| | Car Trouble -battery to be specificPage 1 of 1 | | I hope this is the right place to post this.... So I need a new battery for my 96 dodge caravan but I dont have the owners manual so I have no idea what kind/size battery I need, does anyone know? I am getting a friend to pick one up in the city so need to give her the size and/or type of battery needed... I say that because someone told me that you can just go through a book at the store but I would rather be able to tell her what to get so its less work for her. any help would be appreciated. thanks | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 12:53:25 AM | Any auto parts store will have the right battery for your van. That's easy.
I do have a few questions for you, first - what are you going to do after you get the battery? Do you have someone to replace it? And why are you replacing this battery?
I assume your battery is dead, or old, but you need to verify that your van's electrical system is working correctly, because if it's not working correctly, your new battery will soon be dead too. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 1:11:18 AM | | well the battery that is in it is clearly the wrong size... looks way too small. I just bought this van a couple months ago and havent drove it other than a couple test drives... just got it insured/registered etc... anyways, I let it sit for 6-7 weeks without starting it, attempted to start it on sunay and it was completely dead, there wasnt even a door chime or lights or clicking, nothing, it was dead. so I had a friend come over and hooked up his charger as soon as the cables were on she started right up and I left it running for 30-40 minutes, shut it off and restarted it 2 times to make sure. today I went out to start it and the door chimes but it won't start and there were no dash lights .... I didnt even get that clicking noise I have heard in some vehicles when their battery is dead/dying. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 1:16:35 AM | | Oh also I dont know if this matters but the guy who sold me the van said he thinks the radio no longer works because of the small battery that's in it.... he said the previous owner (before him) said the radio worked before.... oh also there is a toggle switch that controls the wipers that was installed under the steering column area. not sure if any of that matters. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 1:20:31 AM | | sorry that last post about the radio may have been confusing... the guy who sold me this van was the one who installed the small battery thats in it supposedly causing the radio to not work anymore. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 1:30:00 AM | I don't understand how the previous owner could install a battery that's too small.
A standard 12 volt battery should be perfectly OK for your car. Any auto parts store can tell you exactly the battery you need and would probably help you put it in.
I recommend spending a few extra bucks and getting the longest lasting battery you can. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 1:30:24 AM | You can find your battery size on the website of auto supply stores that sells batteries.
According to advanceautoparts.com, your battery size is 34 but it is for US. Don't know if Canada uses the same size or the same standard so you need to look it up using Canadian auto parts suppliers. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 2:42:02 AM | Looking it up in the book at the autoparts store is not difficult. It's just like looking up to see which wipers fit your car or any number of other parts. Call around. Battery prices vary. If you are on a tight budget, Walmart sells car batteries and they have a range (don't know which one but it's not the cheapest range) which comes with a life time guarantee so any issues down the line, you walk in with your proof of purchase and they swap for a new one there and then. They are really easy to install too. Choose the best quality one you can afford. - Don't choose the cheap budget ones but one of the well known brand names.
I had a Dodge Caravan 2001 which I got rid of about a year ago when the body started to rust and I put in a new battery about 2 years before that. I think I bought it at Napa Auto Parts in the end but I remember it was far simpler then I thought it would be to change.
As you don't have a manual for your car, think about purchasing a Haynes Repair Manual for it. This company has been producing car manuals for years. A brilliant reference to have for any basic home maintenance as they lay things out simply and have lots of photos too.
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 3:09:58 AM | | If you get it started, take it somewhere and get it charged, then tested, it may not be the battery at all, but something draining the battery, even if you put a new one in, you may still have the problem. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 4:27:47 AM | First as said a parts store can test it, pick the right size and install it free.
How this guy wired the radio MAY be pertinent if he connected any power source to the battery like a power booster.
Usually its alarms they do that with but you never know.
You could have blown or foiled fuses in there.
Have them test the alternator and starter also (but check the FUSES first)...it could be an issue
Your fuse box tells you what fuse goes to what.
A blown fuse thats 50 cents and not checked and changed can cause you to spend unnecessary money.
Hopefully its just a battery..good luck
ALWAYS check the simplest and least expensive things first or you will kick yourself. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 4:38:58 AM | If your having someone put in a battery who does not know how to get the right battery, you better
think twice about it and go pay someone to put in the right battery so there are no explosions ( a battery can explode)
and they do not destroy the battery in putting it in.
Any battery store or anyplace that sells batteries can tell you which ones will fit your vehicle, hence if you have it put in yourself, you could end up with a broken battery or burned person. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 5:05:45 AM | I'm pretty sure your battery is dead from the car being parked for so long. Ordinary car batteries are not "deep cycle", meaning they will die if not kept fully charged. If the vehicle is going not going to be driven for an extended period of time, you should install a trickle charger to keep the battery charged. If your battery is dead, it will not hold a charge for very long. That's why it wouldn't start again the next day. Time for a new battery.
What I would do do after installing a new battery is use a multimeter to check if there are any devices that are consuming power from the battery when the vehicle is not running. It's normal for the radio, computer and other devices to consume a very small amount of power, but not enough to deplete the battery over the course of a few days. If the previous owner was messing around with the radio or left mysterious on/off switches mounted to the steering column, then it's possible they connected something directly to the battery. You don't want to ruin a brand new battery. Best get a multimeter, they are cheap, and invaluable in tracking down electrical gremlins.
Basically... a car radio has two power leads. One circuit turns on when you turn the key on, so you can listen to the radio when the car is running, or by turning the key in the ignition. And another one connected directly to the battery. The radio uses this direct connection to keep alive the memory that stores things like your favorite radio stations. People sometimes connect both power leads directly to the battery. So they can leave the car doors open and listen to the radio without leaving the key in the ignition. Alarm systems and other devices that need to be plugged on 24/7 would also tap into this lead, or anywhere they can connect directly to the battery. Since you have mysterious switches mounted on the steering column, I'd strongly suspect this to be the cause of any mysterious battery depletion.
Once you have your multimeter, turn off the car, disconnect the negative battery cable, set your multimeter to the 10 or 20 amp setting, and then measure the current between the negative battery cable, and negative battery post. If any devices are drawing power from the battery, it will show up here. If it's more than 25-50 milli-amps, then you definitely have a power loss somewhere. To find out where, you remove the fuses one by one, until the power loss jumps back down into the normal range. And whatever is running off that fuse is your culprit. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 6:23:12 AM |
Once you have your multimeter, turn off the car, disconnect the negative battery cable, set your multimeter to the 10 or 20 amp setting, and then measure the current between the negative battery cable, and negative battery post. If any devices are drawing power from the battery, it will show up here. If it's more than 25-50 milli-amps, then you definitely have a power loss somewhere. To find out where, you remove the fuses one by one, until the power loss jumps back down into the normal range. And whatever is running off that fuse is your culprit.
That is what it sounds like to me. It could be 3 things:
~There is a small power draw whilst the key is off. Something is drawing down the battery slowly.
~The battery is old & cannot hold a deep charge anymore. It will hold just enough to start the vehicle when used daily.
~The charging system/alternator is faulty and is not charging the battery. You will know this after driving the car, shutting it off, and trying to restart it. If the battery is dead after driving, it was depleted due to not being recharged during operation.
I have a 20 yr old convertible that has a small power draw somewhere. If I run it daily or a few times a week it stays charged. If it sits longer than a week, it draws dead. I cannot figure out for the life of me where it is coming from, so I installed an on/off battery post switch that disconnects the positive terminal . I simply lift the hood & turn the switch OFF when Im done driving it for a spell. $5 fix. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 6:47:56 AM | You're a smart lady Peppermint. Good advice.
I would only add that an easy way to test the alternator is to jump the car then disconnect the positive terminal to the battery. If the car dies, the alternator/voltage regulator is not putting out. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 8:26:37 AM | theres definately a drain in the system somewhere...........and i would check the old battery and make sure theres enough water in the cells
if you do need a new battery..spend the extra money and get as many "cold cranking amps" as possible
and definately check the alternator and voltage regulator | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 8:48:05 AM | Msg 14 - Jack - "I would only add that an easy way to test the alternator is to jump the car then disconnect the positive terminal to the battery. If the car dies, the alternator/voltage regulator is not putting out."
This is really bad advice !!! Don't do it, especially on any vehicle with computers, which means from about 1980 forward.
Disconnecting battery cables on a running car makes sparks, and sparks make explosions in batteries. Major ouchy !! Do you really want that acid all over you and everything else? Not good. As well, disconnecting the battery causes major voltage spike, which can pop an engine computer. These are quite costly, so DON'T DO IT !!
There is a safe method to test your charging system, follow the procedure or else be prepared for major unhappiness. | |
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Blalah
| | Joined: 3/25/2012
Msg: 17 | |
| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/2/2012 8:02:06 PM | Regardless of if it is the cure all for your cranking problems it is clear from your posts that the vehicle is in need of a good, strong, new, correctly suited battery. Not all 12 volt batteries are suited for all 12 volt vehicles. Tell the parts house your year make and model (in person or over the phone) and they will sell you the correct one per application and amperage.
Once you know the battery is perfectly good that is the essential first step because then you can eliminate that element as a problem for subsequent related troubleshooting. That goes for now and also for the future 5 or more years down the road or until you need another new one so be diligent in selecting the right one to begin with.
Happy travels. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/3/2012 1:32:36 PM |
I had a friend come over and hooked up his charger as soon as the cables were on she started right up and I left it running for 30-40 minutes, shut it off and restarted it 2 times to make sure.
The alternator is fine. If the alternator was the culprit, she wouldnt have been able to restart the vehicle.
Just don't try and drive the car like this without first changing the battery. Because you can fry the alternator if you force it to constantly recharge a battery that won't hold a charge.
The problem is the battery is not able to hold a charge. To keep a battery healthy, it needs to stay at or nearly fully charged. The van was parked for two months. The battery's done. You can charge it up and it will start the van. But by tomorrow the battery will be dead again. And you can damager your alternator if it's forced to constantly recharge a dead battery.
The no-start issue has nothing to do with the size of the battery. Car batteries are over-powered, because in extremely cold weather like you get in Alberta, the battery produces far less power. Since it's summer, even a small battery from a small 4-cylinder car will be enough to start a 6-cylinder minivan. My guess is somebody already replaced the battery because of all the ****ed up electrical gadgets that were connected to the steering column, and then decided to sell the car, and sold it to you with whatever old battery he happened to have laying around.
Just go to a store that sells car batteries. There's only a few different sizes of battery. They're based on the size of the engine and whether the battery cables plug into the top of the side of the battery. Stores that sell car batteries usually have a book or computer to tell you what battery your car requires.
Replace the battery, and then use the multimeter to check if something's drawing power when the car is parked. Those switches on the steering column sound like bad news. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/3/2012 4:30:02 PM | A complete aside.
I'd be reluctant to buy a 96 van of any type unless I did all my own mechanical work. This vehicle will nickel and dime you. I'd actually prefer one 15 years older if it was in decent shape...less electronic do-dads.
Anyways, the just seems like the battery or cables.
Re batteries...they are extremely reliable these days. 'If' a battery more than a few years old is dying on you, then there is probably something else draining the charge or it isn't charging properly.
When I'm not sure about a battery, alternator, etc. I'll start the car up in my driveway, let in tun for a minute and then shut it off. After a minute of so I'll start it up again. Saves a lot of aggravation to have it conk out in your driveway rather than to get a mile from home and have it die on the street. | |
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| Car Trouble -battery to be specific
Posted: 8/4/2012 12:45:38 PM |
I didnt even get that clicking noise I have heard in some vehicles when their battery is dead/dying.
Actually, that's the sound of a bad solenoid.
You'd be better off giving your friend the year, make, model of your car or calling the dealership with a VIN number. They may tell you the battery type over the phone. Many manufacturers have their own designation (Sears, batteries plus), so best to just provide her with the info and let the store decide. | |
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