Charging System

Just me · 05-01-2002, 11:34 PM

I have this problem with my charging system. Every time I drive the my car for a while, it won't crank up again. The motor just gives 1 or 2 turns then stops. I've checked the battery and it felt hot. It's 750 cca and is trunk mounted. There's corrosion around the negative post and the positive cable gets hot. The battery, starter and alternator are new as a result of this problem. When the car has cooled down it starts up like the first start of the day. I don't use the AC,heater,or defroster. I have an aftermarket stereo and speakers that all seem wired up right. I do notice that when I drive at highway speeds, that the voltage needle is above center. Can someone help me? I have other problems I'm trying to solve like mysteriously missing coolant and a picky alarm system. Thanks.

PKRWUD · 05-02-2002, 06:00 AM

It sounds like there is too much resistance in the starting circuit. What gauge cable are you running from the battery pos. post to the starter relay? Where do you have the battery neg. cable grounded?

Quote:

There's corrosion around the negative post

This is caused by a broken battery post seal. Around each battery post, there is a plastic seal which keeps the acid in. These seals are often broken by improper battery cable installation and/or removal. Hitting the battery cable clamp with a wrench or a mallet while trying to get it over the post will almost always result in a broken seal. Once the seal is broken, the battery is defective. The seal cannot be repaired. This doesn't mean the battery won't hold a charge, but it will leak acid, which will deteriorate all metal it comes in contact with. This is what causes corrosion around and on the battery cable clamp at the post. As soon as this starts, the cable is forever becoming weaker, and is becoming a source of resistance. If you replace the battery, you also need to replace the cable that has signs of corrosion on it. The acid can be neutralized with a formula of baking soda and water, but if the cable has been affected for a month or longer, the deterioration justifies replacement.

In either case, make sure that the post and the inside of the cable clamp have been cleaned with a battery terminal wire brush.

Take care,
-Chris

Kamaro Killer · 05-02-2002, 11:19 AM

I recently bought some new battery cables, they are 4 gauge. Is that too big/small? Also, where is the best place on a stang to ground the cable? Thanks!

Just me · 05-02-2002, 01:26 PM

Thanks. The battery trunk kit is the cheap one from summit. I have the negative cable grounded on the inside by the spare tire. I sanded the area first, before drilling. Thanks for the info on the corrosion problem, but I've replaced the battery three times and I still have the problem. Since this is the first battery that started to leak, I made sure the cables where ok. When I took the battery and alternator to Discount Auto Parts, the alternator checked out ok but the battery wasn't. The gentleman told me that the battery had more cca than normal but was low on charge. He couldn't help me. I just want to take care of this myself without dishing out the cash. I'm going to radio shack and getting a digital volt meter. Any suggestions? What else should I look for? Thanks.

mysweetlx · 05-02-2002, 01:38 PM

I tried doing a search to find an answer, but I couldn't. I'm putting in 3.73's and have 16" rims. What speedo gear do I need - how many teeth and what's the color? Anyone know the part # too (the guys at my local Ford dealer aren't too helpful). Thank you guys.

Just me · 05-02-2002, 02:08 PM

For the speedo gear question. I bought mine from steeda cause I live down the street from them. part #375-C40Z-17271-A. Speedo 21 red $7.54. Here a number you can call.954-960-0774 ext.111, this speedo gear works for t-5 83-89, pre 93 aftermarket, and 96-98 cobra t-45 only. Good luck.

PKRWUD · 05-02-2002, 05:37 PM

Put your battery on a trickle charge over night, and then take it to the corner gas station/garage and have them load test it for you. Do this before you do anything else, otherwise you may be wasting your money. Make sure they load test it at half as many Amps as the CCA rating is, for 15 seconds. At exactly 15 seconds, they will measure the voltage of the battery. Ask them what it was, and post it here, along with the outside temperature when they tested it.

Take care,
-Chris

mysweetlx · 05-02-2002, 07:57 PM

Sorry justme for bustin' up your thread......I obviously meant this for a different thread (I'm actually not quite sure how this happened). Thanks for answering my question by the way.

Just me · 05-02-2002, 09:36 PM

No problem mysweetlx.

Just me · 05-04-2002, 01:45 PM

I checked some voltage readings today, to see if I could solve my problem.
While th car was off the battery showed 12.47 volts. Then I also checked my starter selenoid, same thing. When I crank the car up on a cold start it reads 13.3 volts at the battery and 14.2 at the selenoid while the engine is running. Is this normal. I don't have my chiltons at home to check. This sucks. I get depressed too easily. Thanks for your replies so far.

PKRWUD · 05-04-2002, 01:59 PM

No, that's not normal. There shouldn't be anything attached to the positive battery post except for the cable going to the solenoid. If you are losing 1 vdc between those two points, then there is a problem with the connections at the battery. The most obvious is the cable between the battery and the solenoid, but the ground cable could be the problem too. If you still have a corrosion problem at one of the cables, REPLACE THAT CABLE, and wash the battery post with a mixture of baking soda and water. The battery post will foam and bubble when the baking soda/water mixture is brushed on. This is normal, and means there is battery acid present. Keep washing it with the mixture until the bubbling stops.

Take care,
-Chris

shadowblue89 · 05-04-2002, 04:17 PM

Just me,
Chris is right it sounds like your battery cable is bad. If you do replaceyour cables go to a Welding Supply store to get the new wire, just remember to ask for cable not wire(wire to them means something different us). The welding supply stores are the cheapest place to get really good wire for your battery.
Another thing to take note on is the fact that since your battery is in the trunk the negative cable is no longer connected right to the block and you are now relying on a very thin braided cable(on the back of your drivers side head) to ground the motor to the chassis which the alt. needs to charge your battery(especially if you have a big stereo system). Just more food for thought.

PKRWUD · 05-07-2002, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shadowblue89
Just me,
Another thing to take note on is the fact that since your battery is in the trunk the negative cable is no longer connected right to the block and you are now relying on a very thin braided cable(on the back of your drivers side head) to ground the motor to the chassis which the alt. needs to charge your battery(especially if you have a big stereo system). Just more food for thought.

That's some damn good food, Charlie.

Take care,
-Chris

nitrousdave · 05-07-2002, 09:38 PM

You may want to check your timing. I had this exact same problem after installing a crane igniton with a mallory distributor. The two didn't work very well together (lots of advance at idle). It's a long shot but you might want to check it.
Dave

Mustang_289 · 05-09-2002, 06:25 AM

You should see somewhere around 14.something volts across the battery at idle. Next step is to load the system at idle by turning on accessories, lights, defroster etc and see if there's any voltage drop. If you still reading 14.something your battery is getting proper charge if you're 12.something you could be pulling juice from the battery and not from the alt.

Just me · 05-09-2002, 12:43 PM

Thanks again for your help guys. After burning three fingers on my right hand from touching a roasting positive battery cable, I couldn't believe how hot that cable got during operation. Well I bought a positive cable and a battery tray to relocate the battery back to its original location. All is perfect again. The car starts right up every time. I've never heard my starter crank up so fast. I love it. Now my next mission will be to relocate my battery back to the trunk with thicker cable(taking my time). Without patience you'll most likely have to do things twice. Thank you for your help.

shadowblue89 · 05-09-2002, 12:53 PM

Just remember to read the replies in this post and your burned fingers post when you relocate back to the trunk. You have some very good info on these 2 posts that will help make it painless to do.
Also when you buy your new cables visit a welding supply store to get them as they have good cables that can handle high amp loads without a problem.
Don't forget to add a short ground cable from the block to the frame. This will help with dimming lights and big stereo systems.
Just remember not to grab stuff with your hands if it is hot.

05-01-2002, 11:34 PM	#1
Just me Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Miami,Florida Posts: 159	Charging System I have this problem with my charging system. Every time I drive the my car for a while, it won't crank up again. The motor just gives 1 or 2 turns then stops. I've checked the battery and it felt hot. It's 750 cca and is trunk mounted. There's corrosion around the negative post and the positive cable gets hot. The battery, starter and alternator are new as a result of this problem. When the car has cooled down it starts up like the first start of the day. I don't use the AC,heater,or defroster. I have an aftermarket stereo and speakers that all seem wired up right. I do notice that when I drive at highway speeds, that the voltage needle is above center. Can someone help me? I have other problems I'm trying to solve like mysteriously missing coolant and a picky alarm system. Thanks.

05-02-2002, 01:38 PM	#5
mysweetlx Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New York Posts: 248	Which speedo gear?!? I tried doing a search to find an answer, but I couldn't. I'm putting in 3.73's and have 16" rims. What speedo gear do I need - how many teeth and what's the color? Anyone know the part # too (the guys at my local Ford dealer aren't too helpful). Thank you guys. __________________ Damn this thing's fast!

05-02-2002, 05:37 PM	#7
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Put your battery on a trickle charge over night, and then take it to the corner gas station/garage and have them load test it for you. Do this before you do anything else, otherwise you may be wasting your money. Make sure they load test it at half as many Amps as the CCA rating is, for 15 seconds. At exactly 15 seconds, they will measure the voltage of the battery. Ask them what it was, and post it here, along with the outside temperature when they tested it. Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

05-02-2002, 07:57 PM	#8
mysweetlx Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New York Posts: 248	Sorry justme for bustin' up your thread......I obviously meant this for a different thread (I'm actually not quite sure how this happened). Thanks for answering my question by the way. __________________ Damn this thing's fast!

05-04-2002, 01:59 PM	#11
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	No, that's not normal. There shouldn't be anything attached to the positive battery post except for the cable going to the solenoid. If you are losing 1 vdc between those two points, then there is a problem with the connections at the battery. The most obvious is the cable between the battery and the solenoid, but the ground cable could be the problem too. If you still have a corrosion problem at one of the cables, REPLACE THAT CABLE, and wash the battery post with a mixture of baking soda and water. The battery post will foam and bubble when the baking soda/water mixture is brushed on. This is normal, and means there is battery acid present. Keep washing it with the mixture until the bubbling stops. Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

05-02-2002, 11:19 AM	#3
Kamaro Killer Mustang Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 528	battery ground? I recently bought some new battery cables, they are 4 gauge. Is that too big/small? Also, where is the best place on a stang to ground the cable? Thanks! __________________ 1993 GT 5.0-My Stang Rice Hater's Club Member 22

05-02-2002, 01:26 PM	#4
Just me Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Miami,Florida Posts: 159	Thanks. The battery trunk kit is the cheap one from summit. I have the negative cable grounded on the inside by the spare tire. I sanded the area first, before drilling. Thanks for the info on the corrosion problem, but I've replaced the battery three times and I still have the problem. Since this is the first battery that started to leak, I made sure the cables where ok. When I took the battery and alternator to Discount Auto Parts, the alternator checked out ok but the battery wasn't. The gentleman told me that the battery had more cca than normal but was low on charge. He couldn't help me. I just want to take care of this myself without dishing out the cash. I'm going to radio shack and getting a digital volt meter. Any suggestions? What else should I look for? Thanks.

05-02-2002, 02:08 PM	#6
Just me Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Miami,Florida Posts: 159	For the speedo gear question. I bought mine from steeda cause I live down the street from them. part #375-C40Z-17271-A. Speedo 21 red $7.54. Here a number you can call.954-960-0774 ext.111, this speedo gear works for t-5 83-89, pre 93 aftermarket, and 96-98 cobra t-45 only. Good luck.

05-02-2002, 09:36 PM	#9
Just me Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Miami,Florida Posts: 159	No problem mysweetlx.

05-04-2002, 01:45 PM	#10
Just me Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Miami,Florida Posts: 159	I checked some voltage readings today, to see if I could solve my problem. While th car was off the battery showed 12.47 volts. Then I also checked my starter selenoid, same thing. When I crank the car up on a cold start it reads 13.3 volts at the battery and 14.2 at the selenoid while the engine is running. Is this normal. I don't have my chiltons at home to check. This sucks. I get depressed too easily. Thanks for your replies so far.

05-04-2002, 04:17 PM	#12
shadowblue89 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 1999 Location: Las Vegas NV Posts: 286	Just me, Chris is right it sounds like your battery cable is bad. If you do replaceyour cables go to a Welding Supply store to get the new wire, just remember to ask for cable not wire(wire to them means something different us). The welding supply stores are the cheapest place to get really good wire for your battery. Another thing to take note on is the fact that since your battery is in the trunk the negative cable is no longer connected right to the block and you are now relying on a very thin braided cable(on the back of your drivers side head) to ground the motor to the chassis which the alt. needs to charge your battery(especially if you have a big stereo system). Just more food for thought. __________________ Charlie 89 GT 5spd

05-07-2002, 09:38 PM	#14
nitrousdave Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: south bend, indiana Posts: 24	You may want to check your timing. I had this exact same problem after installing a crane igniton with a mallory distributor. The two didn't work very well together (lots of advance at idle). It's a long shot but you might want to check it. Dave __________________ 85 GT 10 pt cage 11.68 to 1 408 windsor ported dart sr's super victor 9 inch w/4.11's bigshot plate turbo 350 trans etc etc

05-09-2002, 06:25 AM	#15
Mustang_289 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 512	You should see somewhere around 14.something volts across the battery at idle. Next step is to load the system at idle by turning on accessories, lights, defroster etc and see if there's any voltage drop. If you still reading 14.something your battery is getting proper charge if you're 12.something you could be pulling juice from the battery and not from the alt.

05-09-2002, 12:43 PM	#16
Just me Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Miami,Florida Posts: 159	Thanks again for your help guys. After burning three fingers on my right hand from touching a roasting positive battery cable, I couldn't believe how hot that cable got during operation. Well I bought a positive cable and a battery tray to relocate the battery back to its original location. All is perfect again. The car starts right up every time. I've never heard my starter crank up so fast. I love it. Now my next mission will be to relocate my battery back to the trunk with thicker cable(taking my time). Without patience you'll most likely have to do things twice. Thank you for your help.

05-09-2002, 12:53 PM	#17
shadowblue89 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 1999 Location: Las Vegas NV Posts: 286	Just remember to read the replies in this post and your burned fingers post when you relocate back to the trunk. You have some very good info on these 2 posts that will help make it painless to do. Also when you buy your new cables visit a welding supply store to get them as they have good cables that can handle high amp loads without a problem. Don't forget to add a short ground cable from the block to the frame. This will help with dimming lights and big stereo systems. Just remember not to grab stuff with your hands if it is hot. __________________ Charlie 89 GT 5spd

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