Car no start but battery seems OK.... any ideas?!?!?!?

[Hemogoblin]

This is for my 93 TA. I replaced the battery maybe a year ago with an AC Delco unit. After being away for a couple weeks, I came back to start the TA and no. Click, click, click. Charged the battery overnight, and she started right up. Volt gauge in dash read just over 13V, slightly more and no apparent troubles. Next morning it started but seemed a little sluggish. Kinda like when it's REALLY cold out and it slowly cranks over. But it started like that for 2 days, until this AM. Slowly cranked then click, click, click. I checked the battery voltage and it reads 12.54. Then with the key forward in ON position, it reads 10.23. Can't start it so I can't get a reading there. Any ideas? The little window on the battery is still green so it seems OK?
I did some net searching and some site mentioned a bad voltage regulator?

BTW, I store my car through the winter and used to just keep the battery hooked up and just start it every few weeks, sometimes once a month. No troubles until this winter where it would die. First winter with the new battery and alarm. Maybe a coincidence? Don't know :-( Please help.

Cheers,
Steve

[Hemogoblin]

I just scanned the Haynes Manual and it appears that the voltage regultors are housed in the alternators on these cars :-( To be honest, I don't know if this is the case for every car b/c I've never dealt with one. I guess all I can do now is charge the battery again and see if it'll start. I suspect, no. If it does though, what is the minimum that the alt should be charging?

Cheers,
Steve

[M3EATER - GG '00 WS6 T/A]

Steve,

Sounds like you battery may be Kaput...

Get it started and connect a voltmeter across the positive and negative terminals. Rev it once to get the alternator going..... then you should read AT LEAST 12.5 volts with it idling.... you really should see more like 13 volts (or more).

Now turn on the headlights, blower motor, wipers (pull them off the windshield), etc. ..... you should still see NO LESS THAN 12.5 volts (preferably more).

If you rev it to 1500 RPM you really should see 13.5 or so.

If the above tests seem OK....... then the battery is done, if it won't hold a charge for at least a couple weeks while in the car (the car is using a small amount of amperage while idle, to keep all of the memories).

When you are not driving it in the winter.... but starting it. How long do you let it run? Long enough to get a full charge back in it? You really should run a trickle charger on it with an automatic shut off.

Gordon

[Hemogoblin]

Thanks for the help. I have the battery hooked up now to a charger so I'll go out in a couple of hours and see what it says. I'll try everything you suggested and let you guys know what the numbers are. Thanks again for getting back to me so quickly :-)

Cheers,
Steve

[TraceZ]

Thanks for the help. I have the battery hooked up now to a charger so I'll go out in a couple of hours and see what it says. I'll try everything you suggested and let you guys know what the numbers are. Thanks again for getting back to me so quickly :-)

Cheers,
Steve

A little off topic....
It is really hard on the motor to start it every so often in the winter. It is much better to keep the battery indoors where it is warm with a battery maintainer on it.

Starting the engine cold is the worst thing you can do to it. Why do it every week? there is no good reason. Just wait for spring, give it a good look over and fire it up

[Hemogoblin]

Well, it isn't the battery. Charged it up, no turnover. Took a good battery out of my other vehicle, no turnover. Just click, click, click after a very short, almost turn. Looks like maybe the alt. I took it out and am going to a shop to have it checked. I'll keep it posted.

You're absolutely right I'm sure (about starting the car in the winter), and I think this year, I'll be doing just what you suggested. I'm just going to put in an old, not-needed battery, just so that the alarm is active. And the good battery will be indoors with a charger. Thanks for the tip

Cheers,
Steve

[fastTa]

Well, it isn't the battery. Charged it up, no turnover. Took a good battery out of my other vehicle, no turnover. Just click, click, click after a very short, almost turn. Looks like maybe the alt. I took it out and am going to a shop to have it checked. I'll keep it posted.

You're absolutely right I'm sure (about starting the car in the winter), and I think this year, I'll be doing just what you suggested. I'm just going to put in an old, not-needed battery, just so that the alarm is active. And the good battery will be indoors with a charger. Thanks for the tip

Cheers,
Steve

Sounds like maybe you have a bad solenoid on your starter. A bad alternator would not prevent you from starting the car as long as the battery is good.

[M3EATER - GG '00 WS6 T/A]

Sounds like maybe you have a bad solenoid on your starter. A bad alternator would not prevent you from starting the car as long as the battery is good.

Took the words out of my mouth.....

[Hemogoblin]

I hope you guys are right! This is a Bosch starter that I replaced about a year ago and it has a 5 year warranty so....

I took off the alt anyway and had it checked. It passed so you guys were right about that. I'm going to pull the starter today and have it looked at, as soon as this rain stops

Thanks again

Cheers,
Steve