Battery Question

Was no start just cranking away or no sound after key turn?

 

Optima went thru some reliability problems, but maybe they have passed.

If the battery is testing good, then moving to a sticky solenoid would explain the symptoms..

Or find an Optima dealer and just trade in on a fresh one.
Battery life is not what it used t be!!!

 

You drove your car?

 

Why does everyone assume the battery is the problem? It worked fine when it was charged up. The problem is that your charging system is not working. So the battery powers the car for a while, but the charge is run down to a point where it no longer works. Check your alternator output and voltage regulator.

One time, I drove a 911 for over 90 minutes at highway speeds with no charging system on just the battery voltage.

 

No sound at all, not even a click from the starter solenoid, or click-no-crank? Do the normal dash lights come on when you turn the key to the run position? What do they do when you try to start the car? When the car is running is the red charge warning light on or off?

Answers to these and you’ll know whether the problem is stuck solenoid, charging system not working, or something else.

 

I got nine years out of a Yellow top so I got another one. I had to replace that one - after nine years as well, so I got another last month. Two batteries in 18 years.

I'm not making a recommendation one way or the other, I'm simply posting my experience with the brand.

 

Check now with voltmeter you have 12.32V or more. 12.32 is only 70% charge holding.

Check tightness and connections of battery terminals. Check tightness of terminals at the starter. Check quality of wiring since lot of current flows to start car sometimes wires fray corrode out etc on 40 year old car. Heat deltas can make connection issue more likely.

When car running put a voltmeter battery on and you want greater than 14V

 

Dead silence suggests a problem in the ignition switch, the wiring from switch to starter, or perhaps a sticking starter solenoid. Test this by bypassing the switch, if the car reliably cranks when +12 is connected directly to the solenoid terminal the problem is definitely in the switch or wiring from it.

Dash lights behaving properly and especially the charge indicator going out when the revs come up for the first time after start suggests that the charging system (alternator, voltage regulator) is working properly - but do the stuff that @fatbillybob suggests anyways.

 

I've got an '87 GTS I've owned for 35 years. Occasionally, I would have a no engine turn over by starter when key was turned, but a slight click was always audible to the rear of the car. I cleaned all the wires at the battery and on the starter, but it still would happen upon occasion. Finally, after it was suggested on this forum that I trace wires, I looked at a wiring diagram and found there are connections in the passenger footwell and in the engine compartment. In my case the problem was the white wire connection in the passenger footwell. The white wire is not located at the mass of wire connectors that are closest to passenger feet. The wire connection is in one of the two multiple connection plugs that are mounted behind and above the passenger foot support. Cannot remember if it was the left or right connector but the wire is solid white on my car as specified by the wiring schematic. This might be your problem, or it might have only been my problem. Good luck.

 

There are plug in connections behind the passenger foot support, so carpet comes out to get at it. There are several screws that hold foot support in place. Lots of wire connections behind foot support. There are two suspended (from dash area) multiwire plugs behind the passenger foot support. All wires have different colors back there so you can tell which goes to which based on the wiring schematic that indicates the color coding of the wires. I cleaned the male/female connection for the white wire. Actually, I cleaned all of them, but the schematic indicates the solid white one goes from ignition switch to starter solenoid. There is another connection in the driver side rear fender. I cleaned that as well.

 

When you try to crank, do the lights go out?

The classic Bosch alternators don't start supplying power until they hit about 3000 rpm engine speed for the first time.

When I first got my '88, I had problems where it would intermittently not start.
Got to the point where it would start when cold, but not when hot.
The battery is behind the radiator.
Turned out to be a battery post connector that would lose connection when it got warm.
(Thermal expansion caused a loose connection. Tight when cold.)
Replaced the connectors on the battery cables, and it's been fine since.


I tried a Red Top once, but it died quickly when I didn't run the car over winter.
I'm told that if you don't keep your battery on a tender, you're better off with a "deep cycle" battery like the Yellow Top.

I had good success with Interstate batteries, when I bought them up north.
The ones I got in the south, lately, not so much. But I don't drive the 328 as often around here, as this is more GT territory.

Turns out Walmart was getting their "EverStart" batteries from Johnson Controls (now called Clarios), who also makes batteries for Duralast, DieHard, and Interstate.
(I'm told some Walmart batteries are now made by Exide, who also makes batteries for Napa and Champion.)

I haven't tried my Walmart battery in a car, yet, but a group 34 Walmart battery was able to run my 2000VA sine wave inverter for over three hours, last time the local power company upgraded their substation.
(Let my Satellite/DVR record the F1 race that was broadcast during that outage. )
(Had the inverter feeding the 1500VA sine wave UPS, so I got another hour from the UPS.)

 

Sounds like the starter is going. The solenoid, and/or the starter drive gear mechanism worn is probably nearing end of service life, they only last so many starts. Would check wiring connections first, but if your starter has not been rebuilt for a long time or never then its time for a rebuild.

Your symptoms were exactly what happened to me. I checked everything, considered whether it was the battery, alternator, connections, etc. and eventually removed the starter. I bench tested it, and it worked, but the gear hand spun both ways and made made a rough sound, a sign it was failing. The rebuilder confirmed this, replaced the gear, and put a new solenoid in, brushes, etc. and all is well.

 

I fear Optima from many other people stories.

Buy the Interstate AGM or similar for deeper cycle and will not leak acid anywhere as sealed unit

 

I agree with @Dr Tommy Cosgrove . I will add there might be a parasitic draw. Before you rip up your footwell, start with the main points. And one purchase suggestion, get a portable rechargeable jumper battery. keep it with you in the car. and recharge it after you use it and maybe once every couple months if you don't.

jump the car and test the running voltage after you disconnect. as stated above, it is below 14, definitely below 13 and gets in the 12's you have an issue with active charging (meaning nothing is killing it while it remains dormant). then turn off. check voltage at the battery and note it. check an hour later and see if it has dropped more - then you have a parasitic draw and you have to start hunting! If not then:

Start with the basic connections batter and front ground. are the clamps tight, if they are on but loose enough to remove by hand, they are too loose and you will loose charge. Is the ground clean or corroded. If it is corroded, it will need to be cleaned.

jack up the rear and get under.

check the alternator connections. make sure they are good. Check the connections from alternator to the starter. Sometimes, given the age, the plastic on the bosch starter solenoid where the connections are can crumble and that creates a loose or disconnection. check your grounds and clean them. If everything looks good and you cleaned your grounds, start the car again and see if you have the same conditions.

While running load test the alternator it by turning on lights and seeing how they drop the voltage at the battery. If it gets under mid 13's volts and starts dropping faster, your alternator could be on the way out. Our Alternators are serviceable. You would take it to an alternator repair shop or crack it open yourself. Alternator brushes are actually a wear item. Replace the brushes and regulator. should be less than $100. you can even add some power and go up to 65w. with the new regulator. don't go too much past that.

Once serviced and reinstalled, start and check the running voltage again. No matter what it should be better but make sure its maintaining closer to or should be above the 14 volts after the rebuild. If then, it is still dropping, go on your wild goose chase for some loose wires.

This would be my order of operations. I lived this scenario with my GT4. This is where my life changed and I really started to get my hands dirty in my car and converted from someone who pays people to someone who figures it out. Maybe a member near you can help if you need.

 

One way to check for parasitic draw is to put your multimeter into the amps mode - most MMs have a 10A socket. With ignition OFF, disconnect the quick connector under the hood on the left side, connect an MM cable to each of the (disconnected) quick cables and observe the reading. You can also do the same at the battery if you prefer - pull the neg cable and connect the MM to the cable and to the neg batt terminal. FWIW my 328 measures 4 milliamps of parasitic draw with the ignition off/key removed. With the clock fuse pulled, it is zero.

 

The clock, horn, and radio are on the same fuse. I don't remember which specific fuse that is but the diagram on the fuse box cover should show it. If not there, the owners manual has a diagram. I am not where my 328 is located so I can't check the fusebox...