imported_BlitzSix

Hey guys.

Ok well basically my gf's 1990 accord wouldn't start.. it cranked VERY weak for a few seconds then stopped cranking completely. I boosted it and it started up. BTW she said she didnt leave the lights on or anyhing so not sure why battery would be dead. She got the car 2 weeks ago or so.

But here is the weird part, after I started it with the boost I turned it of and it will started, then turned it off again and it still started again.

I'm lost as to why it does this... because I've had dead batteries on cars that have been sitting for a few months, and on those cars I would boost it to start but then I turn it off and it won't turn on because the alternator didn't get a chance to charge it.

So why did it start on my gf's car? Since it didn't crank at all I'm guessing it was completely dead like the ones in my other cars so I'm confused.

Any explanations? I told her not to drive it for now because if the alternator isn't working well I don't want her to be stranded somewhere. What I was gonna do is bring her car to Canadian Tire so they can test the alternator and battery, does that sound right? any other advice?

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

no just get the batt tested... my guess... dome lite was on and it was too weak for you to notice.

imported_kIeRaN

or a terminal on the battery was loose and when u boosted it it clamped the terminal on better

imported_ellickk

check the battery contact...there could be some mildue build up on the contacts which is restricting current flow

kwikb16a2

its cold outside

Oldspower

I'm with stupid on this one. If it's cold outside it will crank slower, and if the battery is not in the best of condition it has a great effect on CCA. You should always check your battery on a load tester when you do your winter tune up. Go get it load tested. may be time for anew batt.

kwikb16a2

thanks Batteries do not like the cold and tend to fail in the winter as opposed to the summer. As for the car starting right after being boosted, the battery holds charge to start the car but for how long who knows.

imported_BlitzSix

Thanks guys. i will get it tested asap. luckily i have a spare battery from the civic. i am such an amazing bf.

imported_janz3n

ya this just happened to me.. new batter and its fixed.

imported_BlitzSix

^ awesome, I hope it's that then.

Question though, if say she does need a new battery, I can give her my old one, but it's dead and hasnt been used in a while. I will obviously check if its still good but if it is how would I go about charging it?

She lives about a 30 minutes drive from me, so if I just put my dead battery in, boost her, would the drive home be enough to charge it up so it's perfeclty usable? I found the things at canadian tire that charge them at home but they're like 130$, and I really don't want to spend that.

Thanks.

Oldspower

the best way to charge a dead battery is through a slow trickle charge. edit: saw you didnt have a charger.. yeah that should be fine jumping it and driving it over I assume. Just take a multimeter and check what voltage youre getting when you get to her house just to make sure. Thats just what I'd do, cuz girls are useless when it comes to cars. Key in, turn, D, go. lol.

imported_janz3n

wont a battery thats been dead for a wile not have very many cca's? i woudlnt think it woudl still be good at all.

Oldspower

Yeah but thats why he's jumping it.... God damnit James would you read! I donno how you get good marks.. Jk.

imported_janz3n

thought he was talking about a different battery he had laying around that he wanted to charge to use.

imported_BlitzSix

It IS a different battery I had lying around.

Basically it's like this... My car, with a good battery, died a month or so ago. SO I bought another car... but that one that i bought has been sitting for 3-4 mohths so the battery was dead. I didn't want to bother charging it somehow so I just put the battery from my car that died in there. So I still have that other battery, which, according to the older owner, is still fine and just needs to be charged, I just didn't bother before..

It hasn't been used for maybe like 5 months now, you guys think it will be okay? I'm going ot test it first obvoiusly but I won't get a chance until tomorrow.

BTW I tested the gf's battery finally and yeah it was ****ed, so I do need a new one. thanks agin for the help everyone.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

how should we know if the previous owner was lying? check the date on the battery and give it a charge. if after overnight charging, it starts the car... several times in a row, odd are the battery isn't bad. how long it'll last we can't say... could last a week or it could last 3 years.