Battery Partially Dead - Questions
07-23-2010, 05:10 PM
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Battery Partially Dead - Questions I have been busy as hell at work and my 2002 M6 SS sat in my garage for 3 months straight. The headlamps and theft deterrent system operate normally. I tried starting it and all I hear is a rapid clicking sound with the instrument gauges flickering therefore I assume it's a weak battery. I wish I bought a Battery Tender for this simple problem but before I take the battery out for a recharge or replacement it I have a few questions for you guys.
What would be the best approach for this simple problem?
1- Buy a Battery Tender, never bought one before so I'll consider it as a good investment and insurance for this garage queen. ( If I hook it up, it will slowly recharge the battery? )
2- Remove and replace the old battery out for a free diagnostic & recharge at Autozone. It's only 5 yrs old.
3- Go with your favorite battery? Insert brand here ____________.
4- If the battery is somehow inherently bad, I guess I will lose my radio settings and reset the keyfob again. Anything else I should expect besides shelling out $100 for a newer and reliable battery?
I'm going deep here and thinking the SS will have to relearn idle characteristics etc. The alternator is original like the LS1 with 11,000 miles on it. Pop starting it will not be an option I'll add.
What would be the best approach for this simple problem?
1- Buy a Battery Tender, never bought one before so I'll consider it as a good investment and insurance for this garage queen. ( If I hook it up, it will slowly recharge the battery? )
2- Remove and replace the old battery out for a free diagnostic & recharge at Autozone. It's only 5 yrs old.
3- Go with your favorite battery? Insert brand here ____________.
4- If the battery is somehow inherently bad, I guess I will lose my radio settings and reset the keyfob again. Anything else I should expect besides shelling out $100 for a newer and reliable battery?
I'm going deep here and thinking the SS will have to relearn idle characteristics etc. The alternator is original like the LS1 with 11,000 miles on it. Pop starting it will not be an option I'll add.
07-23-2010, 05:30 PM
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if it died why not just jump it where it sits and see how it acts
i doubt you will lose radio settings i often disconnect my battery before working on my car and have never lost my stations and it always fires right up and runs fine, no hunting idle or anything
your key fob wont be affected either
i doubt you will lose radio settings i often disconnect my battery before working on my car and have never lost my stations and it always fires right up and runs fine, no hunting idle or anything
your key fob wont be affected either
07-23-2010, 06:26 PM
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Thing is this SS never touched snow or rain and it's raining here so I can't pull it out of the garage and jump it next to the '88 IROC Z28 or '96 3.8L V6 if that makes sense. 
Yes I'm that fanatical LOL !
I thought about taking the donor battery out of the daily driver, setting it on the floor and connecting Positive to Positive and the good Negative to a good ground on the SS.
Worth a try but I just realized my jumper cables were never returned to me from my ex girlfriend.
Yes I'm that fanatical LOL !I thought about taking the donor battery out of the daily driver, setting it on the floor and connecting Positive to Positive and the good Negative to a good ground on the SS.
Worth a try but I just realized my jumper cables were never returned to me from my ex girlfriend.
07-26-2010, 02:09 PM
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What I would do...
1) Buy a battery tender.
2) Attach the battery tender to the battery. See if it will take a charge.
3) If battery takes a charge, you're golden.
4) If battery won't take a charge, get another well-charged car battery and hook it up to your dead battery pos-to-pos and neg-to-neg, then hook up the battery tender. The charged battery will trick the battery tender into thinking it's hooked up to a battery it can charge and it will send juice to it. This juice will charge your dead battery. After several hours or overnight you can take off the good battery and see if you can continue charging your dead battery.
5) If it worked, keep an eye on your previously dead battery to see how well it keeps a charge. If it doesn't work, go buy a new battery and use your new battery tender on it.
1) Buy a battery tender.
2) Attach the battery tender to the battery. See if it will take a charge.
3) If battery takes a charge, you're golden.
4) If battery won't take a charge, get another well-charged car battery and hook it up to your dead battery pos-to-pos and neg-to-neg, then hook up the battery tender. The charged battery will trick the battery tender into thinking it's hooked up to a battery it can charge and it will send juice to it. This juice will charge your dead battery. After several hours or overnight you can take off the good battery and see if you can continue charging your dead battery.
5) If it worked, keep an eye on your previously dead battery to see how well it keeps a charge. If it doesn't work, go buy a new battery and use your new battery tender on it.
07-27-2010, 10:55 AM
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Had same thing happen to my garage queen. Bought a battery tender from Harbor frieght for $7.99 hooked up for 3 days even though it says will not bring back a dead battery. Started right up and I've never looked back. Well, actually After I drove it a bit I hooked a battery load tester to it just to make sure it was still a good battery as to not hurt my alternator. Battery tested fine. All has been great.
07-27-2010, 11:42 AM
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Charge the battery for several hours at 2-4 amps, then try to start the car. Doesn't sound like the battery is dead (you said the lights work, etc) so I'm guessing it'll come back to life.
I don't use my '98 Z28 much either. It often sits for 2 months at a time, but I don't use a battery tender. Normally, it'll still have between 12.0 and 12.1 volts left even after 2 months. Over the winter, when it sits for 4-5 months, I usually put a 2 amp charge on it every month or two for about an hour. This has always been enough to keep the battery fresh.
Idle relearn will not be needed unless the battery was totally dead or you replace it. Radio settings will remain and key fob will operate as normal even if you pull the battery. Only thing you'll have to do with a new battery is reset the clock, and you could do the idle re-learn proceedure if you want (it's very simple for an '02 M6 car, just let the coolant temp reach 176°F, then allow it to idle for 5 mins)
I don't use my '98 Z28 much either. It often sits for 2 months at a time, but I don't use a battery tender. Normally, it'll still have between 12.0 and 12.1 volts left even after 2 months. Over the winter, when it sits for 4-5 months, I usually put a 2 amp charge on it every month or two for about an hour. This has always been enough to keep the battery fresh.
Idle relearn will not be needed unless the battery was totally dead or you replace it. Radio settings will remain and key fob will operate as normal even if you pull the battery. Only thing you'll have to do with a new battery is reset the clock, and you could do the idle re-learn proceedure if you want (it's very simple for an '02 M6 car, just let the coolant temp reach 176°F, then allow it to idle for 5 mins)
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07-28-2010, 12:59 PM
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Being the original poster here I gotta say you all have given great advice!
A few days has passed and I bought one of them battery tenders and I did not have to buy another AC Delco battery at all. Overnight charge led to a strong battery after several hours.
I have never trickle charged a battery before and this device has a switchable setting for them specialty batteries such as the Gel type Optimas.
I never lost my radio or other settings pertaining to what one would expect from a dead battery so I'm trial testing this device actually, made by Shumacher Electronics.
http://www.batterychargers.com/Produ...me=94026806ACP
I will agree that I have to drive the garage queen more often !
A few days has passed and I bought one of them battery tenders and I did not have to buy another AC Delco battery at all. Overnight charge led to a strong battery after several hours.
I have never trickle charged a battery before and this device has a switchable setting for them specialty batteries such as the Gel type Optimas.
I never lost my radio or other settings pertaining to what one would expect from a dead battery so I'm trial testing this device actually, made by Shumacher Electronics.
http://www.batterychargers.com/Produ...me=94026806ACP
I will agree that I have to drive the garage queen more often !
