The Battery

    Hi, its been a while sense I added to the under the hood assessment.  I now will look for engine and tuning items.  The first thing is the ignition system, starting with the battery.  Is the battery the right size?  Many times the battery is replaced with a smaller size to save money.  This usually means that the battery tie-downs do not fit or are missing completely.  Sometimes the battery is loose or tied down with many things, rope, wire, bungy cords and sometimes it is loose and has been bouncing around.  I have found arc marks on the underside of the hood from the battery bouncing up and shorting out on the hood metal.  I look to see if the battery is topped of with water in the cells if it is a battery that has caps that can be removed.  Some batteries have a sight glass that informs you of the condition of the battery if the battery caps can not be removed.  I look at the date of manufacture on the battery if it is available to see the amount of battery life left.  I feel the battery should be replaced one year before the expected battery life ends.  A five-year battery should be replaced after four years.  The way I look at it is, it is cheaper to replace the battery in the shop then to do a service call for a car that will not start.  A service call means that I go to the car to check it out, then to the parts store to pick it up versus calling the parts house from my shop and asking them to deliver it to me while the auto is already taken out of service.  If the battery is still serviceable I check the battery terminal for corrosion and color.  Yes, color.  A dark battery cable terminal means that it may be overheating due to not being tight, poor contact, long cranking time or corrosion between the post and the terminal.  If necessary I remove the terminal and scrape the inside with a special tool, not a brush, and then re-cut the profile of the battery post with a tool. Then I spray the two parts with a battery terminal corrosion protector. Then reinstall, align the cable and tighten the clamp nut.
    This brings us to a problem when the battery is disconnected to service the terminals and posts.  If I disconnect it from the car I would cause a lot of problems.  Sometimes it sets off the alarm system when reconnected and the lights and horns will go off until the system is reset or I use the key control.  Some cars need a code to reset the radio antitheft device and sometimes the customers have only given me the key and have not left me the alarm button.  In some cars when the battery is disconnected it erases the short-term memory in the computer, such as pending or existing engine codes.  Well, this is what I do!  I have an adapter plug hooked up to a battery and I plug it into the lighter socket.  This only works if the socket has electricity in it with the ignition key in the off position.  In some cars the socket is only hot (a term for electricity present) with the key in the on or accessory position.  If this is the case, then I apply 12 volts to the battery terminals before removing them from the battery.  I then follow the negative or ground cable to the point it attaches to the body, engine or transmission to complete its circuit.  I then look for a loose connection and any rust or corrosion.  Lastly, I follow the positive cable to the starter and inspect it for tightness.  This is a first hand look at the starting system which is necessary to turn the engine over to start it.  If you think I have spent a lot time on the battery, you are right, this is the heart of the ignition system as I see it.  Next time, what happens when the engine starts turning over or the crankshaft starts rotating?