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Hi. On advance, my excuses for my spanglish.
I life four blocks from the sea, and due it, rust and electrical problems are very usual on my car and on the cars of my neighbourhoods (too many humidity and salt on the air).
Please, check:
a) Battery old (two or more years on use). Can be at the end of its operative life (an due it, not charging).
b) With the car stopped, and the engine running like on street (someone press -with measure- the accelerator with the transmision on neutral, and please, dont step on front of the car :-) ), check the voltage between the two poles on the battery. Would be 13.2 or more (less, then problems)
c)With the engine off, check the voltage again. 12.6 volts are full loaded battery. If less, write the voltage obtained.
d)Run the car some time (half hour or more). Engine off and check voltage again. If this voltage are less than the voltage obtained on step (c), then problems.
If problems, and the battery are old, send the battery to be externally loaded on a car workshop (standard recharge, no fast recharge). After it, will be 12.6 volts on it. A new battery would be goes to 12.66 volts after it (if not, you would be need to use the battery warranty :-) ).
If battery after external charge have 12.6 volts (12.66 volts to be more precise), then generator or rusted contacts are preventing full charge on the car, disconnect battery and clear the carīs fuse box (I use WD40 plus a metalic brush for it) and related contacts (remember to write the order of cables before disconnect the fuse box). The SWEM (swedish embasy) web site has a very good article about it.
If after cleaning fuse box and some hours running the battery remain under 12.6 volts, then your generator need a rebuild. If the car have a lot of stops and goes, with short trips, I suggest moving to a alternator. If the car run long trips with few stops, the generator (rebuild) are more good.
BTW: On my case, initially my car was run on short trips with many stops and goes, and due it, the generator undercharge the battery. After moving to a alternator and a ful cleaning of the fuse box, this situation was solved. Also, I fried my my first alternator (a old 60īs 60A Japanesse Nissan one, my mistake for select a age-related alternator, the internal hubs was very worn and make a shortcircuit), due it, I change to a more small alternator (90īs 50A, Korean Tico). I select the alternator on function of its availability on my country (here 3/4 of the local car park are asiatics ones), I am sure on US you have more and best options.
Cheap and easy of use voltimeters are available on Sears and similar chain-markets, the voltimeters (multitesters) have a lot of uses on home, are a good investment.
Truly yours,
Joaquin Novara
Rojo 121 Amazon
Lima - Peru
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