Old dog, new tricks
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Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 64
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From: Florida
Old dog, new tricks
This is likely a no-brainer for most of you, but it was new to me.
Have a speedo problem, so I bought a cluster from eBay. Swapped it in Sunday - no dice, still not working. Monday I swapped my original cluster back in. All's well. Tuesday, made several short trips with no probs.
Wed go out to run by the shop that does all my work to ask about the speedo and totally dead. Radio worked, lights come on but dim, but starter just chuckled.
Got a friend to jump me later that night. Started up, but ran ragged. Got in to drive it to the shop and it stalled. My buddy's got a Pontiac minivan, which requires moving the fuse box to access the battery. We'd already put it all back and it was dark, so I said screw it, lets not bother again tonight.
He loaned me a charger and I charged it all night. Next morning I noticed a puddle of battery water under it (wasn't in the car). Put it in and nothing...not even radio now.
Another buddy drove me to Pep Boys. Guy took one look and said the membrane was busted - apparently a common problem with side-terminal batteries. Bought a new one, slipped it in and voila! back to normal.
Don't know if it's battery tech or something in the cars, but in the good old days that Ked and I remember, batteries gave you warning before they died. This "fine today, gone tomorrow" was a new experience for me.
Just thought I'd share in case anyone else runs into this.
BTW, still have the speedo problem and the guys on the electronic board weren't any help. Any ideas? It stays on zero until I drive about 10 miles, then seems to work fine.
KTSSU,
T
Have a speedo problem, so I bought a cluster from eBay. Swapped it in Sunday - no dice, still not working. Monday I swapped my original cluster back in. All's well. Tuesday, made several short trips with no probs.
Wed go out to run by the shop that does all my work to ask about the speedo and totally dead. Radio worked, lights come on but dim, but starter just chuckled.
Got a friend to jump me later that night. Started up, but ran ragged. Got in to drive it to the shop and it stalled. My buddy's got a Pontiac minivan, which requires moving the fuse box to access the battery. We'd already put it all back and it was dark, so I said screw it, lets not bother again tonight.
He loaned me a charger and I charged it all night. Next morning I noticed a puddle of battery water under it (wasn't in the car). Put it in and nothing...not even radio now.
Another buddy drove me to Pep Boys. Guy took one look and said the membrane was busted - apparently a common problem with side-terminal batteries. Bought a new one, slipped it in and voila! back to normal.
Don't know if it's battery tech or something in the cars, but in the good old days that Ked and I remember, batteries gave you warning before they died. This "fine today, gone tomorrow" was a new experience for me.
Just thought I'd share in case anyone else runs into this.
BTW, still have the speedo problem and the guys on the electronic board weren't any help. Any ideas? It stays on zero until I drive about 10 miles, then seems to work fine.
KTSSU,
T
Supreme Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 1
From: ****SoCal, USA****
You have an ELECTRIC SENSOR SPEEDO set up?
IT COULD BE a "thing" that's dirty on the tranny.
Have you asked this on the Tranny Tech side?
IT could be an indicator why your battery "died".
Yeah, recall the days you could start a car with a screwdriver or a jack handle from the trunk when your battery was failing?
Ever jump start an automatic car from neutral to "drive"?
I recall seeing my first overcharged battery (a battery could boil over???WTF) and "stuck" regulator, too.
Atleast I was on the Pacific Coast Highway in Big Sur and had one of the best weekends, ever.
PS Chevy small block header bolts fit PERFECT in side mount battery posts for charging purposes.
IT COULD BE a "thing" that's dirty on the tranny.
Have you asked this on the Tranny Tech side?
IT could be an indicator why your battery "died".
Yeah, recall the days you could start a car with a screwdriver or a jack handle from the trunk when your battery was failing?
Ever jump start an automatic car from neutral to "drive"?
I recall seeing my first overcharged battery (a battery could boil over???WTF) and "stuck" regulator, too.
Atleast I was on the Pacific Coast Highway in Big Sur and had one of the best weekends, ever.
PS Chevy small block header bolts fit PERFECT in side mount battery posts for charging purposes.
Supreme Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,974
Likes: 0
From: Pueblo Co
Car: 1989 C4
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 307
The VSS unit could have died causing no speedo Thats not common but hey anything could happen. Check the voltage back to the VSS plug in. If your not getting any volatge there than 1 of two problems. 1. The wires are broke on thier way back. 2. The ecm is faulty, this one could explain your suddenly dead battery.
Good Luck!
SSC
Good Luck!
SSC
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