Duff battery part 2

[hammerman]

Further to my post last wednesday when my car went dead, it has been fine up to yesterday when i went to start it and it barely turned over.

I jump started it and it was fine for the rest of the day but just went out to start it this morning and it's dead again.

Im off to get a new battery in a minute but does this just sound like a knackered battery...it is the original and about 12 years old (118k miles), or could it be the alternator too.

Thanks muchly

[EDDIE51]

Definately the battery it has simply 'had it' 12 years is very good going for a battery no wonder its time for a new one. They eventually get to the stage where they just can't hold a charge and that is what has happened to yours.

[Hymie]

I would agree with Eddie51; it is almost certainly the battery given its age.

In the past, a car battery would give a long early warning that it was on the way our – with the engine cranking (starting) at slower and slower speeds as battery slowly dies. But now it appears that one day the battery is fine – the next it will not even turn the engine.

You can check the alternator voltage output using a cheap mulimeter (available from Maplin & others). With the engine revs at over 1,500rpm the battery voltage should be somewhere close to 14Vdc, and at around 12Vdc without the engine running.

[elizabeth ho]

dead battery could also be the starter motor which isn't charging properly.
liz

[tonyav]

Def a knackered battery,Elizabeth ho, you don't charge a starter motor, the battery's power turns the starter motor.

[FredPuli43]

That the car runs when jump started first shows that the engine must be getting electricity from somewhere.It's running without a battery! Therefore it must be that the battery in the car is defective, has 'died'. Twelve years is pretty good. My Mercedes battery died at 5 years. The new battery will be fine unless the car is left standing for a very long time. It is not unknown, my local garage said, for new batteries to get beyond charging if not used for ages.

[hammerman]

Thanks everyone.

Put new battery in and it sounds sweet.

I get to Halfords and they ask me whether the car was made in France or Japan ??? apparently, that determines the battery size.

Luckily, i could remember the battery was quite tall and thin so that's the one i got.

Bloody cars !!!!!

[tonyav]

Well done hammerman, should be fine now.

[beso]

Twelve years from a battery is incredible.