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    #1

    Battery Issue

    So for starters my battery is a little less than 2 years old (Interstate Mega Tron Plus), and my alternator is less than a year old.

    Today I left the headlights and fog/driving lights on while my car was turned off for, I shit you not, 6-7 minutes.

    I came out and all I got was a click. The battery (including the old one) always seems to get whitish-blue corrosion on the Positive (+) terminal. I clean the top of the battery off with some baking soda and water from time to time.

    None of this seems right, but I'm not sure what direction to go. I haven't tested the battery, or the specific gravity/electrolyte, and I'm not sure how much power the fog lights draw.

    What should I check out first?
    1998 Mercury Grand Marquis 131k~ true duals, 2nd cat removed, H-pipe, Xcelerator Turbo mufflers, PI Manifold, 180* Tstat, K&N drop-in.
    1985 VW Vanagon 70k~
    Tags: None
    #2
    first... I would see if the battery will take a charge. If it's dropped a cell... it would explain this. If it won't charge to any more than 10.5V... it dropped a cell. The fastest way I've found to check this is to jump the car... let it run for about 3 minutes and then check the voltage with the car off. The car will charge batteries typically a lot faster than battery chargers (at least for voltage checks. Load checks need a fuller charge in my experience). I would suspect that the fog lights would be typical 55w per... so wouldn't really be pulling a whole hell of a lot of current. I would think that the full setup of lights should run for at least half an hour to an hour and still be able to crank it... which is why I'm leaning towards a free replacement on your battery.

    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
    Originally posted by gadget73
    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
    Originally posted by dmccaig
    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

    Comment

      #3
      Thanks man. That's kinda what I was thinking as far as the lights... I'm pretty sure they are your everyday autozone 55w "driving lights." I've left them on before for more than 10min and it was fine. I'll check the voltage first thing in the morning before I even fire it up. I'm hoping it just the battery. It's still in warranty (I think the Mega-Trons are like a 2.5 year free replacement, and a 80 month prorated).
      1998 Mercury Grand Marquis 131k~ true duals, 2nd cat removed, H-pipe, Xcelerator Turbo mufflers, PI Manifold, 180* Tstat, K&N drop-in.
      1985 VW Vanagon 70k~

      Comment

        #4
        related, check the charge voltage when the engine is running. if theres something goofy thats causing the alternator to charge at too high a voltage, it will kill batteries.
        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

        Originally posted by phayzer5
        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

        Comment

          #5
          Well I tested it this morning. It was reading about 12.5 volts before starting. It started ok. Then while running it was getting about 14.3-14.8 volts.

          I took it to Napa to have them test it, and it was only reading about 620 CCA. The battery is rated for 850 CCA.
          1998 Mercury Grand Marquis 131k~ true duals, 2nd cat removed, H-pipe, Xcelerator Turbo mufflers, PI Manifold, 180* Tstat, K&N drop-in.
          1985 VW Vanagon 70k~

          Comment

            #6
            sounds like a weak cell.

            Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
            rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
            Originally posted by gadget73
            ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
            Originally posted by dmccaig
            Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

            Comment

              #7
              Yeah I'm gonna take it back to the shop I bought it from on Monday. See if they''ll replace it.

              I wonder if there's a little crack on top of the battery thats causing all the corrosion. Maybe caused one of the cells to be real low on electrolyte and weak.
              1998 Mercury Grand Marquis 131k~ true duals, 2nd cat removed, H-pipe, Xcelerator Turbo mufflers, PI Manifold, 180* Tstat, K&N drop-in.
              1985 VW Vanagon 70k~

              Comment

                #8
                quite possible... do you have a good hold-down on it?
                Vibration and getting clunked around are a batteries worst enemy, especially if you don't drive like grandma
                Pete ::::>>> resident LED addict and CFI defector LED bulb replacements
                'LTD HPP' 85 Vic (my rusty baby) '06 Honda Reflex 250cc 'Baileys' 91 Vic (faded cream puff) ClifFord 'ODB' 88 P72 (SOLD) '77 LTDII (RIP)
                sigpic
                85HPP's most noteworthy mods: CFI to SEFI conversion w/HO upperstuff headers & flowmasters P71 airbox Towncar seats LED dash light-show center console w/5 gauge package LED 3rd brake light 3G alternator mini starter washer/coolant bottle upgrade Towncar power trunk pull underhood fuse/relay box 16" HPP wheels - police swaybars w/poly rubbers - budget Alpine driven 10 speaker stereo

                Comment

                  #9
                  Well I got the battery replaced. The shop I bought it from tested it with 2 different testers, both said voltage was ok, but that the battery needed to be replaced. So got me a new one.

                  However...my car's been idling like crap... Really low idle, dying after start up. It clears up sometime. No MIL has been set-off.
                  But I decided to check with my scanner anyways... I tried to run a Key On Engine Running (KOER) test and it wouldn't start the test and after some waiting, came back with a P0505 code (Idle Air Control Valve). So I have an IAC on order at NAPA... Hopefully that's all it is.
                  1998 Mercury Grand Marquis 131k~ true duals, 2nd cat removed, H-pipe, Xcelerator Turbo mufflers, PI Manifold, 180* Tstat, K&N drop-in.
                  1985 VW Vanagon 70k~

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Well I got the battery replaced. The shop I bought it from tested it with 2 different testers, both said voltage was ok, but that the battery needed to be replaced. So got me a new one.

                    However...my car's been idling like crap... Really low idle, dying after start up. It clears up sometime. No MIL has been set-off.
                    But I decided to check with my scanner anyways... I tried to run a Key On Engine Running (KOER) test and it wouldn't start the test and after some waiting, came back with a P0505 code (Idle Air Control Valve). So I have an IAC on order at NAPA... Hopefully that's all it is.
                    1998 Mercury Grand Marquis 131k~ true duals, 2nd cat removed, H-pipe, Xcelerator Turbo mufflers, PI Manifold, 180* Tstat, K&N drop-in.
                    1985 VW Vanagon 70k~

                    Comment

                      #11
                      It started fine every time today, with no idle problems. Even this morning after sitting in the rainy and windy, 34°F night.

                      And I ran all the tests my scanner has with no codes coming up.

                      So I think I'm going to hold off on replacing the IAC.
                      1998 Mercury Grand Marquis 131k~ true duals, 2nd cat removed, H-pipe, Xcelerator Turbo mufflers, PI Manifold, 180* Tstat, K&N drop-in.
                      1985 VW Vanagon 70k~

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Next time it idles poorly, tap on the IAC body with the handle of a fat screwdriver or something, see if it improves. If it does, go ahead and replace it. If they get bad enough, they can keep the car from starting!
                        Pete ::::>>> resident LED addict and CFI defector LED bulb replacements
                        'LTD HPP' 85 Vic (my rusty baby) '06 Honda Reflex 250cc 'Baileys' 91 Vic (faded cream puff) ClifFord 'ODB' 88 P72 (SOLD) '77 LTDII (RIP)
                        sigpic
                        85HPP's most noteworthy mods: CFI to SEFI conversion w/HO upperstuff headers & flowmasters P71 airbox Towncar seats LED dash light-show center console w/5 gauge package LED 3rd brake light 3G alternator mini starter washer/coolant bottle upgrade Towncar power trunk pull underhood fuse/relay box 16" HPP wheels - police swaybars w/poly rubbers - budget Alpine driven 10 speaker stereo

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Originally posted by 85crownHPP View Post
                          Next time it idles poorly, tap on the IAC body with the handle of a fat screwdriver or something, see if it improves. If it does, go ahead and replace it. If they get bad enough, they can keep the car from starting!
                          It started idling poorly again. I tapped on it a few times...and on the last tap it died completely. Tapped it a couple more times and started it up again then it ran ok. So I replaced the IAC, and so far it's starting just like it's supposed to.
                          1998 Mercury Grand Marquis 131k~ true duals, 2nd cat removed, H-pipe, Xcelerator Turbo mufflers, PI Manifold, 180* Tstat, K&N drop-in.
                          1985 VW Vanagon 70k~

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Update: It's been starting and idling perfectly. I guess it just happened to be the double-whamy of a dead cell and bad IAC.

                            Also, I was curious as to what the little hard plastic cylindrical canister in the hose going from the intake tube to the IAC does. It looks like some air silencer or vacuum modulator thing or something, you can't see through it though...
                            1998 Mercury Grand Marquis 131k~ true duals, 2nd cat removed, H-pipe, Xcelerator Turbo mufflers, PI Manifold, 180* Tstat, K&N drop-in.
                            1985 VW Vanagon 70k~

                            Comment

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