Alternator, cables, battery or more...

[Boulderados]

1041349

My jeep has had stalling problems and many think it was electrical. Now I may agree.

I drove to work last tuesday and left my lights on argggg..... The battery was totally dead. We used jumper cables for a while to get some juice into the battery and then popped the clutch to get it started. After my 30 mile trip home the voltage meter showed a full battery. I actualy stoped for about 20 mins and got back in and the car started right up.



Now, two days later, I got in the jeep and the battery was almost dead again. No juice. I checked everything and nothing was left on. So now the million dollar question...what's up?



Does any one have any suggestions as to if this sounds like a bad alternator? or a bad battery? or perhaps a short? [addsig]

 

[RAVEN13xxx]

1041351

Sounds like the battery isn't holdong a charge anymore. Time for a new one.

[addsig]

 

[berettajeep]

1041352

Bad Battery

(sorry the one in my car also just went,well slowly went)



A bad alternator would not show it fully charging,at least 99% of the time.[addsig]

 

[blackcj7]

1041360

I don't know what year your jeep is , but you should check your fuseable link. Your battery is not being charged. So it is either your alternator or a break in the fuseable link. But then again you could have a bad battery. Most auto stores will check your battery and alternator for free, try that before spending any money. Good luck and let us know what it was.[addsig]

 

[jackal]

1041369

The alternator is only supposed to replace what juice was used to turn the starter and fire up the vehicle, and run accessoriesafter it is running . Against contrary belief it won't charge up a dead battery. Sometimes if you charge it overnight, it will come back to life. This is one of the first things discussed in an ASE certified auto-electronics program.







Hope this helps,



Jackal

[addsig]

 

[jackal]

1041370

Also , you can take a 9-volt battery out of a radio or whatever, that is too dead to run the item, and hook up an ohm meter and it will still read 9-volts. You should check the resistor though, they cause a lot of problems when expose to heat and water , mud , etc.







Let me know how it works out.



Jackal

[addsig]

 

[MudderChuck]

1041408

Sounds like a bad battery, but have seen hood lights that don´t go out when the hood is closed or such things. One thing to take a look at, is if the voltage regulator isn´t isolating when you turn off the key it will drain the battery (quickly). A quick check is to unplug the small wires from the back of the Delco alternator, when the jeep is sitting, then plug them back up before driving. If your battery drain problem goes away you´ll know where to look. Other types of alternators with an external voltage regulator can be tested the same way by isolating the voltage regulator. If the charging light stays on after the key is turned off (some models), this is a sure sign of a defective regulator. I got tired of hauling around my batteries to get them tested and baught a battery hydrometer. Fill the battery, put it on the charger overnight, then draw some of the battery fluid into the hydrometer (most are marked good or bad) radical differences from one cell to another is a sure sign of a very sick battery.

Some of the older maintenance free batteries, don´t take kindly to complete draining and recharging. This is why experienced Jeepers rarley use maintenance free batteries in a winch equiped Jeep. The newer ones are supposed to be better. I´ve had pretty good luck with Bosch maintenance free batteries.[addsig]