New battery or something worse?

**Ski01xj** · 01-11-2007, 11:49 PM

Okay, so I guess I will preface this with the fact that I was mudding last week. Took it through some pretty harsh mud because I wanted to get my new stuff dirty.

Drove out, and while I was in the mud I didn't really kill it- just hammered the gas to get threw everything. I drove home fine and left it dirty for the next five or 6 days.

Sunday at work I go to start it and get nothing. I didn't leave my lights on or anything. I just put the key in and nothing. So I jump it off a co workers car and it runs fine. I took it to get it washed after that thinking maybe with an undercairge spray and some time on the road to charge the battery it would help.

Seemeed like it helped, but today the same thing happened. I left the parking lot and it started fine, no hesitation or anything. I drove home, but left a window down. So I go to turn the accessory on and get nothing. 6 hours later I check it again....and everything is working. Acc works, dome light when I open the doors....

So is it just a battery on the fritz or something more serious? I know I need a new battery soon so it wouldn't hurt. Whats got me confused is that it randomly doesnt do anything two times, but it works fine for 5 days inbetween those times.

CanadianJeep86 · 01-11-2007, 11:53 PM

may have rattled a wire loose, check all your cables on the battery and where they mount to the engine. Clean your terminals too.

**Ski01xj** · 01-12-2007, 12:16 AM

The terminals are okay. I checked them when I jumped my battery. Guess it wouldn't hurt to check the alt. Will I get any acc power if the connections on the starter are loose?

CanadianJeep86 · 01-12-2007, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ski01xj

The terminals are okay. I checked them when I jumped my battery. Guess it wouldn't hurt to check the alt. Will I get any acc power if the connections on the starter are loose?

yes you will because normally for the negative terminal it is grounded to the body and there should be a ground strap from the body to the back of the engine and for the positive side there is a wire going to the starter as well as one going to the alternator, so either way you'd have power inside but when you hit the key it will arc the loose wire wherever it is and lose the connection.

urban-yan · 01-12-2007, 04:19 AM

another 01 XJ with power problems... welcome to my world
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/wtf-killing-my-battery-345612/

**Ski01xj** · 01-12-2007, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by urban-yan

another 01 XJ with power problems... welcome to my world
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345612&goto=newpost

Thanks for that link. Its helpful. I'm going to try replacing the battery and cleaning the terminals really well. I think my negative terminal was just a little bit loose, and when it gets jostled around pulling into my driveway and on back roads, it comes loose. So it runs while I'm already started and driving, then dies immediatly after. The terminals were so corroded that when I tried to take the bolt off to soak it in baking soda, it snapped with hardly any pressure.

So before I spend the money, is there a big advantage to having a yellow top? I could buy a battery and go skiing for a day for the price of those things.

Hellsiege · 01-12-2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ski01xj

Thanks for that link. Its helpful. I'm going to try replacing the battery and cleaning the terminals really well. I think my negative terminal was just a little bit loose, and when it gets jostled around pulling into my driveway and on back roads, it comes loose. So it runs while I'm already started and driving, then dies immediatly after. The terminals were so corroded that when I tried to take the bolt off to soak it in baking soda, it snapped with hardly any pressure.

So before I spend the money, is there a big advantage to having a yellow top? I could buy a battery and go skiing for a day for the price of those things.

I bought mine with a yellow top and it's a great bat. I can't tell you how many times I've left my lights on for 5+ hours during temps of the teens and it still starts. This last time was last week during our last CO blizzard and it was on for just over 7 hours and still started. I've never had a bat that did that.... just my .02

**Ski01xj** · 01-12-2007, 03:31 PM

Good to know.

matsob12 · 01-12-2007, 03:46 PM

Its your negative battery terminal connector. Mine was doing the same thing. Chances are your connector has gotten soft and is no longer getting a good bite. Remove the connector from the terminal than try and take the bolt out. Your next step is to take a hack saw and cut down the seem of the connector effectively opening it back up. once you have done that get a new nut and bolt and tighten accordingly. Doing that will generate much more pressure on the connection site and you wont have all of the arching and poor connectivity. Its a temporary fix but its easy enough to do, to do it right get new terminal connectors.

**Ski01xj** · 01-12-2007, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matsob12

Its your negative battery terminal connector. Mine was doing the same thing. Chances are your connector has gotten soft and is no longer getting a good bite. Remove the connector from the terminal than try and take the bolt out. Your next step is to take a hack saw and cut down the seem of the connector effectively opening it back up. once you have done that get a new nut and bolt and tighten accordingly. Doing that will generate much more pressure on the connection site and you wont have all of the arching and poor connectivity. Its a temporary fix but its easy enough to do, to do it right get new terminal connectors.

Yeah, I snapped the bolt holding the terminal on today while I was trying to take it off to clean it :/ Tomarrow I will be getting a new battery and terminal. The stronger connection and new bat. will solve my problems.

Powellae · 01-12-2007, 04:18 PM

Do the clamp before the battery and drive it for a while. Chances are that the battery is fine. Once the clamp is replaced, watch to see what voltage your charging system is running. If it's charging and running about 14 volts, you should be good.

**Ski01xj** · 01-12-2007, 04:36 PM

I plan on it, but like I said before I DO need a new battery anyways.

matsob12 · 01-16-2007, 12:52 PM

Have you had the chance to do your repairs? Im willing to bet your issues should be resolved.

01-12-2007, 03:46 PM	#9
matsob12 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Washington Posts: 23 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Its your negative battery terminal connector. Mine was doing the same thing. Chances are your connector has gotten soft and is no longer getting a good bite. Remove the connector from the terminal than try and take the bolt out. Your next step is to take a hack saw and cut down the seem of the connector effectively opening it back up. once you have done that get a new nut and bolt and tighten accordingly. Doing that will generate much more pressure on the connection site and you wont have all of the arching and poor connectivity. Its a temporary fix but its easy enough to do, to do it right get new terminal connectors.

01-12-2007, 04:18 PM	#11
Powellae Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 159 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Do the clamp before the battery and drive it for a while. Chances are that the battery is fine. Once the clamp is replaced, watch to see what voltage your charging system is running. If it's charging and running about 14 volts, you should be good.

01-16-2007, 12:52 PM	#13
matsob12 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Washington Posts: 23 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Have you had the chance to do your repairs? Im willing to bet your issues should be resolved.