Airflite40

You can take the battery to murrays and they can put it on a tester to see if its good.

Just for grins, double check the connections to the battery in the battery box, I had one of mine pop off while driving the 928 once, I hit a bump and bam the car died.
I tried to restart it and it wouldn't even crank, but the dash would light up.
Turned out the neg cable clamp was loose and is was hanging there barely touching the battery post.
Just a thought.

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Your voltages sound like a dying battery if it indeed completely charged. That is about the best thing I can imagine because as Borys suggested you can have it tested and if needed buy a new one and be back in business.
Best of luck

Z

Check the connections on both ends of the engine ground strap while you're down there. It's on the bottom passenger side of the engine, and connects the engine to the body of the car there.

Got enough water in your battery?

Alan

Tim - no don't bother - its just the battery - those numbers are way way low - its basically dead - first charge it and see what happens...

Alan

85fortheDrive

Okay, the battery is out and I will take it to Murray's, where I bought it about six months ago. It's an Autolite battery. I'll be both surprised and delighted if the sucka is low on charge.

I'm hoping to get the OB over to McKenzie's on Sunday for a little GTG.

Alan, Borys, thanks again.

mj1pate

Stupidest things happen to the otherwise bight bulbs...
After cleaning all the grounds in the car, replacing all the original fuses, critical relays and vacuum hoses, I had to tow because I didn't pay attention to the "both" cables being secured to the positive battery post. After the tow from hell, I discovered the positive cable that feeds the computers was just hanging on the battery lug, while the heavier positive cable was secured. Car died, cranked vigorously, but with no ignition. Hard moral is that PMs should be top-down.

Mike

Mrmerlin

since this happened i would check and correct any of these things first inspect the hot post under the hood does it have a plastic cover on it? I found many cars at sharktoberfest to be missing this seemingly unimportant part, it helps protect the 14 pin connector ( disconnect this connector and open the back of it to see the condition of the wires and connector pins)and the hot wire going to the engine bay from corrosion, next open up the CE panel see if the floor is wet, if it is then you need to reseal the bottom of the blower box, this will let water drip onto your CE panel and short out all kinds of circuts , possibly filling up some relays with waterBTDT , also pull all of the fuses and relays and check them for corrosion and the tightness of the contact As always disconnect the battery before doing any elex work, also check the ground at the engine on the pass side and the starter connections .

85fortheDrive

Okay, some progress, though I will take Merlin's advice and not rest upon this progress thus far...

Took the battery to Murray's (from whom I bought it in August) and they noted that it had a mere 44 amps left in it. Down from 850! They attempted to recharge it, but that process was unsuccessful. They gave me a free replacement. Battery had a bad cell. But I think that could be relatively good news.

Cleaned all the + connectors (and remembered to include the smaller cable Mike!), hooked up the new battery and VROOOM! she started. Merlin I actually purchased a jumper post cover about two months ago for the very reason you note.

Nevertheless, I will check the fuse panel for moisture and will clean the contacts at the alternator and starter. Pretty grimy down there.

Will be going for a test drive this afternoon in the hopes that she's good to go to Dave's house on Sunday. Beauty of a day here in Chicago.

Thanks to all.

WICruiser

Given the voltages your battery is toast or your starter is shorted out.

Battery is the easiest thing to check out - take it to a auto parts or auto shop that load test it. I suspect that with a good, fully charged battery all will be good.

Yeah we met at Hacker's party - great time.

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Good news Tim,
You need to know what made a battery die in 3 months. Hopefully a manufacturing defect. Glad the replaced it for you. Hope to see you Sunday.

Alan

Well I would certainly check the alternator voltage once you get it running again... maybe it wasn't charging the battery very well...

What jump post voltage do you get at 1.5K rpm?

But may also just have been a bad battery - a cell going bad is usually an aging thing - plate warp, deposition, dry cell etc. but who knows...? That would be the best answer...

Alan

85fortheDrive

Latest update:

I get 11.5 V at idle now. But I'm not outta the woods yet.
Tonight on a drive, headlights function fine, it seems.
But when I turn up the stereo, it turns off automatically. This seems to indicate a shortage of voltage.
Also, the needle on the instrument panel is below 10V.

So I am indeed wondering about the alternator.

Continued thanks.

Alan

well - check with a good meter too but doesn''t sound good...

If the voltage readings are correct your new battery won't last long like that... take the alternator in ASAP and meantime don't drive far -

Airflite40

I have a feeling that rainstorm fried your alternator somehow....

85fortheDrive

Well, I installed a new alternator this evening, along with a new shroud. All contact points scrubbed and tightened.

11.9V at the post before startup
14V at the post with engine running
Gauge reads 12V steady now.

Gonna try to commute with the old boy tomorrow.

Thanks to all the good folk who've helped me nurse this issue along.

Peace,
Tim