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Topic: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical

in Forum: C3 Electrical


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Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (6/16)
 7/20/15 8:55am
kstyerLifetime Member
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CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH - USA

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Chances are good that it's a bad battery.  Batteries die in the heat more often than in the cold.  It probably has an internal short.  Pull it out and have it tested, or drop another one in as a test, and see what it does.   Don't just hook up jumper cables.   A shorted battery will drag down a good one, and the car still likely not start.
Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (7/16)
 7/20/15 1:12pm
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kstyer said: Chances are good that it's a bad battery.  Batteries die in the heat more often than in the cold. 



Yep, battery in my wife's Jeep died 1 hour before leaving for the 2015 Gathering, hot muggy day.
Left it sitting in the driveway.....hopped in the vette and dealt with it when returned 5 days later.
Let us know how you make out.
Evil Smileebo


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Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (8/16)
 7/21/15 7:08pm
daveo76
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Vancouver, WA - USA

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Gotta love Costco - full replacement cost for a new Interstate battery, no questions asked. Old one was only 2 years and some change old. So got a new battery, but I'm still mystified and a little concerned about the suddenness of the failure. And bad enough that it would cause the engine to stop running. I didn't hear or smell anything unusual and the battery is only two feet from my head when I'm in the driver's seat. Should I bring the alternator in to a parts house and have it tested before I try to start this thing?

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1976 Silver/Firethorn.  L48, 4spd.  Original 2 bolt, vortec heads, 9.4:1 CR, Speed Pro Cam: 224/224@0.050, 112 LSA, Eagle Steel Crank.
Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (9/16)
 7/21/15 7:27pm
stingrayjim jrLifetime Member
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Wouldn't hurt to have the alternator tested.... batteries can all of a sudden go belly up, and Ken is probably correct in thinking a bad cell in the battery.  Each cell in a battery puts out about 2.2 volts, fully charged battery is around 12.6 to 12.8 volts.  The alternator should be putting out around 13-14 volts... Costco does have a pretty good warranty for their(our) batteries(I work for Interstate Batteries).... we see a lot of 'good' batteries in their core pile that we pick up, so they really don't inspect they battery all that well that I've seen.(heck if I didn't already work for a battery company I would join Costco and buy a battery from them, their price is hard to beat)  Hopefully it is just a battery issue and not something deeper. If you have a voltmeter that you can use at the battery while the car is running you can do a preliminary check to make sure you alternator is at least putting out voltage. :) 

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Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (10/16)
 7/23/15 1:35am
daveo76
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Vancouver, WA - USA

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Well got it running tonight, but this is weird.  Put the new battery in and engine turned over fast, but no action.  Hmmmm.  Took the air cleaner off and it looked pretty dry in there and no fuel came out of the jets when I pushed the throttle.  Put 2 gallons in the tank and poured a little down the carb and it fired right up.  Well, in my original post I mentioned I was heading to get gas - I was going there for a reason.  If the starter had turned the engine over normally after it quit I would have known right away that I had run out of gas.  But how could I have the simultaneous battery problem??  It's not like I cranked on it for a long time to try to start it - it dragged down immediately.  Guess I'll just chalk it up to coincidence.  

Oh, and I checked the alternator after I got it running.  14.5v at fast idle and just under 14 at regular idle.  Sounds OK?


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1976 Silver/Firethorn.  L48, 4spd.  Original 2 bolt, vortec heads, 9.4:1 CR, Speed Pro Cam: 224/224@0.050, 112 LSA, Eagle Steel Crank.
Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (11/16)
 7/23/15 1:41am
daveo76
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Vancouver, WA - USA

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1976 Silver/Firethorn. L48, 4spd. Original 2 bolt, vortec heads, 9.4:1 CR, Speed Pro Cam: 224/224@0.050, 112 LSA, Eagle Steel Crank.


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stingrayjim jr said: Wouldn't hurt to have the alternator tested.... batteries can all of a sudden go belly up, and Ken is probably correct in thinking a bad cell in the battery.  Each cell in a battery puts out about 2.2 volts, fully charged battery is around 12.6 to 12.8 volts.  The alternator should be putting out around 13-14 volts... Costco does have a pretty good warranty for their(our) batteries(I work for Interstate Batteries).... we see a lot of 'good' batteries in their core pile that we pick up, so they really don't inspect they battery all that well that I've seen.(heck if I didn't already work for a battery company I would join Costco and buy a battery from them, their price is hard to beat)  Hopefully it is just a battery issue and not something deeper. If you have a voltmeter that you can use at the battery while the car is running you can do a preliminary check to make sure you alternator is at least putting out voltage. :) 
-

Jim - has Costco always carried Interstates?  The one I bought two years ago (the one that failed) didn't say Interstate on the case like the new one does - it just had the Kirkland logo.  I know that doesn't mean anything - costco just re-labels everything -- but was just curious if the old one was an Interstate as well.  

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1976 Silver/Firethorn.  L48, 4spd.  Original 2 bolt, vortec heads, 9.4:1 CR, Speed Pro Cam: 224/224@0.050, 112 LSA, Eagle Steel Crank.
Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (12/16)
 7/23/15 7:26am
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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So...you basically ran outta gas, eh? LOL
Battery failures are quirky....ya just never know when they'll give up the ghost, but you can bet is will always be at the worst possible time....Censored

Glad ya got it working!


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Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (13/16)
 7/23/15 10:49am
F4GaryGold Member
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stingrayjim jr said: Wouldn't hurt to have the alternator tested.... batteries can all of a sudden go belly up, and Ken is probably correct in thinking a bad cell in the battery.  Each cell in a battery puts out about 2.2 volts, fully charged battery is around 12.6 to 12.8 volts.  The alternator should be putting out around 13-14 volts... Costco does have a pretty good warranty for their(our) batteries(I work for Interstate Batteries).... we see a lot of 'good' batteries in their core pile that we pick up, so they really don't inspect they battery all that well that I've seen.(heck if I didn't already work for a battery company I would join Costco and buy a battery from them, their price is hard to beat)  Hopefully it is just a battery issue and not something deeper. If you have a voltmeter that you can use at the battery while the car is running you can do a preliminary check to make sure you alternator is at least putting out voltage. :) 

Hey Jim, are all batteries made by Johnson Controls now? 



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Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (14/16)
 7/23/15 1:55pm
kstyerLifetime Member
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And your charging system voltage is fine.
 
Yep, weird stuff happens.
Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (15/16)
 7/23/15 2:14pm
stingrayjim jrLifetime Member
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SHELBYVILLE, TN - USA

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Costco's batteries are Johnson Control products, and as of a few years ago, they were labeled Kirkland, and were delivered directly from a Johnson Control plant. Now your local Interstate distributor supplies Costco with their batteries.  Yes, same battery, just a little bit of a name change on the label.
Joel is right, batteries can be quirky when they decide to give up the ghost. 
 
Johnson doesn't make "all" the batteries now, Deka/East Penn and Exide are still out there, but Johnson has probably half if not more sales. 


|UPDATED|7/23/2015 11:14:57 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Re: Won't run at all - thinking (hoping) it's electrical (16/16)
 7/24/15 12:49pm
daveo76
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Vancouver, WA - USA

Vette(s):
1976 Silver/Firethorn. L48, 4spd. Original 2 bolt, vortec heads, 9.4:1 CR, Speed Pro Cam: 224/224@0.050, 112 LSA, Eagle Steel Crank.


Joined: 8/25/2005
Posts: 857

Thanks for the info, everyone!  Just glad I have a running car again!

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1976 Silver/Firethorn.  L48, 4spd.  Original 2 bolt, vortec heads, 9.4:1 CR, Speed Pro Cam: 224/224@0.050, 112 LSA, Eagle Steel Crank.
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