flat battery -- battery isnt even 12 mths old

[Ryan]

Car is a 88GQ petrol SWB, for the past few mornings its needed a jump start cause the battery is not giving it enuff to start (first start up on gas usually turns over for a lil bit b4 starting) my negative terminal keeps corroding, would this be related somehow? once its started the batt guage goes up to 13 volts, and if i run it 4 a bit n turn it off, it starts again no problems, but if its left over night the battery is flat in the morning.............
any ideas? i tried the usuals....... kicked the tyre...... swore at it.... still not fixed

[HeathGQ]

i tried the usuals....... kicked the tyre...... swore at it.... still not fixed

Funny, this usually fixes everything for me.

Sounds like a charge leak. Get an auto eleccy to check it out.

[Area54]

Maintenance free or can you top up the cells? Take off all the screw caps, clean the sealing surfaces and reinstall the caps tight, ensuring the cells aren't filled with too much acid, or they may leak on angles. This will be a major cause of buildup on your battery terminals, keep them clean with one of those wire brush tools and coat them with some vaseline or petroleum jelly (same thing I know) to help prevent buildup. This crud prevents current flow and will cause premature battery failure and poor charging/starting etc. Sometimes it doesn't have to be a complex problem, try the simple things first.

[DAZZ]

Check that the engine end of the negative cable is clean and tight. Seen this problem a few times....

[Ryan]

its the non serviceable type ie no caps on the battery, i had a look at the negative cable tho, cause thats the one that is corroding (within 2 days it is corroded again) it runs from the battery to the body (inside of wheel arch, then from there it runs up and bolts onto a bracket near the alternator, the bracket is only there to hold a relay by the looks of it, im guessing that maby it is bad earth and thats why its not holding charge over night?? and that is why the - is corroding and not the +
so if i pulled the - off and ran a new cable from the battery directly to the block and the body would that still work??


Cheers

Ryan

[DAZZ]

This will work, make it heavy cable as tkis is the main earth for your starter, alt ect. Maybe check current draw from the battery with a meter or a basic check with a test light to see if anything is switched on..

[Ryan]

can i do a dodgy and use jumper lead cable? got shitloads of it here...........

[DAZZ]

If its heavy enuf, give it a try. The original cable should be heavy enuf for the job. But run another one and see if it helps.

[Ryan]

yer they both look like the same sized cable, i would use the original but its not long enuff, ill give it a go in the morning and let u know how it goes

[Macca177]

I had the same problem....not in the lux thow..... my amp for my old stereo was staying on...for sum reason... remove ur amp and see if that helps.... also when was the last time u actually DROVE ur car??not just start it in the driveway...with the car unredgod... and uve been startin an stoppin it?? playin stereo??? ligts or wahtever..it wouldnt have had enough running time to power it back up properlly!@!

otherwise the cells in the battery may have collapsed makin it dscharge straight away...u can get it checked.... if so get a new one!

[Macca177]

I had the same problem....not in the lux thow..... my amp for my old stereo was staying on...for sum reason... remove ur amp and see if that helps.... also when was the last time u actually DROVE ur car??not just start it in the driveway...with the car unredgod... and uve been startin an stoppin it?? playin stereo??? ligts or wahtever..it wouldnt have had enough running time to power it back up properlly!@!

otherwise the cells in the battery may have collapsed makin it dscharge straight away...u can get it checked.... if so get a new one!