[RESOLVED] Battery dead, Car ran like crap before dieing

[VETTE_50_TH]

Let me explain this the best way possible. I want to get rid of this smoking problem i've been having. So, i ran a pint of seafoam through the fuel system. I go to turn the car on, and it idles ok. I begin to drive it home and about 1/16 way in, it begins to choke up, almost the feeling between a boost leak and fuel cut. I baby this guy home, and by this time, its barely able to get over 3k rpm. While this happens, the lights get dimmer and dimmer to the point no head lights are on. So, i knew right away my alternator was providing all the power to keep the car running.

I let it idle for a minute or so, and shut it down. I go to turn it on, barely any power at all (electric wise). I dont know what to do. I need to jump the car to get it on, but the car ran like total shit. It says on the bottle to have a pint (the whole can) through the fuel system on 8 gallons of gas. Which is about what i had; more than half way full.

WHAT DO I DO NOW???

Thanks for any posts ahead of time, i will be on all night, so let me know.

James

 

[kahl23]

Were your dash lights (low coolant, oil, etc) flickering or glowing faintly before it died? That is one of the indicators of a dying alt. Recently the low coolant light on my car was glowing intermittently, popped in a new alt and the problem went away. It might not be related to the seafoam at all, but then again it does seem likely.

 

[97GSTAUTO]

I think it running like crap has more to do with a bad alternator than the seafoam. If you rev'd it up and the lights go dimmer and dimmer then it was running off of the battery. I killed 4 autozone alternators in the past 3 years and 3 of them in the past 6 months. So please dont goto autozone. But they did take care of me and exchanged all of them with no issues.

 

[crimsondragon]

Check your battery.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

I have had three batteries in this car over 4 years. Basically one a year. No, the dash would not fade when i revved it up. And the coolant light was intermittent with the brake light i think yesterday. But it was yesterday. Today it didnt. Also, the coolant light was on during the day.

Just to reiterate. the battery is dead. The coolant light was intermittent yesterday, but not today, and was on during the day. And no flashing on the lights when i revved it.

James

Were your dash lights (low coolant, oil, etc) flickering or glowing faintly before it died? That is one of the indicators of a dying alt. Recently the low coolant light on my car was glowing intermittently, popped in a new alt and the problem went away. It might not be related to the seafoam at all, but then again it does seem likely.

No problem with the car, well.... this kinda of issue at least, , until i seafoamed it. Yesterday, i think i might of got some water on the alt, when i was cleaning it, but like i said, that problem went away today. The running like crap is def. seafoam. The car was barely running and sounded like a cammed 4g63, and was very very bubbly sound to it.

James

 

[97GSTAUTO]

Thats wierd. So your electrical problem is cured. But the car running bad is the current issue? I have seafoamed my engine 3 times since I've had it. Actually Im going to seafoam her tomorrow morning.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

My battery is still dead. Not completely, but enough to not make two turns. I am going to jump it tomorrow. But, what do i do if it still runs like shit. I couldn't even drive it home. Thank god i make it.

James

 

[crimsondragon]

I'd get a new battery. What batteries are you running?

 

[Auto RS T]

Have the battery tested or get a new one. Test the alternator too.

Aside from the possible charging problem, If you think the Seafoam in your gas is causing the problem, drain the tank and put in some fresh gas, see what happens. Try and get the gas in the lines out first, you can start the car and then unplug the fuel pump and let it stall out.

Do a boost leak test anyway, maybe before you drain the tank. You said it almost felt like a boost leak.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

A cheapo battery from walmart. Its lasted me many months without a problem. The car has problems in the winter with starting. But thats typical with cheap batteries. This car never seems to have problems starting until winter rolls around. I will def get an optima for my new car. But i dont want to dump 150 bucks into this car.

James

Have the battery tested or get a new one. Test the alternator too.

Aside from the possible charging problem, If you think the Seafoam in your gas is causing the problem, drain the tank and put in some fresh gas, see what happens. Try and get the gas in the lines out first, you can start the car and then unplug the fuel pump and let it stall out.

Do a boost leak test anyway, maybe before you drain the tank. You said it almost felt like a boost leak.

Nothing, and i mean nothing was changed. So i doubt it has a boost leak. I did test to see if the Hard pipes were still rock solid, and they are, so i doubt its a boost leak. I might drain the fuel. But i have to drive this to school at 9 oclock. I dont have time for that.

James

 

[Auto RS T]

I believe its just a 24mm bolt, but if you dont have the 24mm tool, fuel catching pan, jugs, and ride to the gas station for 2 gallons of 93, or money for the two gallons of 93 because you spent it on milk earlier. I understand that situation.

If you do end up draining the gas, jack up the opposite side of the car from the plug when the flow slows to get the remaining gas out.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

Haha. Funny. I would do it. But i don't want to wake up to getting dirty. Also, i dont have anything to drain 6-7 gallons of fuel into. I would do it, but i have to go to class tomorrow. Two quizzes. Maybe when i get home. I am going to jump it tomorrow, and just run it hard til it stops breaking up. We will see.

James

 

[crimsondragon]

I still say get a new shitty battery for now to get you to school and figure out the problem on free time.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

I still say get a new shitty battery for now to get you to school and figure out the problem on free time.

Sounds like a plan.

James

 

[Defiant]

I have had three batteries in this car over 4 years. Basically one a year.

Well holy crap, either your alternator or its circuitry is bad. Low voltage will make any modern car run like shit.
Ever check your harmonic balancer?

 

[97GSTAUTO]

A cheapo battery from walmart. Its lasted me many months without a problem. The car has problems in the winter with starting. But thats typical with cheap batteries. This car never seems to have problems starting until winter rolls around. I will def get an optima for my new car. But i dont want to dump 150 bucks into this car.

James



Nothing, and i mean nothing was changed. So i doubt it has a boost leak. I did test to see if the Hard pipes were still rock solid, and they are, so i doubt its a boost leak. I might drain the fuel. But i have to drive this to school at 9 oclock. I dont have time for that.

James

Mine used to eat batteries too. Went to optima red top. Nooo problems. Even after a bad autozone alternator fed it 16 volts.

 

[Colt4G63 also]

It sounds like you may need a new alternator too. No car with an ECU is going to stay running when the voltage dips too low, especially under load. Erratic cluster operation is typical in those situations. You should see what the dash in a 2000 Grand Am or any late model GM will do when it drops below 9 volts. They flip out so bad you would think beavers ate your wiring harness. It probably has nothing to do with Seafoam.

 

[jrohner]

Your car will run like crap if it doesn't have enough voltage.

Seafoam wouldn't make your battery go dead, neither would a boost leak.

Charge your battery or try a different one. Then, with a voltmeter, see if it is putting out near 14 volts when it's running, it most likely is not -- meaning bad alternator.

 

[turbodsm18]

Theoretically, shouldnt you be able to remove your battery once your car is started and the car should be able to run directly off the alternator??? Hence the alternator would be bad...

Also, my thought on the car running like crap after the seafoam, maybe all the shit you cleaned out of your fuel lines has got caught in your fuel filter and now is causing the car to stumble.....

just a couple thoughts....

-Kevin-

 

[crimsondragon]

No. It's still running off the battery. The alternator just keeps it charged. There are threads with people saying how their car died in the middle of the road and it turns out the battery connection came loose. A way to confirm this also is my fuel pump. It's rewired with 10ga coming off the battery. It's whine changes when the blinkers come on or anything else electrical is turned on.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

Your car will run like crap if it doesn't have enough voltage.

Seafoam wouldn't make your battery go dead, neither would a boost leak.

Charge your battery or try a different one. Then, with a voltmeter, see if it is putting out near 14 volts when it's running, it most likely is not -- meaning bad alternator.

I havent tried this yet. But what if it is putting out 14 V, the alternator could still be bad, but something else could be wrong as well. I started the car today with a jump and it ran, for about 5 minutes and began to stumble. I think something else is going on besides a obvious voltage problem. No way did this just happen for no reason since i put in the seafoam. Seafoam wont cause this problem, but i beleive it is directly related. Who knows. Im going to go buy or trade in my battery and see what happens. If i test the voltage of the battery right now, it should be 14V, correct, since its under no load? At least thats what i have learn in electronics class.

James

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

Walmart batteries only last a few months, and it sounds like you may need a new alternator too. No car with an ECU is going to stay running when the voltage dips too low, especially under load. Erratic cluster operation is typical in those situations. You should see what the dash in a 2000 Grand Am or any late model GM will do when it drops below 9 volts. They flip out so bad you would think beavers ate your wiring harness. It probably has nothing to do with Seafoam.

Thats what happened when i drove it around today. I jumped the car, and ran perfectly fine. Began to drive it, and the car was cutting out, spark wise. Almost like the car was stumbling. I even had to clutch start it because the car turned off. Would that be an alternator? The ECU is fine btw. Its less than a year old and recapped by STEVE.

James

 

[crimsondragon]

My fuel pump whine changes when the blinkers come on, but I have no battery problems....

-Kevin-

I wasn't saying it would be a battery problem. I was proving that the car runs off the battery and the alternator is charging it at the same time.

 

[steve]

Thats what happened when i drove it around today. I jumped the car, and ran perfectly fine. Began to drive it, and the car was cutting out, spark wise. Almost like the car was stumbling. I even had to clutch start it because the car turned off. Would that be an alternator? The ECU is fine btw. Its less than a year old and recapped by STEVE.

James

Hook up the datalogger and log the voltage. The ECU turns off below 8v or so. The car will start bogging seriously below 10v. You could have other issues but what I've read here so far sounds like you stop charging and are driving off the battery until it dies.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

Well. I've pretty much accepted the battery and alternator are dead. I am buying a new battery, maybe a red top and trying that out. If it doesnt work, im going to buy a 90A alternator from a vendor. We will see.

And yes, i am getting rid of this car in the spring. But this shit i get tomorrow will come with.

James

Just to let everyone know a little update. The battery was completely dead, so i bought a new battery and alternator just in case. Hooked up the new battery and the voltage with the car on was mid 11's Volts. So the alternator is bad. I put in a new advanced autoparts alternator with a lifetime warranty and im charging the battery right now. Hopefully i can reuse my battery, if not i still get 10 bucks back for my old one, plus 50 back for my old alternator. I wanted a optima anyway. Gotta thank my stepfather for the work though. I get a call after work saying he did it all today when i was expecting to have to do this tomorrow. Mad props to the hood yo!

James