Intermittent dead battery - no parasitic draw
08-05-2013, 06:15 PM
#11
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Yeah - load testing equipment was $35 + shipping or $50 in-store, and the starter was only $110... so I just got that. I hate to keep throwing money at the car but if it isn't the starter, I'm guessing it's something far more serious inside the engine hanging up. If that's the case, the car's just gonna get garaged for a while and I'll buy some beater to commute in for a while. Got the old starter out this afternoon - new one should be here in the morning.
08-07-2013, 06:26 AM
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Left the Battery Tender running all night, and it was still not in 'maintenance' mode this morning (rather than 'charging'). The battery must have been extremely low, and I'm hoping I didn't damage the battery with the previous starter.
Fired the car up and it started 3 times back-to-back (left for work after the third start). While this isn't the first time I've been able to start it from a topped off battery, the new starter sounds and feels distinctly different than before. It fires on the first crank rather than the 3rd-4th or so, and it sounds like it cranks a lot 'stronger'... also doesn't have the grating or screeching noise that had been around since I bought the car.
It's gonna take me a week or so to be confident in the battery/charging system, but it looks like that might have been the issue.
Fired the car up and it started 3 times back-to-back (left for work after the third start). While this isn't the first time I've been able to start it from a topped off battery, the new starter sounds and feels distinctly different than before. It fires on the first crank rather than the 3rd-4th or so, and it sounds like it cranks a lot 'stronger'... also doesn't have the grating or screeching noise that had been around since I bought the car.
It's gonna take me a week or so to be confident in the battery/charging system, but it looks like that might have been the issue.
08-07-2013, 05:29 PM
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10-13-2013, 11:05 AM
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I hate to bring this back from the dead, but it appears I still have a few issues...
It's been about 2 months since my starter replacement that appeared to solve this issue. Since then, I have noticed the starter went from a really strong electrical "whirr" noise to the strained sound it was making before replacement. This, by itself, wouldn't be an issue, but I have also had 2 cases of the engine turning over extremely slowly, and not being able to start without a jump. Both times, this was at a gas station where I generally turn the car off, then turn the ignition on so I can reset the trip odometer while the gas is pumping. The second time, I noticed throughout the day that I could hear the fuel pump when I had the radio off and the windows up. It was making a very strained whining noise (intermittently). As far as I know, the fuel pump is stock (and I've never heard complaints of OEM fuel pump noise on an S2K), but based on surprises I've found during routine maintenance, it wouldn't surprise me if the previous owner had swapped it for an upgraded aftermarket pump.
Basically, what appears to be happening is, by sitting with the ignition on for only ~5 minutes or less, I'm dropping the battery voltage to a level that will not allow the starter to turn the engine. Granted, this has happened only 2 times out of an estimated 14-15 stops at the gas station... but it shouldn't be happening at all.
It's been about 2 months since my starter replacement that appeared to solve this issue. Since then, I have noticed the starter went from a really strong electrical "whirr" noise to the strained sound it was making before replacement. This, by itself, wouldn't be an issue, but I have also had 2 cases of the engine turning over extremely slowly, and not being able to start without a jump. Both times, this was at a gas station where I generally turn the car off, then turn the ignition on so I can reset the trip odometer while the gas is pumping. The second time, I noticed throughout the day that I could hear the fuel pump when I had the radio off and the windows up. It was making a very strained whining noise (intermittently). As far as I know, the fuel pump is stock (and I've never heard complaints of OEM fuel pump noise on an S2K), but based on surprises I've found during routine maintenance, it wouldn't surprise me if the previous owner had swapped it for an upgraded aftermarket pump.
Basically, what appears to be happening is, by sitting with the ignition on for only ~5 minutes or less, I'm dropping the battery voltage to a level that will not allow the starter to turn the engine. Granted, this has happened only 2 times out of an estimated 14-15 stops at the gas station... but it shouldn't be happening at all.
10-15-2013, 01:08 PM
#20
What if PO did fit an aftermarket fuel pump, and what if they wired it direct to batt supply, bypassing ignition switch, and what if that fuel pump is now dying and drawing too much juice? And what if you did have a starter that wss going bad, which made things worse (and with new starter its better, but not perfect)
Before new starter, car sits overnight, and fuel pump is powered even with ignition off (due to stupid PO wiring), so as fuel pressure leaks off, all night fuel pump keeps coming on, drawing batt down. Then thirsty starter takes batts last breath of electrons.
You replace starter, seems like its fixed, but when you leave ignition on and bad fuel pump fires a few times it sucks off too much juice.
There are a couple holes in this theory. The batt only dies now when ignition is left on, and my theory includes amatuer wiring that has the pump always energized, ignition bypassed. Also, its difficult to imagine the current draw that can kill a batt in the time it takes to fill tank at gas station. You should be able to blare horn with headlights on for that long and still have plenty juice to start.
I'm sure I'm off but maybe thinking about some of this will make you think of the real problem.
Before new starter, car sits overnight, and fuel pump is powered even with ignition off (due to stupid PO wiring), so as fuel pressure leaks off, all night fuel pump keeps coming on, drawing batt down. Then thirsty starter takes batts last breath of electrons.
You replace starter, seems like its fixed, but when you leave ignition on and bad fuel pump fires a few times it sucks off too much juice.
There are a couple holes in this theory. The batt only dies now when ignition is left on, and my theory includes amatuer wiring that has the pump always energized, ignition bypassed. Also, its difficult to imagine the current draw that can kill a batt in the time it takes to fill tank at gas station. You should be able to blare horn with headlights on for that long and still have plenty juice to start.
I'm sure I'm off but maybe thinking about some of this will make you think of the real problem.