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RE: Almost fried my son-in-law

Subject: RE: Almost fried my son-in-law
From: Randall Young <ryoung@NAVCOMTECH.COM>
Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2002 08:37:17 -0700
Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net
> > >  We then held the multi-meter to the batt while
> > > I tried to
> > > start the car, and the courtesy lights went dim, and Pat (son-in-law)
> > > actually watched the volts dive from 12+ to about nine in a matter of
> > > seconds.  (BTW, car didn't start.)
> >
> >If you measured this directly on top of the battery posts, then
> either the
> >battery is run down, the battery is bad, or the starter is.
>
> I get a drain when I'm driving.  Would that eliminate the starter as a
> problem?

Not necessarily, but it could certainly explain the battery being
discharged.

> Is there a way to test to either confirm or eliminate
> the starter  as a problem?

It is possible to bench-test the starter, but requires equipment most people
don't have (eg 600 amp ammeter).  In this case, I'd suggest the easiest test
is to substitute a known good, charged battery.  If the battery voltage
still drops as far as 9, it's a safe bet the starter is bad (or the engine
is locked up).

Randall

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