Post by: wpo750 on April 25, 2009, 12:00:44 PM
I went to retrieve it from the car park last night where it has been laid up since Monday morning and the alarm fob seemed not to work. I unlocked it with the key and tried starting but no signs of life. All dash lights were out, interior lights too.
I got a set of jump leads on it and left it charging for about 10 minutes before turning it over. With hesitation and a dab of the throttle it kicked into life but as the revs dropped back down the jeep stalled. I left it to charge a bit longer and tried it again. This time it started at a turn of the key and idled OK if a little lumpy so I let it idle for a while. The battery gauge showed that it was fluctuating between 13v and 14v which didn't seem abnormal to me.
As soon as I come off the throttle the jeep stalls
Does it sound like time for a new battery and if so are there any recommendations?
Thanks!
Post by: Panic mechanic! on April 25, 2009, 12:05:13 PM
when was the last time the fuel filter was changed?
Post by: Bubba on April 25, 2009, 12:07:39 PM
Post by: wpo750 on April 25, 2009, 12:21:36 PM
Quote from: "Panic mechanic!"
if it keeps stalling at idle, its not the battery, altho you may have a duff battery as well. once an engine starts and runs it will draw current direct from the alternator, via the battery leads, so if it stalls back at idle it sounds like you got a fuel starvation problem to me.
when was the last time the fuel filter was changed?
Hmmm, what you say makes sense and the battery gauge on the dash suggests that nothing is wildly wrong although it does seem to fluctuate a little.
The battery was absolutely dead when I went to start it last night though...
Fuel filter was changed early part of 2008 according to the SH.
@ V8 Bubba - Good plan, I'll see if I can remove one of the batteries from the 8. Annoyingly I have a couple of Bosch Silvers (one of which was never even used) sat in my parents garage but I think they'll be flat too. Considering this perhaps I should invest in a good quality charger???
Post by: Mike Pavelin on April 25, 2009, 02:21:24 PM
If the Jeep has a flat battery it can forget how to idle. In order to re-learn, start her up using the throttle, slowly back off until the rpm drops to below idle speed and let the engine management take over. You may need several attempts for this to happen.
Post by: wpo750 on April 25, 2009, 04:02:31 PM
Quote from: "Mike Pavelin"
Charge the battery properly overnight.
If the Jeep has a flat battery it can forget how to idle. In order to re-learn, start her up using the throttle, slowly back off until the rpm drops to below idle speed and let the engine management take over. You may need several attempts for this to happen.
Interesting, last night I did notice an improvement in its idle over a period of about 10 minutes of charging and backing off the revs slowly did seem more stable than coming off abruptly.
I've gone and bought a CTEK charger from Costco and I'm in the process of charging up a spare Bosch 70aH battery (is that adequate?) so I'll let you know how I get on.
Post by: Dave69 on April 25, 2009, 11:26:40 PM
Post by: wpo750 on April 25, 2009, 11:47:46 PM
Quote from: "Dave69"
if the battery is literally dead and jump starting from another battery works then with the engine running at a fast idel the alternator will give out what it can for the duff battery. when the jeep then idles around 800rpm the alternator will not be kicking out as much as it would at 1500rpm. So what charge is going into a dead battery is going straight out to the spark plugs then the sensors will read a low voltage and stop the car. stick another battery on it and see what happens remember you are limited on battery size for an xj
That makes sense to me, cheers! However, I'm not aware of the battery specs for the XJ...
Edit: I'm currently charging up a Bosch S3 - 008 which fits the space and has a capacity of 70ah and 640 CCA. Will that be enough?
Post by: Panic mechanic! on April 26, 2009, 12:01:46 AM
if you look at the way a car wiring loom is made up the alternator kicks full voltage to the fusebox and engine management as its wired in parallel to the battery, but it is possible the battery plates have warped and fused togther giving a short circuit and thus draining a lot of the current to ground and causeing the poor running, funnily enough I have known things like that usually happen after a long days use travelling a few 100 miles.
Post by: wpo750 on April 26, 2009, 12:17:26 AM
Quote from: "Panic mechanic!"
it is possible the battery plates have warped and fused togther giving a short circuit and thus draining a lot of the current to ground and causeing the poor running, funnily enough I have known things like that usually happen after a long days use travelling a few 100 miles.
I've never heard of this happening before but it would explain things. I'm entirely clear what you mean by the battery plates though(?)
Post by: Panic mechanic! on April 26, 2009, 10:19:17 AM
as an alternator charges it creates heat in the battery, if it overcharges it can in extreme circumstances warp the softer plates due to the heat so they actually touch and create a short circuit, thus it kills the battery.
Post by: Bubba on April 26, 2009, 10:24:36 AM
Post by: Panic mechanic! on April 26, 2009, 11:19:32 AM
Post by: wpo750 on April 26, 2009, 11:38:33 AM
The leads are not long enough reach the correct terminals either...I've taken the old battery out of the Jeep and was surprised that it's only a 45ah 450 CCA unit. It was a Mopar battery but I was led to believe that the Cherokee needed a larger capacity one???
I'm off to Halfords to pick up another battery...
Post by: wpo750 on April 26, 2009, 06:40:50 PM
Thinking that everything was hunky dory, I packed away my tools and slammed the bonnet - half shut. It appears that the new battery is somewhat taller and fouls the bonnet along the reinforced section of the underside. I was strapped for choice in Halfords and picked up the only one on offer which had suitable power and the terminals the right way round.
I've left it in for now as the Jeep was parked up in an NCP car park and I'm not leaving in there for another week.
Looks like I'll have to order a new battery then. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Post by: scrw on April 26, 2009, 07:09:25 PM
look for 550CCA or above
Post by: gazjeep on April 26, 2009, 07:30:29 PM
Post by: Mike Pavelin on April 26, 2009, 09:19:54 PM
Post by: Bishops Finger on April 26, 2009, 09:48:08 PM
Post by: wpo750 on April 28, 2009, 04:58:14 PM
Quote from: "gazjeep"
Bought one for my old XJ 12 months ago, proper Mopar jobby, £55 from jeep dealer job done, right size etc etc. Get hold of your local dealer, it may surprise you :lol:
Post by: Panic mechanic! on April 28, 2009, 05:27:39 PM
Post by: wpo750 on April 28, 2009, 05:59:27 PM
Post by: gordy on April 28, 2009, 07:13:16 PM
Post by: Bishops Finger on April 28, 2009, 08:06:39 PM
.A clued in independant auto electrical place should sort you out for £70-80 ish
Post by: captain cavalier on April 28, 2009, 09:25:13 PM
kids leaving interior lights on over weekend and both times I had the same symptoms ie stalling for the first 1/2 an hour then fine
Post by: gazjeep on April 28, 2009, 10:31:59 PM
Quote from: "wpo750"
Quote from: "gazjeep"Bought one for my old XJ 12 months ago, proper Mopar jobby, £55 from jeep dealer job done, right size etc etc. Get hold of your local dealer, it may surprise you :lol:
Bloody hell, must be London prices
Post by: gordy on January 19, 2010, 12:36:28 PM
Well guys, my Optima Red Top bit the dust sometime over the last couple of days. Went to start the truck this morning and dead, nothing, in fact the fob would'nt open the doors, the battery seems to have a short curcuit, as when I connect a charger to it, the charger cuts in/out fast exactly as if I touch the crocodile clips on the charger together. Lasted 3 years which is the same as a regular battery, dissapointing really considering what I paid for the friggin thing. They carry a 24 month guarantee so are obviously built to go tits up in their third year. Bloody shite. Got a Unipart battery for 55 quid from the garage down the road.
And thats shagged now and the Jeep wont start. Battery recommendations anyone?. Anyone fitted an optima this size http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/optima-yellow-top-battery-YT-S-5-5-deep-clcye_W0QQitemZ200429420735QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item2eaa8640bf (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/optima-yellow-top-battery-YT-S-5-5-deep-clcye_W0QQitemZ200429420735QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item2eaa8640bf) in an XJ?. Been reading on NAXJA about Optima's.......since they relocated their manufacturing base to Mexico they are not built so well.
Post by: Bulldog67 on January 19, 2010, 12:55:55 PM
http://www.birtydastards.com/frm/index.php?topic=8739.0 (http://www.birtydastards.com/frm/index.php?topic=8739.0)
&
http://www.birtydastards.com/frm/index.php?topic=11114.0 (http://www.birtydastards.com/frm/index.php?topic=11114.0)
Post by: prophet on February 22, 2010, 04:56:02 PM
I don't know how to tell if it's the battery that's kacked or if something is leaking the juice to earth elsewhere in the car. The battery guage shows 14 volts when it's running, so I don't think it's an alternator problem. If I take a voltage reading when the battery is fully charged and then another after a few days out of the car, would a dead battery's voltage drop?
I need a beer.. this ol' Jeep is developing all sorts of little issues and I'm wondering if it's time to get shot of it.
Post by: Bubba on February 22, 2010, 05:01:03 PM
Post by: prophet on February 22, 2010, 05:40:39 PM
Post by: tim_aka_tim on February 22, 2010, 06:07:19 PM
Post by: gazjeep on February 22, 2010, 07:37:32 PM
Post by: prophet on February 22, 2010, 07:45:40 PM
Does anybody know what spec the OE battery is?
Post by: tim_aka_tim on February 22, 2010, 07:48:09 PM
as one post was very close to it. From what I was told (so no jumping down my throat) , it's not
a particularly common size, so you might have to order it.
When I had a new battery from the stealer for me 3.1 WJ, the thieving 'stards took 166 quid off me.
Post by: Nosebolt on February 22, 2010, 08:00:04 PM
It's a shame that the receipt is long gone!dont they still date stamp em when they fill/charge em or is that just the wholesalers?
Post by: wildwood on February 22, 2010, 08:12:06 PM
On my LHD Wrangler I had a local facors 650 cranking amps battery £65 and it was great..... But not using the battery from Sept to Dec resulted in lots of charging and then just before the New Year a battery failure...... 2 year guarantee and they honored it with a new battery but would only honour the 1 year on the existing purchase for the guarantee.
So, if like most things in life, if you don't excercise it enough it stops working :icon_twisted:
Post by: Nosebolt on February 22, 2010, 08:26:42 PM
Post by: Bishops Finger on February 22, 2010, 09:55:01 PM
When I had a RHD Wrangler YJ I had hells own job getting a battery to fit. The ones sold by Halfords or any factors would not fit under the hood 'cos YJs were basterdised LHD wranglers. Then I walked into local Battery City in Peterborough with old battery in arms and a man behind the counter says oh a 'Chrysler Neon Battery' ..... so there's your answer, RHD Wrangler peeps.
On my LHD Wrangler I had a local facors 650 cranking amps battery £65 and it was great..... But not using the battery from Sept to Dec resulted in lots of charging and then just before the New Year a battery failure...... 2 year guarantee and they honored it with a new battery but would only honour the 1 year on the existing purchase for the guarantee.
So, if like most things in life, if you don't excercise it enough it stops working :icon_twisted:
Arr...going through this at the moment
Post by: prophet on February 26, 2010, 06:47:48 PM
Post by: Bubba on February 26, 2010, 07:21:04 PM
Post by: gordy on February 27, 2010, 09:16:39 AM
I had a faulty auxillary switch I fitted fitted that was drawing .25 amps even with nothing attached that was enough to cause my battery problems.
Post by: Tank on February 28, 2010, 11:51:15 AM
Can anybody tell me how I can tell if my battery is knackered? My XJ 4.0 is often sluggish to turn over and sometimes won't turn over at all. I charge the battery overnight and all is well for a short while and then it dies again.. The Jeep recently got a dunking at hill and ditch and to purge the water from the engine, we spun it for quite a while on the starter without the plugs in. I wonder if I pushed the battery too far and have ruined it.. It's a 6 month old Halfords battery (HCB063) with 440 amps starting power. It's a sealed box, so I can't have a peak inside.
I don't know how to tell if it's the battery that's kacked or if something is leaking the juice to earth elsewhere in the car. The battery guage shows 14 volts when it's running, so I don't think it's an alternator problem. If I take a voltage reading when the battery is fully charged and then another after a few days out of the car, would a dead battery's voltage drop?
I need a beer.. this ol' Jeep is developing all sorts of little issues and I'm wondering if it's time to get shot of it.
If Halfords still do the exact same one then go buy another,keep receipt,leave a couple of months then return knackered one and get it refunded/replaced-job done
Post by: Dave69 on March 01, 2010, 01:22:20 PM
On my past cars they have nearly always been fitted with jag xk batteries, so no problem with turning engines over with them.