#21  
Old 04-01-2020, 03:41 PM
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MrWrestlingII MrWrestlingII is offline
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If you end up replacing your battery, which seems likely, note that Optima batteries are not what they used to be. Around 2006 they moved production from Colorado to Mexico and quality suffered.

As of a few years ago, Deka batteries manufactured by East Penn were still made in the US and are of similar quality to your old Optima. In my area Fleet Farm sells them under the Roadrunner AGM ACE name and I've seen them in several places under different names.

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Old 04-01-2020, 04:02 PM
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I agree with SRR; I had three of them fail in a relatively short period of time and won't be buying them again.

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Old 04-01-2020, 05:40 PM
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My $$ is on a bad starter...

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  #24  
Old 04-04-2020, 05:40 PM
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advance auto is open for a battery check...My yellow top optima was at 1.2 volts and they brought it back from the dead

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Old 04-04-2020, 06:30 PM
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I've had 2 less than 10 year old Optima Red tops fail this same way, 2 different vehicles. As said earlier, they ain't what they used to be!!! Switched to Odyssey's and no issues so far though they are known to fail also....

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Old 04-04-2020, 10:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Koppster View Post
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 (?).

Possibly a poor connection from your jumper cables to terminals,
or possibly your cars battery cable connections need cleaned and/or tightened.
You were transmitting power thru your terminals.

You had 12.6 volts after cranking it?

Or only before?

Have you removed the cables from your battery to check condition at connection surfaces, and then reinstall, or even just try tightening them?


Do your battery cables have replacement battery terminal ends that sandwich the cable with 2 bolts?
Lk Like this:
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/wc...2_pri_larg.jpg

If your battery is good, a poor connection will get hot fast when cranking!

Pretty clear to me the battery is done based on the cranking voltage you saw and the static voltage after cranking.
Repeated Cranking attempts with a weak battery can do damage in the starter....
.
FWIW.Me think it's gonna be a long wait till the virus is gone
Stay Healthy My Friends!


Last edited by STEELCITYFIREBIRD; 04-04-2020 at 10:44 PM.
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Old 04-05-2020, 10:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by STEELCITYFIREBIRD View Post
[/B]
Possibly a poor connection from your jumper cables to terminals,
or possibly your cars battery cable connections need cleaned and/or tightened.
You were transmitting power thru your terminals.

You had 12.6 volts after cranking it?

Or only before?

Have you removed the cables from your battery to check condition at connection surfaces, and then reinstall, or even just try tightening them?


Do your battery cables have replacement battery terminal ends that sandwich the cable with 2 bolts?
Lk Like this:
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/wc...2_pri_larg.jpg

If your battery is good, a poor connection will get hot fast when cranking!

Pretty clear to me the battery is done based on the cranking voltage you saw and the static voltage after cranking.
Repeated Cranking attempts with a weak battery can do damage in the starter....
.
FWIW.Me think it's gonna be a long wait till the virus is gone
Stay Healthy My Friends!
I had 12.6 before I cranked, 3.2-ish during cranking and 10.2 after. Cables appear to be in solid condition. It's a side poster with matching cables.

I am giving some very serious thought to ordering new top post cables and getting an Interstate AGM battery. Good or bad, 15 years is a long run for a battery and it may be older than that depending on when the guy before me bought it. I can't say it isn't the starter yet but even if it is, the battery is old and I don't like side posters.

Thanks, Rick

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Old 04-05-2020, 10:53 AM
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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
“15 plus year old Optima” ?????

I’d consider that a hell of a run ....... down in the hotter climate where I’m at, I’ve gotten 3-6 years no matter the brand.

Currently running an optima red top going on 4 plus years with no issues yet...... but it’s time is probably coming.....

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Old 04-05-2020, 11:10 AM
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I just bought a new one about 2 months ago. When I checked it when I got home was only 11.9V. It took a long time on my charger to get up to 100%. Then 2 days later put it back on to check it was down to 68%. Oreily checked it and said it was OK. Still think there is an issue. Going to recheck it today.

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Old 04-06-2020, 01:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SRR View Post
The current Optimas are NOT like the ones of old. You'll be lucky to get 3-4 years out of the current ones.
We stopped using them in our fleet 10 years ago for this exact reason. They have been junk since at least 2010. Have gotten superior service out of Walmart batteries, believe it or not. Got 17 years out of the one in my '67 GTO and 16 years out of the one in my '65 GTO, or pretty close. They cost $27.95 back in '02 and '03. Their recent replacements were $118. Hope they last as long.

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Old 04-12-2020, 12:05 PM
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Well look what I found when I got off my fanny and started investigating.

Looks like new cables and a battery. Probably starter too since it is now suspect, might as well put the whole shooting match in while it's apart.

Mini starter or stock starter?

Interstate AGM good?

2 AWG cable?

Thanks
Rick
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  #32  
Old 04-12-2020, 04:02 PM
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Default Oh boy!

[QUOTE=Koppster;6129213]Well look what I found when I got off my fanny and started investigating.

Looks like new cables and a battery. Probably starter too since it is now suspect, might as well put the whole shooting match in while it's apart.

Mini starter or stock starter?

Interstate AGM good?

2 AWG cable?

Thanks


Looks like it may have shorted against the block or your starter is drawing way to many Amps.

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  #33  
Old 04-24-2020, 12:17 PM
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Final update, new RobbMc starter, new cables from custombatterycables.com (awesome folks) and a new AGM battery.

No shims required, starts like new money, very happy.

Final analysis, battery cables were melted and shorting against the block. They had been routed through the tube over the top of the motor mount and were contacting the headers. The 15 year old Optima tested <220 cranking amps and I replaced the starter just cause.

New cables are routed under the motor mount with heat shield to be safe.

Thanks for all the help.

Rick

...and by the way, I discovered my water pump is leaking while doing this, more money! lol
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  #34  
Old 04-25-2020, 01:18 PM
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Originally Posted by geeteeohguy View Post
We stopped using them in our fleet 10 years ago for this exact reason. They have been junk since at least 2010. Have gotten superior service out of Walmart batteries, believe it or not. Got 17 years out of the one in my '67 GTO and 16 years out of the one in my '65 GTO, or pretty close. They cost $27.95 back in '02 and '03. Their recent replacements were $118. Hope they last as long.
I've had similar luck with lead-acid batteries in my cars. I drove a Nissan with the same battery for over 10 years and it was still starting fine on the day it had to be sent to the scrap yard. My current BMW which I bought used and have owned since January 2010 has had the same battery the entire time, and who knows how long it was in the car before I bought it. I always read that others only get 3-4 years out of their batteries and I don't doubt them, but I do wonder why my experience has been so different. My "regular" cars are not stored indoors, either.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Koppster View Post
...and by the way, I discovered my water pump is leaking while doing this, more money! lol
Glad you got it sorted out! You last point about the water pump leak is why I always recommend that people get underneath their cars at least a few times per year, even on cars that see very few miles annually. It's good to do a visual inspection from time to time to see what else is potentially going on under there.

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  #35  
Old 04-25-2020, 09:59 PM
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, now you gotta find the cure for THE virus!

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Old 04-26-2020, 07:01 AM
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, now you gotta find the cure for THE virus!
...immediately after the water pump!

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Old 04-26-2020, 07:58 AM
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I just replaced two Optimas that were 5 years old. I was disappointed thinking they were supposed to last longer then I found out they’re no longer the high quality battery they used to be and the newer ones are made cheaply in Mexico.

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  #38  
Old 04-26-2020, 08:57 AM
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I have heard the reason why batteries seem to suck anymore is all the lead is now recycled. Any truth to this? Anybody know for sure? Glad you got it figured out!!

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Old 04-26-2020, 09:33 AM
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I have heard the reason why batteries seem to suck anymore is all the lead is now recycled. Any truth to this? Anybody know for sure? Glad you got it figured out!!
I do not know for sure, but battery lead has been recycled for probably 50 years, at least. Just knowing that fact, I doubt there is any truth to the reason you heard.

Ever since I've been around automotive stuff, lead acid batteries have at most times brought the most money per pound at a scarp yard than other auto scrap, except for radiators.

I would attribute it to the lead content of current batteries is less than earlier examples, the newer batteries aren't as heavy as the older ones were. To get more surface area they have holes in the plates which makes the plates deteriorate more rapidly. the sulfation in the bottom of the case builds more rapidly causing the plates to have a path of current to the other plates which causes a dead cell.

I currently have 2 batteries from Rural King (house brand) in my diesel truck that are under 2 years old that I'm having problems keeping a charge.

Just my theory, FWIW........

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Old 04-26-2020, 10:24 AM
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RV type batteries are much heavier. Although their CCA is slightly lower, they may be good over the long haul? I use a AC Delco Voyager 27MF

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