the meter on a fully charged battery and the XJ turned off, make note of the reading (it should be around 12.5), and one by one pull each fuse and relay and replace it before pulling the next seeing if the reading jumps up more than a tenth of an amp. If any does, you have likely found the circuit responsible for draining the battery.
Electrical issues generally suck.
Charge the battery completely. You have to start here. Still, remember that just because the battery is newer doesn't mean that it isn't defective. After it's charged, you can take it to an auto parts store like Auto Zone or Advance and they'll check it for free. Step one. And just because it's an Optima doesn't mean anything. I had the same problem with my Ford truck and it turned out to be a defective battery not holding a charge, a one year old Optima red top!
Now, with a fully charged battery, get or borrow a digital multimeter. This is an almost necessary tool in one's tool chest. You can buy one as cheaply as $5 at Harbor Freight or for not much more nearly anywhere. Sears sells them also in the tool department as well as the auto parts stores. Start the XJ with the charged battery. Put the meter on the battery (red to positive, black to negative) and set to DC volts, 20 volt range. The reading running should be between 13.5 and 14.5. If it's less especially if under 12, you have a bad alternator. Turn on everything and read the meter again. The reading should be nearly the same. If low, bad alternator.
If everything checks out so far, there is possibly something causing a drain while off. To find out which circuit is causing the issue, the simplest way, but not quick by any means, is to have the meter on a fully charged battery and the XJ turned off, make note of the reading (it should be around 12.5), and one by one pull each fuse and relay and replace it before pulling the next seeing if the reading jumps up more than a tenth of an amp. If any does, you have likely found the circuit responsible for draining the battery.
Electrical issues generally suck.
Last edited by wjnfirearms; 08-24-2011 at 08:04 AM.
08-24-2011, 09:29 AM
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If you get it running drive it to advance auto, they can test your battery and alternator all at once, have you installed any new electronics lately?
08-24-2011, 12:20 PM
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Year: 2000 Limited, Black
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Engine: V12 Dual Turbos
There could be a number of reasons that the battery died. There's an easy way to do a general diagnosis of a couple possible reasons that you should do first.
Charge the battery completely. You have to start here. Still, remember that just because the battery is newer doesn't mean that it isn't defective. After it's charged, you can take it to an auto parts store like Auto Zone or Advance and they'll check it for free. Step one. And just because it's an Optima doesn't mean anything. I had the same problem with my Ford truck and it turned out to be a defective battery not holding a charge, a one year old Optima red top!
Now, with a fully charged battery, get or borrow a digital multimeter. This is an almost necessary tool in one's tool chest. You can buy one as cheaply as $5 at Harbor Freight or for not much more nearly anywhere. Sears sells them also in the tool department as well as the auto parts stores. Start the XJ with the charged battery. Put the meter on the battery (red to positive, black to negative) and set to DC volts, 20 volt range. The reading running should be between 13.5 and 14.5. If it's less especially if under 12, you have a bad alternator. Turn on everything and read the meter again. The reading should be nearly the same. If low, bad alternator.
If everything checks out so far, there is possibly something causing a drain while off. To find out which circuit is causing the issue, the simplest way, but not quick by any means, is to have the meter on a fully charged battery and the XJ turned off, make note of the reading (it should be around 12.5), and one by one pull each fuse and relay and replace it before pulling the next seeing if the reading jumps up more than a tenth of an amp. If any does, you have likely found the circuit responsible for draining the battery.
Electrical issues generally suck.
Charge the battery completely. You have to start here. Still, remember that just because the battery is newer doesn't mean that it isn't defective. After it's charged, you can take it to an auto parts store like Auto Zone or Advance and they'll check it for free. Step one. And just because it's an Optima doesn't mean anything. I had the same problem with my Ford truck and it turned out to be a defective battery not holding a charge, a one year old Optima red top!
Now, with a fully charged battery, get or borrow a digital multimeter. This is an almost necessary tool in one's tool chest. You can buy one as cheaply as $5 at Harbor Freight or for not much more nearly anywhere. Sears sells them also in the tool department as well as the auto parts stores. Start the XJ with the charged battery. Put the meter on the battery (red to positive, black to negative) and set to DC volts, 20 volt range. The reading running should be between 13.5 and 14.5. If it's less especially if under 12, you have a bad alternator. Turn on everything and read the meter again. The reading should be nearly the same. If low, bad alternator.
If everything checks out so far, there is possibly something causing a drain while off. To find out which circuit is causing the issue, the simplest way, but not quick by any means, is to have the meter on a fully charged battery and the XJ turned off, make note of the reading (it should be around 12.5), and one by one pull each fuse and relay and replace it before pulling the next seeing if the reading jumps up more than a tenth of an amp. If any does, you have likely found the circuit responsible for draining the battery.
Electrical issues generally suck.
Thank you all for the help! I'm charging the battery as we speak. I don't think its a bad alternator because I am reading 13.5-14 on my dash when its running, unless it suddenly crapped out last night. I also have yet to wire up my Hellas. Wnjfirearms, I will be sure to do so hopefully tomorrow, because I am leaving for the shore in a few minutes.
Thank you all again! Ill keep the status posted
08-24-2011, 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by George's Limited XJ
Thank you all for the help! I'm charging the battery as we speak. I don't think its a bad alternator because I am reading 13.5-14 on my dash when its running, unless it suddenly crapped out last night. I also have yet to wire up my Hellas. Wnjfirearms, I will be sure to do so hopefully tomorrow, because I am leaving for the shore in a few minutes.
Thank you all again! Ill keep the status posted
08-24-2011, 07:11 PM
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How bout a free fix? Clean the terminals really good, and make sure they are nice and tight. Cant tell you how many times I have seen this at the shop, and have it be loose/dirty terminals at the batt. or the starter.
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08-24-2011, 08:10 PM
#9
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Also ... if your battery has been run completely down, be aware that does some damage to the battery. The normal "starter" type batteries that most vehicles have aren't designed for a deep cycle ... running all the way down then recharging. If it has been completely run down, the life of the battery has most likely been shortened.
08-26-2011, 08:39 PM
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Year: 2000 Limited, Black
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Hello again;
I'd like to thank everyone for all the help, and after everything was said and done I ended up getting a new battery (a Bosch). We got home tonight and my dad and I thought why not try to get it started once more. The first time we turned the key tonight she started right up with the old battery lol. I'm pretty convinced by now my Jeep is a transformer, hopefully not a decepticon haha. I talked to cousin who works as a mechanic and he says he thinks one of the battery cells are slowly going in the old one, and added to that its 3 years old.
So, out with the old, in with the new.
Thanks again! Hope everyone stays safe on the east coast with Hurricane Irene. Should be good Jeeping weather lol.
Btw be sure to check my build thread out, I'll be lifting this September!
I'd like to thank everyone for all the help, and after everything was said and done I ended up getting a new battery (a Bosch). We got home tonight and my dad and I thought why not try to get it started once more. The first time we turned the key tonight she started right up with the old battery lol. I'm pretty convinced by now my Jeep is a transformer, hopefully not a decepticon haha. I talked to cousin who works as a mechanic and he says he thinks one of the battery cells are slowly going in the old one, and added to that its 3 years old.
So, out with the old, in with the new.
Thanks again! Hope everyone stays safe on the east coast with Hurricane Irene. Should be good Jeeping weather lol.
Btw be sure to check my build thread out, I'll be lifting this September!
08-26-2011, 11:55 PM
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1) The "tests" at Advance, Autozone, et al are half-assed at best, I don't bother. I've posted a writeup on this board (and several others) that tell you how to do a more thorough test for your demands and your system using a simple DMM, and how to interpret the results yourself.
2) Anytime you have a main electrical problem, there are a few steps that should be taken every single time:
- Verify any suspect readings at the IP using a "known good" DMM (I don't consider the five-dollar units you get at Harbour Freight to be "known good." It's a test instrument - spend a few bucks to do it right. $50-100 is a good range to look at.)
- Disassemble and clean every mains connection you can reach. Battery connections, chassis grounds - whatever. It's literally amazing to me how often main electrical problems come back to shonky grounds.
- Trickle charge the battery at least overnight before testing. This means low charge rate - five Amperes is good, two is better, one or less is best. Treat this point as important.
Bear in mind that a failed/failing alternator can kill an otherwise good battery, and a failed/failing battery can kill an otherwise good alternator or voltage regulator. Don't let these things go for too long...
2) Anytime you have a main electrical problem, there are a few steps that should be taken every single time:
- Verify any suspect readings at the IP using a "known good" DMM (I don't consider the five-dollar units you get at Harbour Freight to be "known good." It's a test instrument - spend a few bucks to do it right. $50-100 is a good range to look at.)
- Disassemble and clean every mains connection you can reach. Battery connections, chassis grounds - whatever. It's literally amazing to me how often main electrical problems come back to shonky grounds.
- Trickle charge the battery at least overnight before testing. This means low charge rate - five Amperes is good, two is better, one or less is best. Treat this point as important.
Bear in mind that a failed/failing alternator can kill an otherwise good battery, and a failed/failing battery can kill an otherwise good alternator or voltage regulator. Don't let these things go for too long...
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