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[OT] Don't do this!
I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with
only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to a battery. I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog station. The truck failed spectacularly! Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on it. I have till April second. The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. The last resort: <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- Drive-Cycle> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. leo |
[OT] Don't do this!
On 2/12/2021 3:05 PM, Leo wrote:
> I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with > only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to > a battery. > I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, > hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog > station. The truck failed spectacularly! > Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off > and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving > the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on > it. I have till April second. > The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to > get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. > > The last resort: > <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- > Drive-Cycle> > Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. > > leo > Your seven year old battery would likely be a goner even if you had driven the truck more. They don't last forever. Interesting tip on the drive cycle though. Thanks. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 15:05:53 -0800, Leo >
wrote: >I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with >only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to >a battery. >I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, >hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog >station. The truck failed spectacularly! >Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off >and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving >the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on >it. I have till April second. >The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to >get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. > >The last resort: ><https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >Drive-Cycle> >Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. During a smog test they test how well you drive with poor eyesight? -- The real Bruce posts with NewsgroupDirect (see headers). |
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On 2021 Feb 12, , Bruce wrote
(in >): > During a smog test they test how well you drive with poor eyesight? 20/20 in one eye and 20/25 in the other. You? |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 15:05:53 -0800, Leo >
wrote: >I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with >only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to >a battery. >I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, >hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog >station. The truck failed spectacularly! >Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off >and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving >the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on >it. I have till April second. >The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to >get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. > >The last resort: ><https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >Drive-Cycle> >Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. > >leo I don't drive much, sometimes not for two weeks, and it's cold here, down in the single digits. So when I know I will need to drive somewhere I hook my battery charger on trickle charge the day before and it starts right up. That low priced, $35, Sears charger can be a life saver. Been using it some 25 years. If I set it on Start my car will start right up. But in frigid temps I prefer the trickle charge, because I don't always have time to drive 100 miles to get the battery fully charged. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On 2021-02-12 6:12 p.m., Taxed and Spent wrote:
> On 2/12/2021 3:05 PM, Leo wrote: a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >> >> The last resort: >> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >> >> Drive-Cycle> >> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >> >> leo >> > > > Your seven year old battery would likely be a goner even if you had > driven the truck more.Â* They don't last forever. > > Interesting tip on the drive cycle though.Â* Thanks. > Yep. That is a pretty good life for a battery. My motorcycle will be six years old, so I am expecting to have to replace the battery this year. I would like to do it myself and save some money, but I had to get in there to boost it once (had left the ignition switch/lights on) and it was a chore. Then there was the mess of wires. Maybe I should leave it for a pro. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 5:12:31 PM UTC-6, Taxed and Spent wrote:
> > Your seven year old battery would likely be a goner even if you had > driven the truck more. They don't last forever. > > Interesting tip on the drive cycle though. Thanks. > Surprisingly the original battery in my '95 Explorer lasted just a smidge over 10 years. |
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[OT] Don't do this!
On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 16:30:59 -0800, Leo >
wrote: >On 2021 Feb 12, , Bruce wrote >(in >): > >> During a smog test they test how well you drive with poor eyesight? > >20/20 in one eye and 20/25 in the other. You? I have no idea. I drive without glasses. -- The real Bruce posts with NewsgroupDirect (see headers). |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:37:14 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote: >On 2021-02-12 6:12 p.m., Taxed and Spent wrote: >> On 2/12/2021 3:05 PM, Leo wrote: > a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >>> >>> The last resort: >>> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >>> >>> Drive-Cycle> >>> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >>> >>> leo >> Your seven year old battery would likely be a goner even if you had >> driven the truck more.* They don't last forever. >> >> Interesting tip on the drive cycle though.* Thanks. > >Yep. That is a pretty good life for a battery. My motorcycle will be six >years old, so I am expecting to have to replace the battery this year. >I would like to do it myself and save some money, but I had to get in >there to boost it once (had left the ignition switch/lights on) and it >was a chore. Then there was the mess of wires. Maybe I should leave it >for a pro. Anyone gets five years from a car battery should consider themself lucky. Modern cars draw power from the battery all the time, even with the engine off. I've been getting 15 years from my tractor batteries, tractors don't draw any power when the motor is off, tractors don't even have a clock. Modern cars draw power to the radio when the car is turned off because they have lots of anti theft circuits operating 24/7. |
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On 2/12/2021 9:04 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> it's only a 10 minutes job to replace a battery. > It's not as simple and easy on some of these vehicles now as it used to be. |
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On 2021-02-12 9:14 p.m., Stu Rawlings wrote:
> On 2/12/2021 9:04 PM, Dave Smith wrote: >> it's only a 10 minutes job to replace a battery. > > > It's not as simple and easy on some of these vehicles > now as it used to be. It was a Taurus. Unbolt the bracket, loosen the battery cable clamps. Take out the old battery, put the the new one in place, attach and tighten the clamps, bolt the bracket in place. It would take me longer to get the tools out and to return them than to change the battery. My motorcycle would be another matter.It took me more than a half hour to access the battery in order to attach charging cables. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On 2021 Feb 12, , Dave Smith wrote
(in article >): > It ended up costing me more to get the > replacement and installation under warranty than I would have had to pay > for a new battery anywhere else, and it's only a 10 minutes job to > replace a battery. Yep. Ten minutes, even when you´re seventy four. Well...plus another 20 minutes to AutoZone and back with a new battery, so thirty minutes from whine to done. I did get a new premium battery, so someone else will almost certainly have the pleasure of changing it next time. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 8:14:19 PM UTC-6, Stu Rawlings wrote:
> > On 2/12/2021 9:04 PM, Dave Smith wrote: > > > it's only a 10 minutes job to replace a battery. > > > It's not as simple and easy on some of these vehicles > now as it used to be. > I don't know about batteries but I had some bodywork done almost 2 years ago. Everything now is computer connected and things even like headlights being removed the computer has to be reprogrammed. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 21:14:14 -0500, Stu Rawlings wrote:
> It's not as simple and easy on some of these vehicles now as it used to > be. Most places will plug a 12V source into the 'cigarette lighter' so that the computer(s) will not lose information when the battery is disconnected. Otherwise, terrible things will happen, like your radio will forget your favourite FM station, etc. |
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[OT] Don't do this!
On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 21:40:47 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote: >On 2021-02-12 9:14 p.m., Stu Rawlings wrote: >> On 2/12/2021 9:04 PM, Dave Smith wrote: >>> it's only a 10 minutes job to replace a battery. >> > >> It's not as simple and easy on some of these vehicles >> now as it used to be. > >It was a Taurus. Unbolt the bracket, loosen the battery cable clamps. >Take out the old battery, put the the new one in place, attach and >tighten the clamps, bolt the bracket in place. It would take me longer >to get the tools out and to return them than to change the battery. > >My motorcycle would be another matter.It took me more than a half hour >to access the battery in order to attach charging cables. A good thing you didn't have to be at a pickleball game in time. -- The real Bruce posts with NewsgroupDirect (see headers). |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote:
> I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with > only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to > a battery. > I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, > hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog > station. The truck failed spectacularly! > Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off > and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving > the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on > it. I have till April second. > The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to > get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. > > The last resort: > <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- > Drive-Cycle> > Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. > > leo We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. It hadn't been driven for about a week. We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. No smog tests here. Cindy Hamilton |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Sat, 13 Feb 2021 01:41:49 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton
> wrote: >On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: >> I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with >> only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to >> a battery. >> I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, >> hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog >> station. The truck failed spectacularly! >> Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off >> and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving >> the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on >> it. I have till April second. >> The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to >> get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >> >> The last resort: >> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >> Drive-Cycle> >> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >> >> leo > >We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery >was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. >It hadn't been driven for about a week. > >We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we >jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. >I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. I don't use my pickup for many weeks sometimes and it still starts. There is a limit, though. Maybe around the 2 months mark. And it's a different climate here, of course. -- The real Bruce posts with NewsgroupDirect (see headers). |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 6:13:27 AM UTC-5, Bruce wrote:
> On Sat, 13 Feb 2021 01:41:49 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton > > wrote: > > >On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: > >> I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with > >> only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to > >> a battery. > >> I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, > >> hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog > >> station. The truck failed spectacularly! > >> Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off > >> and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving > >> the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on > >> it. I have till April second. > >> The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to > >> get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. > >> > >> The last resort: > >> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- > >> Drive-Cycle> > >> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. > >> > >> leo > > > >We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery > >was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. > >It hadn't been driven for about a week. > > > >We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we > >jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. > >I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. > I don't use my pickup for many weeks sometimes and it still starts. > There is a limit, though. Maybe around the 2 months mark. And it's a > different climate here, of course. Yes, a different climate. We've had a lot of nighttime lows in the -15 C range. And my husband's vehicle is new enough that it might be trickling charge away from the battery to keep the backup camera from freezing, etc. I've no idea what the thing might be doing while we're not looking. Cindy Hamilton |
[OT] Don't do this!
On 2/13/2021 6:46 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>>> >>> We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery >>> was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. >>> It hadn't been driven for about a week. >>> >>> We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we >>> jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. >>> I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. >> I don't use my pickup for many weeks sometimes and it still starts. >> There is a limit, though. Maybe around the 2 months mark. And it's a >> different climate here, of course. > > Yes, a different climate. We've had a lot of nighttime lows in the -15 C > range. > > And my husband's vehicle is new enough that it might be trickling charge > away from the battery to keep the backup camera from freezing, etc. I've > no idea what the thing might be doing while we're not looking. > > Cindy Hamilton > New cars have a lot of technology that needs power while shut down. Alarms, modems. remote sensors, etc Battery tender if it sits a long time. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:43:28 -0500, Sheldon Martin >
wrote: >On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:37:14 -0500, Dave Smith > wrote: > >>On 2021-02-12 6:12 p.m., Taxed and Spent wrote: >>> On 2/12/2021 3:05 PM, Leo wrote: >> a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >>>> >>>> The last resort: >>>> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >>>> >>>> Drive-Cycle> >>>> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >>>> >>>> leo >>> Your seven year old battery would likely be a goner even if you had >>> driven the truck more.* They don't last forever. >>> >>> Interesting tip on the drive cycle though.* Thanks. >> >>Yep. That is a pretty good life for a battery. My motorcycle will be six >>years old, so I am expecting to have to replace the battery this year. >>I would like to do it myself and save some money, but I had to get in >>there to boost it once (had left the ignition switch/lights on) and it >>was a chore. Then there was the mess of wires. Maybe I should leave it >>for a pro. Leaving the igmition switch on was entirely your fault. Generally motocycle batteries will last twice as long as car batteries, motorcycles draw no current with the engine off, unless you add an after market anti-theft device. I've had both tractors nearly 20 years, both have the original battery. The smaller one sits all winter unused, starts right up come spring. The larger one is used to plow snow but has an oil pan heater that I plug into to a house outlet a half hour before starting. I also add an anti gel compound to the diesel for winter. Once the oil is warm it starts right up too. Tractor batteries are half the size of automobile batteries, with the tractors turned off they draw no power. Automobiles draw substantial power with the engine off, there's the clock, and several pilot lamps that can't be turned off. With my car I keep the dome light in the off position and I'm careful not to leave any doors ajar... that pilot lamp in the dash can drain the battery in one or two days, especially in winter. For anyone living in a cold climate I strongly suggest having a battery charger at home and another in the vehical with a 50' extention cord... and of course always have jumper cables... how many times someone parks to eat dinner and forgets to turn off the headlights. A big design failure on vehicals is in not having a built-in timer that shuts off the headlights within 10 minutes of turning off the motor. Headlights can totally drain a battery in an hour. >Anyone gets five years from a car battery should consider themself >lucky. Modern cars draw power from the battery all the time, even >with the engine off. I've been getting 15 years from my tractor >batteries, tractors don't draw any power when the motor is off, >tractors don't even have a clock. Modern cars draw power to the radio >when the car is turned off because they have lots of anti theft >circuits operating 24/7. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On 2021-02-13 4:41 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: > We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery > was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. > It hadn't been driven for about a week. > > We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we > jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. > I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. > If a car is not used much the battery slowly lose its charge. Starting it up to run a short errand takes quite a bit of juice and you won't likely be recharging it enough to get it back up to snuff. Driving it about 20 miles should be enough to get the charge back up. My wife has a friend who has made me leery of recommending mechanics. She was having battery problems and I sent her to a friend. He replaced the battery. A week later the battery was dead and she wanted me to talk to the friend for her. As it turned out. He had replaced the batter and he had told her that the alternator was shot and needed to be replaced too. She didn't want to spend the money, so she ended up with a new battery that was not being recharged. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 10:08:34 AM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2021-02-13 4:41 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote: > > On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: > > > We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery > > was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. > > It hadn't been driven for about a week. > > > > We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we > > jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. > > I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. > > > If a car is not used much the battery slowly lose its charge. Starting > it up to run a short errand takes quite a bit of juice and you won't > likely be recharging it enough to get it back up to snuff. Driving it > about 20 miles should be enough to get the charge back up. That could be a problem. Everything I routinely drive to is about 5 miles away. It's difficult to justify simply driving around, especially since I don't really consider driving to be recreational. Perhaps we should develop the "Sunday drive" habit. Cindy Hamilton |
[OT] Don't do this!
On 2021-02-13 9:52 a.m., Sheldon Martin wrote:
> On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:43:28 -0500, Sheldon Martin > > wrote: > >> On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:37:14 -0500, Dave Smith >> > wrote: >> >>> On 2021-02-12 6:12 p.m., Taxed and Spent wrote: >>>> On 2/12/2021 3:05 PM, Leo wrote: >>> a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >>>>> >>>>> The last resort: >>>>> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >>>>> >>>>> Drive-Cycle> >>>>> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >>>>> >>>>> leo >>>> Your seven year old battery would likely be a goner even if you had >>>> driven the truck more.Â* They don't last forever. >>>> >>>> Interesting tip on the drive cycle though.Â* Thanks. >>> >>> Yep. That is a pretty good life for a battery. My motorcycle will be six >>> years old, so I am expecting to have to replace the battery this year. >>> I would like to do it myself and save some money, but I had to get in >>> there to boost it once (had left the ignition switch/lights on) and it >>> was a chore. Then there was the mess of wires. Maybe I should leave it >>> for a pro. > > Leaving the igmition switch on was entirely your fault. Yeah. I know that. I just said what had happened. There is a safety mechanism that shuts off the engine if the kick stand is down. I take off my gloves and helmet and I occasionally forget to turn off and remove the key. I try not to do that. It was my fault. >Generally > motocycle batteries will last twice as long as car batteries, > motorcycles draw no current with the engine off, unless you add an > after market anti-theft device. Motorcycles here have to have headlights at all times and are wired to the headlight is on when the ignition is on. An hour is long enough to run down the battery. > I've had both tractors nearly 20 years, both have the original > battery. The smaller one sits all winter unused, starts right up come > spring. The larger one is used to plow snow but has an oil pan heater > that I plug into to a house outlet a half hour before starting. I > also add an anti gel compound to the diesel for winter. Once the oil > is warm it starts right up too. Tractor batteries are half the size > of automobile batteries, with the tractors turned off they draw no > power. Maybe your pint sized tractor has a small battery. Real tractors have larger batteries. Thanks to my working for more than a decade in the highways department equipment section I have driven a lot more tractors and front end loaders than you have. They do tend to have good batteries that will really hold a charge, but we did have to replace them regularly. |
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On 2021-02-13 10:17 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 10:08:34 AM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote: > That could be a problem. Everything I routinely drive to is about 5 miles > away. It's difficult to justify simply driving around, especially since I don't > really consider driving to be recreational. > That is typical of a lot of people. Starting an engine is a major power draw. Thank goodness modern cars start up a lot faster and with less cranking than they used to. You draw all that power to start it, drive 5 miles, shut it off, then came back and start it up again and only drive five miles. The alternator is not recharging it enough for the first of the two starts. Then while it sits idle there are several electronic gizmos using power. Batteries run down too low or for two long tend to have shorter lives. > Perhaps we should develop the "Sunday drive" habit. Not a bad idea. Most of my errands are local and after a week I can notice the started having a little less pep. I use that as an excuse to run an errand that will take me a little further. Or... I slap a charger on it for a while. |
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On 2021-02-13 8:45 a.m., Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2021-02-13 10:17 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote: >> On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 10:08:34 AM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote: > >> That could be a problem.Â* Everything I routinely drive to is about 5 >> miles >> away.Â* It's difficult to justify simply driving around, especially >> since I don't >> really consider driving to be recreational. >> > > That is typical of a lot of people. Starting an engine is a major power > draw. Thank goodness modern cars start up a lot faster and with less > cranking than they used to. You draw all that power to start it, drive 5 > miles, shut it off, then came back and start it up again and only drive > five miles.Â* The alternator is not recharging it enough for the first of > the two starts. Then while it sits idle there are several electronic > gizmos using power. > > Batteries run down too low or for two long tend to have shorter lives. > > > >> Perhaps we should develop the "Sunday drive" habit. > > Not a bad idea.Â* Most of my errands are local and after a week I can > notice the started having a little less pep. I use that as an excuse to > run an errand that will take me a little further. Or... I slap a charger > on it for a while. > > I flattened the battery in my car last winter. Shortish journeys, heater and seat warmer on, radio blasting, headlights.... I had to go out yesterday (-20C) making 3 stops. So I took a longer way home to give the battery a chance to re-charge. I'll probably put it on trickle some time this w/e. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 Stu Rawlings wrote:
>On 2/12/2021 Dave Smith wrote: > >> it's only a 10 minutes job to replace a battery. > > >It's not as simple and easy on some of these vehicles >now as it used to be. That's very true, with many modern vehicals one can need special tools and know how... plus can be a very messy job with the anti-corrosive grease piled on the terminals. And then there's the battery acid to be aware of. Also to maintain the battery warranty it's best to have the place where the battery is purchased install it. Things are very different these days, used to be the place where one gased up also did vehical repairs and sold and installed batteries. Now where one buys gas there is no mechanic, they sell some groceries at a convenience store, there's no one to check tires and fluid levels... they don't sell batteries other than for a flashlight. Now where one gasses up you pump your own gas and clean your own windshield. The old time gas stations are essentially gone... want your oil changed either do it yourself of go somewhere that only does oil changes. Vehicles are no longer made for DIY types... the Ford dealer can't tune your Chevy... they can't get the software for different vehicals. If you need your flat tire repaired you pretty much need to go somewhere that only sells tires. I no longer even consider doing my own repairs, the only time I lift the hood on my vehical is to check the oil and washer fluid levels, and I still top off the tire pressure because since we have tires on so many aggricultural vehicals we have our own air compressor. A lot of people here have such large tractors that to get them into their barn they need to let half the air out of the tires and then they need to fill them with air when they're taken out... for the winter those vehicals are placed on jack stands to prevent tire rot. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:03:45 -0800 (PST), "
> wrote: >On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 8:14:19 PM UTC-6, Stu Rawlings wrote: >> >> On 2/12/2021 9:04 PM, Dave Smith wrote: >> >> > it's only a 10 minutes job to replace a battery. >> > >> It's not as simple and easy on some of these vehicles >> now as it used to be. >> >I don't know about batteries but I had some bodywork done almost 2 years >ago. Everything now is computer connected and things even like headlights >being removed the computer has to be reprogrammed. That's true and different manufactures don't share software. Some private auto repair shops can only obtain stripped down copied software and it could be several years old. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Sat, 13 Feb 2021 01:41:49 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton
> wrote: >On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: >> I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with >> only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to >> a battery. >> I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, >> hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog >> station. The truck failed spectacularly! >> Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off >> and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving >> the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on >> it. I have till April second. >> The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to >> get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >> >> The last resort: >> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >> Drive-Cycle> >> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >> >> leo > >We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery >was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. >It hadn't been driven for about a week. > >We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we >jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. >I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. > >No smog tests here. > >Cindy Hamilton It's not wise to leave a vehical undriven for any length of time and not just for the battery... in a colder climate 3 days is too long, and then it will need to be driven about fifty miles for the battery to be charged. Newer vehicals automatically turn on the lights when started, headlights can wreak havoc on batteries. Newer vehicles have several on board computers that in order to work properly need to have a fully charged battery. That's one reason I keep my 1990 Landcruiser, it has no computers and the lights don't come on when started. This year was the first time I brought it to a Toyota dealer to have it checked out and tune whatever needed it. Cost a grand but runs better than new and some of the mechanics there asked if I would sell it. I doubt I would, cost $28,000 new, now it would cost $128,000 for a new one. And mine is well tested and has only 96,000 miles. It's supposed to be good for 300,000 miles, it'll probably outlive me. |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 9:17:38 AM UTC-6, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> > On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 10:08:34 AM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote: > > > > If a car is not used much the battery slowly lose its charge. Starting > > it up to run a short errand takes quite a bit of juice and you won't > > likely be recharging it enough to get it back up to snuff. Driving it > > about 20 miles should be enough to get the charge back up. > > > That could be a problem. Everything I routinely drive to is about 5 miles > away. It's difficult to justify simply driving around, especially since I don't > really consider driving to be recreational. > > Perhaps we should develop the "Sunday drive" habit. > > Cindy Hamilton > Or just start it up once or twice a week and let it run 20 minutes or so. |
[OT] Don't do this!
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[OT] Don't do this!
Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: >> I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with >> only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to >> a battery. >> I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, >> hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog >> station. The truck failed spectacularly! >> Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off >> and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving >> the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on >> it. I have till April second. >> The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to >> get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >> >> The last resort: >> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >> Drive-Cycle> >> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >> >> leo > > We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery > was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. > It hadn't been driven for about a week. > > We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we > jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. > I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. > > No smog tests here. > > Cindy Hamilton > If it's going to sit more than a few days, you might consider getting a float charger. Here's one I use, I leave it on my tractor all time, except when I'm using it. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...9669_200589669 Be sure to get a device that has a temp sensor (like this one) to compensate for temperature. I've had three different brands, and this was the best of all them. |
[OT] Don't do this!
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 2/13/2021 6:46 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote: > >>>> >>>> We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the >>>> battery >>>> was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last >>>> summer. >>>> It hadn't been driven for about a week. >>>> >>>> We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day >>>> at lunch we >>>> jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, >>>> etc. So far so good. >>>> I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. >>> I don't use my pickup for many weeks sometimes and it still starts. >>> There is a limit, though. Maybe around the 2 months mark. And >>> it's a >>> different climate here, of course. >> >> Yes, a different climate.* We've had a lot of nighttime lows in >> the -15 C >> range. >> >> And my husband's vehicle is new enough that it might be trickling >> charge >> away from the battery to keep the backup camera from freezing, >> etc.* I've >> no idea what the thing might be doing while we're not looking. >> >> Cindy Hamilton >> > > New cars have a lot of technology that needs power while shut down. > Alarms, modems. remote sensors, etc > > Battery tender if it sits a long time. EXACTLY! One other tip, if you don't have a tender but need to park the car for a while: Check to see if the vehicle has a disconnect in the fuse box. These are switches that look like a giant fuze, but they don't pull all the way out. When you pull it out a small amount, it disconnects most all the stuff on standby power. Once you know where it is, it takes seconds to pull or push it back in. My truck will start and run fine with this disconnected, but some things like radio won't work. |
[OT] Don't do this!
Sheldon Martin wrote:
> On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 20:43:28 -0500, Sheldon Martin > > wrote: > >> On Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:37:14 -0500, Dave Smith >> > wrote: >> >>> On 2021-02-12 6:12 p.m., Taxed and Spent wrote: >>>> On 2/12/2021 3:05 PM, Leo wrote: >>> a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >>>>> >>>>> The last resort: >>>>> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >>>>> >>>>> Drive-Cycle> >>>>> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >>>>> >>>>> leo >>>> Your seven year old battery would likely be a goner even if you had >>>> driven the truck more.* They don't last forever. >>>> >>>> Interesting tip on the drive cycle though.* Thanks. >>> >>> Yep. That is a pretty good life for a battery. My motorcycle will be six >>> years old, so I am expecting to have to replace the battery this year. >>> I would like to do it myself and save some money, but I had to get in >>> there to boost it once (had left the ignition switch/lights on) and it >>> was a chore. Then there was the mess of wires. Maybe I should leave it >>> for a pro. > > Leaving the igmition switch on was entirely your fault. Generally > motocycle batteries will last twice as long as car batteries, > motorcycles draw no current with the engine off, unless you add an > after market anti-theft device. > I've had both tractors nearly 20 years, both have the original > battery. The smaller one sits all winter unused, starts right up come > spring. The larger one is used to plow snow but has an oil pan heater > that I plug into to a house outlet a half hour before starting. I > also add an anti gel compound to the diesel for winter. Once the oil > is warm it starts right up too. Tractor batteries are half the size > of automobile batteries, with the tractors turned off they draw no > power. Automobiles draw substantial power with the engine off, > there's the clock, and several pilot lamps that can't be turned off. > With my car I keep the dome light in the off position and I'm careful > not to leave any doors ajar... that pilot lamp in the dash can drain > the battery in one or two days, especially in winter. For anyone > living in a cold climate I strongly suggest having a battery charger > at home and another in the vehical with a 50' extention cord... and of > course always have jumper cables... how many times someone parks to > eat dinner and forgets to turn off the headlights. A big design > failure on vehicals is in not having a built-in timer that shuts off > the headlights within 10 minutes of turning off the motor. Headlights > can totally drain a battery in an hour. > And that's the way it was in the old days. Cars in the current century turn their headlights off if yoose forget, Popeye. We don't have to carry all the shit yoose keep in yoose trunk. |
[OT] Don't do this!
"Bruce" wrote in message ... On Sat, 13 Feb 2021 01:41:49 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton > wrote: >On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: >> I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery >> with >> only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that >> to >> a battery. >> I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I >> hemmed, >> hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the >> smog >> station. The truck failed spectacularly! >> Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches >> off >> and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by >> driving >> the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working >> on >> it. I have till April second. >> The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need >> to >> get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >> >> The last resort: >> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >> Drive-Cycle> >> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >> >> leo > >We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery >was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. >It hadn't been driven for about a week. > >We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we >jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far >so good. >I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. I don't use my pickup for many weeks sometimes and it still starts. There is a limit, though. Maybe around the 2 months mark. And it's a different climate here, of course. -- Here too. D. starts up our cars and lets them run for a while every week/or week or two. We don't really go anywhere atm since we are 'shielding', but we like to know we can use them if we need to! |
[OT] Don't do this!
Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 10:08:34 AM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote: >> On 2021-02-13 4:41 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote: >>> On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: >> >>> We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery >>> was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. >>> It hadn't been driven for about a week. >>> >>> We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we >>> jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. >>> I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. >>> >> If a car is not used much the battery slowly lose its charge. Starting >> it up to run a short errand takes quite a bit of juice and you won't >> likely be recharging it enough to get it back up to snuff. Driving it >> about 20 miles should be enough to get the charge back up. > > That could be a problem. Everything I routinely drive to is about 5 miles > away. It's difficult to justify simply driving around, especially since I don't > really consider driving to be recreational. > > Perhaps we should develop the "Sunday drive" habit. > > Cindy Hamilton > Five miles is PLENTY to charge the battery if it's in decent condition and the alternator/regulator is working properly. If you had a car with an ammeter installed, you'd see this. (Needle dropping back to only a few amps.) Battery might not be 100% charged, but it will be damn close after only a mile or two. |
[OT] Don't do this!
Sheldon Martin wrote:
> On Sat, 13 Feb 2021 01:41:49 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton > > wrote: > >> On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: >>> I don´t drive far anymore. My 2013 4wd Tacoma developed a dead battery with >>> only 4700 miles on it. I mean as of now. Seven years of neglect does that to >>> a battery. >>> I have to get a yearly smog test, so I had to get a new battery. I hemmed, >>> hawed and finally bit the bullet, changed the battery and drove to the smog >>> station. The truck failed spectacularly! >>> Once the battery is disconnected, the emission computer brain switches off >>> and its data goes bye-bye. A new data set has to be established by driving >>> the damned truck for way, way longer than to a smog station. I´m working on >>> it. I have till April second. >>> The Lesson: Don´t wait to change a modern vehicle battery until you need to >>> get a smog certificate. I didn´t know that. I do now. >>> >>> The last resort: >>> <https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...Toyota-Tacoma- >>> Drive-Cycle> >>> Let´s hope it doesn´t come to that. >>> >>> leo >> >> We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery >> was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. >> It hadn't been driven for about a week. >> >> We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we >> jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. >> I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. >> >> No smog tests here. >> >> Cindy Hamilton > > It's not wise to leave a vehical undriven for any length of time and > not just for the battery... in a colder climate 3 days is too long, > and then it will need to be driven about fifty miles for the battery > to be charged. Newer vehicals automatically turn on the lights when > started, headlights can wreak havoc on batteries. Newer vehicles have > several on board computers that in order to work properly need to have > a fully charged battery. That's one reason I keep my 1990 > Landcruiser, it has no computers and the lights don't come on when > started. This year was the first time I brought it to a Toyota dealer > to have it checked out and tune whatever needed it. Cost a grand but > runs better than new and some of the mechanics there asked if I would > sell it. I doubt I would, cost $28,000 new, now it would cost > $128,000 for a new one. And mine is well tested and has only 96,000 > miles. It's supposed to be good for 300,000 miles, it'll probably > outlive me. > It's the finest landcruiser in the entire universe Popeye! That's why yoose mechanics want to buy it. If yoose ever sell, ask them for $128,000,000. Plus a suck on their wives enormous titties! |
[OT] Don't do this!
On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 3:08:55 PM UTC-5, Hank Rogers wrote:
> Cindy Hamilton wrote: > > On Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 10:08:34 AM UTC-5, Dave Smith wrote: > >> On 2021-02-13 4:41 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote: > >>> On Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:06:00 PM UTC-5, Leo wrote: > >> > >>> We got in my husband's car last Monday to go to the doctor; the battery > >>> was dead. No idea what caused it; the battery was replaced last summer. > >>> It hadn't been driven for about a week. > >>> > >>> We used my car for the trip, but I had to go to work. Next day at lunch we > >>> jump-started it and let it run for a while, drove it around, etc. So far so good. > >>> I'm going to start taking his car to work every couple days. > >>> > >> If a car is not used much the battery slowly lose its charge. Starting > >> it up to run a short errand takes quite a bit of juice and you won't > >> likely be recharging it enough to get it back up to snuff. Driving it > >> about 20 miles should be enough to get the charge back up. > > > > That could be a problem. Everything I routinely drive to is about 5 miles > > away. It's difficult to justify simply driving around, especially since I don't > > really consider driving to be recreational. > > > > Perhaps we should develop the "Sunday drive" habit. > > > > Cindy Hamilton > > > Five miles is PLENTY to charge the battery if it's in decent > condition and the alternator/regulator is working properly. If you > had a car with an ammeter installed, you'd see this. (Needle > dropping back to only a few amps.) Battery might not be 100% > charged, but it will be damn close after only a mile or two. Yeah, I think the trick will be to drive his car every couple of days while the cold weather persists. This is the coldest winter we've had since he retired. I think we're just out of practice. Cindy Hamilton |
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