Dead battery (don't laugh)

Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it won't
stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this is
my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a new
one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this battery come
back to life?

n.

I would drive around a little longer, and let the computer
reprogram it's self, it's running it the safe mode after having it's
brains sucked out, your radio's presets should be gone too.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

Nathan Otis wrote:
>
> Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
> Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
> jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it won't
> stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this is
> my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a new
> one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this battery come
> back to life?
>
> n.

Thanks, Bill. I hope you're right... I'll drive to work tomorrow (30
minutes+) and if it doesn't start after work, I've got the cables with me so
I can get somewhere and buy a new battery. Maybe an Optima...

n.

"L.W. ("ßill") Hughes III" > wrote in message
...
> I would drive around a little longer, and let the computer
> reprogram it's self, it's running it the safe mode after having it's
> brains sucked out, your radio's presets should be gone too.
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
> http://www.billhughes.com/
>
> Nathan Otis wrote:
>>
>> Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
>> Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
>> jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it
>> won't
>> stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this
>> is
>> my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a
>> new
>> one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this battery
>> come
>> back to life?
>>
>> n.

Nathan Otis did pass the time by typing:
> Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
> Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
> jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it won't
> stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this is
> my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a new
> one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this battery come
> back to life?

Just a hunch but it sounds like the computer lost the TPS calibration.

Give this a whack.
With the key on, engine not running, slowly depress the gas peddle
all the way to the floor and slowly release it about five times.
(slow is about a six second round trip, so it's not too s.l.o.w.)

Turn the key off, and then start the engine and see if that helps.

--
DougW

If your battery is several years old (say 4 years or more) and you do a
full discharge, the battery will usually drop crud off the plates and
short out at least one cell. Take it to a decent battery place, they
will test it (for free!) on an automated tester that charges the
battery, measures the temp to properly correct for temp, and then puts a
suitable load on it.

My take is that the first time the battery gives you any flack at 4
years or better, just replace it. Trying to scrape an extra year is a
lot of hassle for the extra $10 or $15 you might save.

Nathan Otis wrote:
> Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
> Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
> jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it won't
> stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this is
> my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a new
> one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this battery come
> back to life?
>
> n.
>
>

Give it a good long charge, a few months ago I left my lights on on the CJ
for a week, yes a week, battery of unknown age, ( I've had jeep for 2 years,
battery in it when I got it ) anyway gave it a slow charge on a charger and
all was fine.

"Nathan Otis" > wrote in message
news
> Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
> Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
> jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it won't
> stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this
> is my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a
> new one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this
> battery come back to life?
>
> n.
>

I have a similar problem,

I have a red top and a yellow top optima. The batteries are dead it
seemed, I didn't drive the Jeep in over half a year.

So I bought a charger, the yellow top charges just fine. The redtop
however doesn't seem to charge. On the charger an indicator says that
the voltage is bearly getting over 10V. Since there "seem" to be six
cells (6 cylinder shapes on the outside) does that probably mean that
one of the cells in the red top isn't working anymore ?

On the web I read something about Optima batteries need to be charged in
a "special" way, is that true ?

I just want to make sure the optima red top is dead.. I hate to put in a
new red top if the old one is not broken.

thanks,

Ron


Greg wrote:
> Give it a good long charge, a few months ago I left my lights on on the CJ
> for a week, yes a week, battery of unknown age, ( I've had jeep for 2 years,
> battery in it when I got it ) anyway gave it a slow charge on a charger and
> all was fine.
>
> "Nathan Otis" > wrote in message
> news >
>>Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
>>Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
>>jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it won't
>>stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this
>>is my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a
>>new one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this
>>battery come back to life?
>>
>>n.
>>
>
>
>

"Nathan Otis" > wrote in message
news
> Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
> Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
> jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it won't
> stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this
is
> my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a new
> one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this battery
come
> back to life?
>


Well, it could mean the end of the road for the battery if it is an old one,
or it could be suitable for recharging. Driving for 10 minutes isn't going
to help though. The battery can be checked to see if it can hold a charge
reliably, but if the battery is more than 36 months old, it is probably
toast and you should just break down and buy a new one.

Nathan,
Most likely your battery is toast but make sure you are making a good
electrical connection at the battery posts they could have gotten messed up
during the jump start.
Good Luck
Neil
"Nathan Otis" > wrote in message
news
> Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
> Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
> jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it won't
> stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this
> is my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a
> new one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this
> battery come back to life?
>
> n.
>

Well... It started right up this morning. I drove it to work and it seemed
ok, except it died when I parked it. Started right up after work and was
fine on the way home but it died at a couple stop lights and again when I
parked. Each time I have no problems starting it... After it sits for a
while it will run, too (like this morning and after work when I started it).

What's going on? Is this just the battery or is there another problem?
n.

"L.W. ("ßill") Hughes III" > wrote in message
...
> I would drive around a little longer, and let the computer
> reprogram it's self, it's running it the safe mode after having it's
> brains sucked out, your radio's presets should be gone too.
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
> http://www.billhughes.com/
>
> Nathan Otis wrote:
>>
>> Well, I left the lights on this evening and I come out to a dead battery.
>> Turn the key and all I get is "click". I poulled out the cables and got a
>> jump to get it started (drove around for about 10-15 minutes) but it
>> won't
>> stay running without goosing the gas. I ask you not to laugh because this
>> is
>> my first dead battery and I don't know if these symptoms mean I need a
>> new
>> one or if I get it started and drive a little longer, will this battery
>> come
>> back to life?
>>
>> n.