Re: dead battery update

[T Berk <tberk@mindspring.com>]

Jonas Karlsson wrote:
> 
> Sorry, I should have been clearer.
> 
> Both of the conditions I described went away completely after the new
> battery went in. They also never appeared before my battery went crazy.
> 
> I don't think the seat belt light was a faulty sensor, as it would turn
> on and off repetitively. 5sec on, 15 sec off. like a reeeeaaallly slooow
> flash.
> It went away when the new battery was installed.
> 
> The power dip was also worrying me, but the fact that it -completely-
> disappeared with the battery swap lead me to think that the dead battery
> was the cause. I could be wrong, but it's gone now, and I did nothing
> else.
> 
> To answer your question, No I did not have it tested for charge, but I
> had my reasons. 1. The old battery was the wrong size 2. The car started
> like usual with a jump, and once running it was mostly fine. (indicating
> a dead battery) 3. I didn't want to waste my time trying to see if a
> wrong battery that I'm 90% sure is dead will still hold charge. BTW it
> was 3 yrs old.
> 
> Jonas
> 85 Scirocco
> 
> Wayne Cressman wrote:
> >Jonas,
> >
> >Did you have your old battery tested to see if it held a charge
> >after it
> >recharged?  If it didn't, then your previous battery was old and
> >worn out
> >and needed replacing.  If your old battery was fine, then you
> >either have a
> >short in the system or a failing alternator.
> >
> >Now the next question is whether the dip in torque between 3-3.5k
> >is a new
> >unrelated problem or connected.  To be honest, lots of problems
> >could cause
> >this.  You'd be better off taking it to a trained, trustworthy
> >mechanic who
> >could connect your engine to his diagnostics and work out what's
> >going
> >wrong.  Failing that, you could check your spark plugs, fuel
> >injectors,
> >distributor, fueling system etc.   A good place to start out is
> >to work out
> >what's new and what's old in your engine bay, i.e. what's likely
> >to crap out
> >soon.
> >
> >The seat belt light sounds like a faulty sensor.  You could
> >always remove
> >the bulb if it worries you.
> >
> >Wayne C.
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Jonas Karlsson <jkarlsso@metabolex.com>
> >To: scirocco list <scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
> >Date: Thursday, July 29, 1999 12:39 PM
> >Subject: dead battery update
> >
> >
> >>Well, I got a new battery and all is fine.
> >>Nothing interesting I suppose, but this is my first car, and
> >hence my
> >>first experience with a dead battery. Here's a couple of things
> >I
> >>noticed:
<snip>
> >>2. I noticed a dip in torque between 3-3.5K rpm. This started
> >the day
> >>before the battery died. Like I'd pull off and when I got to 3k
> >it
> >>hardly pulled at all until I got past 3500 rpm. Is this because
> >there
> >>was too much current flowing straight through the battery, and
> >thus
> >>partially "shorting out" the alternator?  like shorting out an
> >electric
> >>motor to brake it. makes sense to me. :)
> >>
> >>hth
> >>
> >>Jonas
> >>85 Scirocco


Old battery out, new battery in, all problems go away? Maybe not. 
IF your system is either 
1. Not putting out enough electricity OR 
2. not getting the sufficient amount around the car THEN- (dramatic
pause), 
you need to 
A. Clean and augment the electrical connections, esp the grounding
points and such, OR
B. Verify the charging system is putting out more than 12.5V.

Other wise you will run off the battery and it will lead a short life.

hth,
TBerk

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