>I left my lights on when I went to work this morning and needed a jump to
>get started inorder to get home. I drove 35 minutes home on and off of
>highways at 3500-4000rpm. I stopped to get a haircut andd then couldn't
>get the car started again without another jump. I have no idea how old the
>battery is (from previous owner) but shouldn't the alternator have
>recharged the battery enough to start the car in that time?
Ryan,
A bad battery can kill a good alternator and a bad alternator can kill a
good battery. Also, some batteries (especially Exide and Mopar in my
experience), when completely discharged will not recover completely.
Frequently one cell will lose its ability to hold a charge. Put a charger on
it for a while, then disconnect the charger and check the voltage across the
posts. Should be about 13.2VDC. Then hit the starter once and then measure
the voltage across the posts again. If it has dropped to about 10.5VDC or
lower, you have one or more cells that do not hold a charge. Replace the
battery.
OTOH, it is perfectly possible that you blew the alternator in the process
of jump starting the car twice. If you can jump or push start the car, rev
it up to 2000rpm and see what the battery voltage across the posts is. If it
is around 14.5VDC or so, the alternator is probably happy. Otherwise, pull
it off and see if Pep Boys will test it for you. I know Murrays and AutoZone
will.
David Lieb
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