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Old 03-31-2020, 11:52 AM
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Default Dead or Dying Optima?

Hello: I bought my 64 in 2005 with a red top Optima in it, I have had no trouble starting it over the years; albeit, I only drive a couple hundred miles a year. I religiously keep it on a Battery Tender.

About a month ago I drove it to the gas station, cranked and ran fine. After filling the tank, it would not start, just a "click" sound. I was on a hill so I bump started it and it and got it home. Once home, I turned it off and it started again fine. I let it sit overnight without the Tender, still worked fine. I inspected the visible cables, saw nothing obvious so I chalked it up to a sixties technology gremlin and put it back on the Tender.

Yesterday, I started it to wash and wax it, no problems at all, got it in and out of the garage.

Today, I needed to move it and it cranked great once but did not fire so I hit it again, "clickity, clickity, clickity". Kept trying and then just the single "click". Tried jump starting it off my 2014 Silverado and it will only crank very, very slow. I let it sit with the jumpers on for a half hour and still barely turns over.

Anyway, I believe the 15-plus year old Optima is likely the culprit but wanted to share for thoughts and advice.

Thanks,
Rick

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Old 03-31-2020, 11:56 AM
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Sounds like a loose ground or battery cable connection. Usually a bad battery isn't intermittent.

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Old 03-31-2020, 07:15 PM
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For it to be intermittent, I'd check both cables. I've had corroded cables cause starting issues. Up here in the north they like to corrode in the body of the wire where you can't see it.

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Old 03-31-2020, 07:41 PM
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Check your battery voltage at rest and cranking. If it goes below 10 V. its done.

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Old 03-31-2020, 07:44 PM
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Does sound like a bad connection but that optima is 15+ years old they are awesome batteries but that’s old for a battery.

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Old 03-31-2020, 07:47 PM
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Exact same symptoms I had when my Optima died.

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Old 03-31-2020, 08:09 PM
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Put a voltmeter on it, like Ted Sed!
Also agree with Paul K, a bad battery is not usually intermittent
Static Voltage ~12.6 fully charged battery and voltage drop for below 10.2, all good electrical diagnosis's start at the battery. Check on the actual battery posts, and work out from there under load for voltage drop. (Or go straight to the starter motor connections after confirming a good battery and terminal connections.
A similar thread recently.....dirty battery cable terminals to battery, nothing visible!
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...=838611&page=2


Last edited by STEELCITYFIREBIRD; 03-31-2020 at 08:17 PM.
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Old 03-31-2020, 08:33 PM
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BTW....my optima was about 18 years old. I still have it in the garage to test motors etc as it still reads 12V.....it was just becoming to unreliable to start the car consistently. Checking cables and connections never hurts, but the battery is 15 years old...

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Old 03-31-2020, 10:14 PM
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Bad starter or bad connections

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Old 04-01-2020, 01:21 AM
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Only thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is a possible bad solenoid. If it's a stock starter, the solenoid is the weakest link in the system.

I know that battery is old, but with it acting wildly intermittent, it seems more like a solenoid to me. I've had a few over the years act that way (on different vintage Pontiac's), and every time, it was the solenoid. Swap the solenoid, and the problem vanishes.

Just a thought. Hope that helps.

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Old 04-01-2020, 06:47 AM
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If you turn on your headlights and then try to Crank the motor, then if the headlights do not dim you have 4 possible things that could be going wrong.

This assumes that the battery is reading at a static 12 volts.
1) Bad ignition switch.

2) Bad starter.

3) Bad connections at the Battery and Or starter end of the cables.

4) A combo of 2 and 3.

On many Pontiacs with headers if your stuck somewhere you can take a long heavy shank screw driver, feed it thru gaps in the tubes and place a short across the Battery terminal on the starter and the small ignition switch terminal and get the motor to Crank when it's just a case of the starter solenoid, but be very careful to not have the screwdriver shank touch anything else that's metal and grounded otherwise the current from the Battery will weld the screwdriver to it with the real likelihood of having a fire!

Many times if the starter has a bad Armature and or Brushes you will still hear the stater Solenoid click the drive gear into the flywheel, yet the headlights will barely dim from this light load.

By the way, that Battery does not owe you even 1/2 a cent if it turns out to be bad after all the time you have had it for, lol!

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Old 04-01-2020, 08:11 AM
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Voltage drop tests will give you an accurate diagnosis.
Check terminal post, then cable lug to pinpoint a bad connection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhRPLgH6uZg
If your going to jump solenoid, use a jumper wire ....less you can't wait for 4th of July!
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Old 04-01-2020, 09:03 AM
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Thanks everyone, I left it on the Tender overnight and got the clickety, clickety, clickety drill action this morning. I measured voltage and have 12.6 but not sure that addresses potential amperage issues. I am going to take the battery in for a load test after this virus thing clears but in the interim, I will jack the car up and attempt the voltage drop tests.

Worst case I can get that new battery and mini-starter I been hankering for! lol

Stay Safe!
Rickster

One thing kinda bothersome is why I couldn't get a good jump start (?). It would crank when jumper was connected but really, really, really slow (?).

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Old 04-01-2020, 10:32 AM
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Update:

Full disclosure, I checked the battery voltage at the top post but the cables are connected to the side post option. That said, the battery was still at 12.6 and when we cranked it dropped to 3.6/3.8 during cranking and then rested at 10.2 after the crank.

Thanks for the comments.

Rick

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Old 04-01-2020, 12:01 PM
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RIP Optima!
The 12.6 was a surface charge, a short run of the headlights will likely drop your static voltage too.

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Old 04-01-2020, 12:30 PM
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If your getting a click at the starter without the motor trying to turn even the least bit then the starter is bad without a doubt!
I have the same issue going on with my Subaru right now and for the last Month I have been driving around with a new starter in my back seat waiting for the day when 35 or so try's at cranking the motor does not work, lol!

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Old 04-01-2020, 12:36 PM
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Easiest way to check- swap batteries with another vehicle. See if their battery works in your car, and vice versa. A lot easier than crawling under vehicle and cleaner too.

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Old 04-01-2020, 01:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Koppster View Post
Update:

Full disclosure, I checked the battery voltage at the top post but the cables are connected to the side post option. That said, the battery was still at 12.6 and when we cranked it dropped to 3.6/3.8 during cranking and then rested at 10.2 after the crank.

Thanks for the comments.

Rick
I swear by the Optima Red Top and think 15 years is a pretty darn good run.

I wouldn't hesitate to get another one.

Jim

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Old 04-01-2020, 02:05 PM
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Default Bad battery!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Koppster View Post
Update:

Full disclosure, I checked the battery voltage at the top post but the cables are connected to the side post option. That said, the battery was still at 12.6 and when we cranked it dropped to 3.6/3.8 during cranking and then rested at 10.2 after the crank.

Thanks for the comments.

Rick
The current Optimas are NOT like the ones of old. You'll be lucky to get 3-4 years out of the current ones.

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Old 04-01-2020, 02:55 PM
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So, I tried the battery swap thing but with a twist. I only have access to Toyota top posters so I used jumper cables to experiment. I pulled the battery out of a Corolla and jumper connected the Optima, nothing, not even a click. I jumper connected the Toyota's good battery to the GTO and it turned over, slowly but it turned over. So I'm betting it's the battery at this point.

My plan is to get it tested once the quarantine lifts. I also might use this as an opportunity to add to my tool resources, looking at a Foxwell BT705 battery tester on Amazon. We've got 7 cars in our family "fleet" so it might be worth the investment. Then I can bug you guys about what it tells me! LOL

Thanks,
Rick

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