Subject: 1985 Mondial QV with fully charged battery (trickle charger) Symptoms: Windows slower than usual or will not move at all. Radio loses presets during engine start. Clock has to be reset after engine start. Radio loses power if headlights are switched on, but radio presets are not affected. Headlights dim when window motor(s) are engaged. Starter turns engine over normally. No apparent lack of power to starter motor. After returning from a drive, I place the charger back on the battery and it's not fully charged. Fully re-charges in under one hour. Alternator was replaced about 5 years ago (7,000 miles ago approx.) and tested fine during major service 5/04. Tests at approx. 14 volts with engine running. Circuit board re-built in 2002 (4,000 miles ago approx.) This condition just started after sitting for five days. Battery is almost 5 years old. We ARE talking about a Mondial, so before I buy a battery, I'd appreciate any other theories.
maybe check all the grounding points. Check the battery terminals, and check the alternator again, under load. Just my 2 cents worth.
Does the car have hard time starting when cold? Or does it fire up right away ? If fires up without stalling its unlikely its batt, otherwise it sounds like the battery has gone bye bye. Also, if you are in my neigborhood stop by my shop, I am happy to check the charging system out for you.
Most any auto part house will bring a device out to your car and connect it up. In a few minutes it will tell you the condition of the battery, and alternator. In preperation for the test, I would do two things; remove and clean the battery terminals, and top up the electrolyte with distilled water. I do this regardless, at least once per year on both my cars. It is normal for your battery to still take 30 minutes to 1 hour on a trickle charger, even after an extended drive to reach complete charge.
Dave Have you had any dead battery full discharges on this battery? I had about 3 or 4 really dead battery discharges on my Dino before we got the electrical stuff straightened out. I would trickle charge it back to full, but it just did not hold a charge as well after those occasions. I just replaced it with a new Optima red top and it starts better, lots better. Stronger cranking, fires right up, and has more reserve for longer cranking, which it needs when it is hot. BTW, Pep Boys has the best prices going on these. Also, is now pretty much fully charged after any run. Battery tender needs less than 10 minutes to turn on the "all done" light. DM
Try to use the battery saver switch. This way if the car sits for awhile and the battery is fine, then you will know its not your battery. I have a 85 Mondial and it seems to like to do the same thing.
Buy a battery one of the best things you can do for your car!!!!!!!! It is great maintenance and trust me the last thing you want is to have a dead battery in winter. For the $100 bucks why not? At 5 years you are at the battery's end anyway almost. Erik
If you try to use the battery saver switch, you may find part of the answer to your problem. On my '84 Mondial QV, the battery switch was completely corroded. I removed it and and corroded grounding strap from switch to frame rail, and simply ran the negative battery cable direct to the frame rail. Be sure to clean everything up well and use some battery corrosion protectant spray to prevent further problems. I added a battery saver switch directly to the top of the battery, but you can do without if you use the trickle charger. If you're still having problems, take the suggestion and go to a shop that sells batteries and have them run a test. They can do a diagnostic, very simply, on the whole system in about 5 minutes. If the battery is bad (as Erik points out, 5 years is about the limit of useful life), replace it. Spend a few extra bucks and buy the best battery you can. If you are not driving the car all the time, you want a battery that will hold up. Regards, Steve W.
I cannot afford down time. I buy a five year battery and replace it every 4 years. I treat my car as a plane or chopper. You certainly need a new battery. aehaas
David. I just replaced my battery in my Mondial. Bought the Red top Optima. Pain to change batteries on these cars, so i would replace it before you have an event.
Thanks everyone. I did have a couple of total discharges over the past year. I think I'll go to my local Optima Red Top retailer this weekend.
Yep. It was the battery. The radio was the wierdest. It sat there and "flickered." Windows still slow so all systems are normal!
Interesting. Didn't realize you had an Optima. On the Jag-lovers lists, we've had a number of reports of Optimas dying after being fully discharged. Apparently Optimas and other gel batteries don't like to be fully discharged. It kills them, and they will never properly hold a charge after that, according to the experience that many E-type owners have had with them. If you replaced it with another Optima, be very careful not to let it fully discharge. Glad to hear you're back up and running!
The old battery was a 60 month Interstate (maintenance free) with 60 months on the clock. The new battery is an Optima Red Top. We will see how it works out. The headlights still dim when I hit the window switch, though.
I'm telling you, my friend... clean up those ground connections and eliminate that ancient cut-off switch.
Just a technical note...the Optima is not a gel battery...it uses a wet paste with a plate in a spiral configuration (in other words it is a conventional lead acid type battery, just in a unique configuration). They do have a three year replacement warranty, so if it goes bad from deep discharge, they will replace it....but remember; ANY "starting type" battery is not designed to be totally discharged, and may permanently kill it or reduce the storage capacity. If deep discharge is anticpated on a regular basis, then a "deep discharge" type battery should be used, like a "marine" type...Optima makes just such a battery, it is their "yellow" top. Regards, Dave
Like Dave said, the Optima yellow top is designed for high amperage applications like cars with large sound systems or (winches on trucks) and deep cycle applications. It is much like a "marine" battery in that respect but for automotive use. The Optima blue top is the marine application. I use a red top in my 308 and use a Flaming River battery disconnect switch when I park the car for more than 12 hours. Always hot and always starts.
Hey thanks DJ! Right, the true marine battery is the blue top, with the special terminals...I believe the yellow top is the same internals, but has the more conventional automotive type terminals....
Cutoff switch was already eliminated. Got some of the connections cleaned up, but I guess I have some more to find. Put about 100 miles on the clock today with no problems. Headlights, radio and windows all work at the same time. Now, if it had only been raining.....
