On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:44:57 -0500, "Ken Heslin"
<kenheslin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>Jim
>
>Please excuse my eager attempt to "jump in" and contribute as a former
owner
>of a automotive servicenter.
>My suggestions below are in order as if I were troubleshooting your 57
>Chevrolet.
>You will need a direct current (dc) multimeter (measures amperes,
>resistance, and voltage).
>Read about Ohm's Law.
>Be prepared to loosen either battery cable with a 1/2 inch /13 mm wrench
>and/or battery pliers/vise grips for top post cable connection, a battery
>wire brush / or plumbers 5/8 and 3/4 circular wire brushes.
>Check alternator drive belt for 1/2 inch deflection.
>Baking Soda or Bicarbonate of soda mixed with water to neutralize/clean
the
>battery cable ends.
>
Also service the negative battery cable's connection at the
body/frame/block.
>
>You may have:
>
>1) An excessive parasitic/static current draw exceeding 50 to 100
milliamps
>dc.
> i.e. door left ajar, mercury light switch on either the hood or
trunk
>lid, hydraulic brake light switch to name a few.
> For future reference, disconnect the battery if you anticipate being
>away more than a week to week and a half.
> Once you get a good key-off static/parasitic dc ammeter reading of
for
>example: 25 to 35 milliamperes, You can
> then calculate the amp/minutes Reserve Capacity and compare to the
week
>to week and a half limitation of allowing
> your battery to remain connected without disconnection.
>
>2) A bad battery.
> After you slow or trickle charge the battery, let the battery "cool
>down" and "bleed off" itself for any surface
> charge for about 72 hours. Then "load" test the battery per
>specification.
>
>3) A bad starter.
> Check for any bad, corroded, or loose connection. i.e. Check with
a
>dc multimeter for a voltage drop no more
> than .50 volt dc from the positive battery terminal to the battery
>side of the solenoid. Likewise, from the Negative
> battery terminal to preferably the engine. If you have a voltage
drop
>exceeding 0.50 volts dc while cranking across
> either cable, you probably have a high resistance, loose
connection,
>corroded terminal(s), cold solder joint from
> improper soldering, etc. Voltage and Resistance are directly
>pro****tional,
>
>4) A bad alternator.
> i.e. a bad diode trio, a bad diode in the diode bridge rectifier,
> I may be correct in stating your Chevy has a dc ammeter dash gauge
>which should read a little negative to centered
> at a idle to a positive charge a fast idle with the headlights and
>heater blower on. This verifies whether a alternator
> will maintain the charge to the battery. Remember, the ammeter
only
>indicates what is left over to charge/maintain
> the battery. A generator indicates similar readings. Charging
voltage
>should be in a range from 13.2 up 14.6 volts
> dc.
>
>
>
>"Jim Beaver" <jumblejim@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>news:kmMtj.12163$R84.1997@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> I've got a '57 Chevy. It's run great -- only 5,200 miles on a new
crate
>> engine, everything else new. New battery (well, 5,200 miles on it).
>> Started fine every time for months. THEN I was detained out of town
>> unexpectedly for about three months on a job and wasn't able to start
the
>> car. Battery was left connected.
>>
>> Now, when I got back, I expected a dead battery, and sure enough, the
car
>> wouldn't start. Jumping it worked fine, many times. But driving it
would
>> not apparently charge it up, as it would never start without a jump.
So I
>> hooked up a charger to put a slow charge on it, figuring I've got a
VERY
>> low battery. But the charger meter indicates there's a full charge in
the
>> battery. But still it won't start without a jump.
>>
>> Keep in mind that it worked fine, every time -- battery, starter,
>> recharging system, engine, everything. The ONLY thing that's happened
is
>> three months sitting unused.
>>
>> So IF the battery has a full charge and nothing has been changed in
regard
>> to all the like-new equipment that worked fine before, what am I
missing?
>> It seems to me that every part of the equation is in working condition,
>> yet with no change other than time, it's suddenly not working. And
that
>> doesn't make sense to an amateur like me. Any ideas?
>>
>> Jim Beaver
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