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Car battery problems


lostissues
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situation:

03 Subaru Impreza 2.5rs

Optima yellow top

temp today: -17 ish

 

tried to start my car today (sat since friday) and it wouldn't start battery was drained (trip reset because it didn't have enough to retain memory after cranking) tried jump starting with my fathers car and it would weakly turn the starter motor. pulled they yellow top out and put in an older new battery (die hard gold) and it did the same thing, chugged for a second and then nothing. I have the die hard on a charger right now and will try again in a little while.

 

the battery has been giving me problems for a while (already toasted one optima under warrenty) and this one just ran out of its 2 year prorated a few days ago :headpop: .

 

I did run a new ground with some 1/0 gauge wire (also have 1/0 for stereo system) and had an optima topper from tsunami http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_147 ... 01-PT.html

 

pretty sure I have a parasitic drain also I need to get an ammeter to figure it out but it only drains the battery once in a while. but that should have nothing to do with why it will not start now even with a new battery.

 

any suggestions on what to check?

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In my 97 Ford SHO, in both my MJ's, and in the XJ the parasitic drain was the switch for the interior dome lights.

 

I also had a dead short inside a malfunctioning alternator on one of the MJ's, but that was apparent immediately upon hookup (kinda sparky as well).

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no sparks when I hook up a battery, the parasitic drain may be what killed my yellow top but it wouldn't keep the car from starting when I put in a new(ish) battery. I know that battery my be poo also but I have it on a charger and I will be taking them both to be tested. I am also going to pull the ground and clean the contact point to make sure it has a good connection.

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well after letting the die hard charge for a little it started and didn't want to stay running till I gave it a little gas to keep it going. guess its time to take this optima to be tested and see if it is just a giant brick. :fs1:

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I run a yellow top in the MJ, which sadly sits 10X more than it actually runs lately......started having "parasitic" loss/slow-no crank about 6 months ago. I'd pop it on the quick charge for a few minutes and it was good to go (until the next time). The last time it happened, I put it on charge and accidentally forgot about it, for two days :oops:

 

Since then, that yellow top hasn't lost a milliamp of charge when it sits.

 

Not recommending that you do this (at least like I did and forget about it, coulda been ugly for me), but you might try a long observed charge on it and see.

 

Jeff

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Ive had Interstate batteries in almost every car I have owned and had no problems. When I bought my MJ it had a 7 year old interstate, and with a jump ran and still started for 2 months before I bought a new one! When I replaced the batt it was still functioning just tested low on the tester.

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well I think when I put the Die hard in I tightened up the ground to the engine compartment and that is what got it working again. I put the the optima and it is starting fine again. stupid me I didn't even think to check the ground.

 

I know that optimas are not supposed to be charged from a dead state (less then 10.5 volts maybe) with a conventional charger. but I believe you can top them off with a conventional charger (but I'm not sure) and not hurt them.

 

I have read a lot of negative reviews but for every negative thread I have seen there are a lot of people that have not had any problems with them. the only problem I have is what I believe is a parasitic draw which is my fault and not the battery. other then that it has worked fine.

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I don't know and won't comment about recent production (read: Mexico) but I can only relate my experience with the yellow top I have, and it's been good. I bought it used, deader-than-a-doornail, from a club member here about 4 years ago. Charged it with a conventional charger, threw it in and it's been fine since then up until a few months ago like I mentioned.

 

Then I zapped the jesus out of it at a full 12V for 2 days, and it's been fine since. Go figure :dunno:

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Read up on "Sudden Optima Death Syndrome" and see what you think.

 

I quit running them years ago because of their problems.

From what I understand this is old news. Optima changed ownership a couple years ago to a place in Mexico. Recently (last year or so) they are manufactured by a different company and are a much better product..

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i've been through 2 warranty red-tops, one that sizzled and foamed at me and another that just went dead about 6 months into life. newest one has been fine, i swore that the one that died had a parasitic load but it just turned out to be a $#!& battery :dunno:

 

get the battery charged and test it.

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