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97 Struggling To Start


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It is kind of hard to explain but here it goes. Every time I start the car after it gets cold, it seems like it doesn't have enough power to start. The battery is new and I cleaned the IACV this summer. It doesn't act like it doesn't have enough juice like when a battery is dead. It still starts but it is a little slow. It still cranks but when it cuts on it seems like the RPM's are very low. I really can't describe it any better than that. The car runs great all of the time. This is just the one thing I noticed lately. She has 170K on it. New spark plugs, wires, clean IACV, new battery. Has anyone ever encountered this before? Any thoughts?

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It's a possibility! But it doesn't act like the battery is dead or going dead. It still cranks like it has enough power but when the engine turns over it seems like the engine has to build up to normal RPM's. It doesn't sputter or anything like that but it seems like the engine ignites but is not turning as fast as normal. Like I said, it is hard to describe so I can paint a clear enough picture for you guys.

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It's a possibility!  But it doesn't act like the battery is dead or going dead.  It still cranks like it has enough power but when the engine turns over it seems like the engine has to build up to normal RPM's.  It doesn't sputter or anything like that but it seems like the engine ignites but is not turning as fast as normal.  Like I said, it is hard to describe so I can paint a clear enough picture for you guys.

Did you check the volts on the battery? Did you check the volts with car running and then again with everything elec on? Your battery could be working but not 100% too.

Not being a pain, but take the 5 minutes and check it with a volt meter.

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It's a possibility!  But it doesn't act like the battery is dead or going dead.  It still cranks like it has enough power but when the engine turns over it seems like the engine has to build up to normal RPM's.  It doesn't sputter or anything like that but it seems like the engine ignites but is not turning as fast as normal.  Like I said, it is hard to describe so I can paint a clear enough picture for you guys.

Did you check the volts on the battery? Did you check the volts with car running and then again with everything elec on? Your battery could be working but not 100% too.

Not being a pain, but take the 5 minutes and check it with a volt meter.

Yeah, that's true. One day a few months ago, my car wouldn't start but after jumping it the battery was okay for a day or so before I brought it in to be tested. My car was doing the same thing you say yours is doing... it didn't sputter or have low RPMs.

When I brought it in the guy said my CCU (cold cranking units) were supposed to be around 500 or something and they were only at 250. So, maybe you received a defective battery that is just barely working? It's possible.

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I had the same thing with my truck. Even if I jumped it to another car. Engine cranked very slow, then sped up just enough to start. Turned out it was the starter going bad. Put new starter in. That did the trick. Had nothing to do with Battery, Charging, or wires. Just a starter going bad.

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It's a possibility!  But it doesn't act like the battery is dead or going dead.  It still cranks like it has enough power but when the engine turns over it seems like the engine has to build up to normal RPM's.  It doesn't sputter or anything like that but it seems like the engine ignites but is not turning as fast as normal.  Like I said, it is hard to describe so I can paint a clear enough picture for you guys.

Did you check the volts on the battery? Did you check the volts with car running and then again with everything elec on? Your battery could be working but not 100% too.

Not being a pain, but take the 5 minutes and check it with a volt meter.

Yeah, that's true. One day a few months ago, my car wouldn't start but after jumping it the battery was okay for a day or so before I brought it in to be tested. My car was doing the same thing you say yours is doing... it didn't sputter or have low RPMs.

When I brought it in the guy said my CCU (cold cranking units) were supposed to be around 500 or something and they were only at 250. So, maybe you received a defective battery that is just barely working? It's possible.

500 cca? Wow, my tractor has more!!!!! :D

I would check the volts since you can't check cca. So what volts you have just sitting there. I hope it is between 13.8v to like 14.2 or 14.4v.

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It's a possibility!  But it doesn't act like the battery is dead or going dead.  It still cranks like it has enough power but when the engine turns over it seems like the engine has to build up to normal RPM's.  It doesn't sputter or anything like that but it seems like the engine ignites but is not turning as fast as normal.  Like I said, it is hard to describe so I can paint a clear enough picture for you guys.

Did you check the volts on the battery? Did you check the volts with car running and then again with everything elec on? Your battery could be working but not 100% too.

Not being a pain, but take the 5 minutes and check it with a volt meter.

Yeah, that's true. One day a few months ago, my car wouldn't start but after jumping it the battery was okay for a day or so before I brought it in to be tested. My car was doing the same thing you say yours is doing... it didn't sputter or have low RPMs.

When I brought it in the guy said my CCU (cold cranking units) were supposed to be around 500 or something and they were only at 250. So, maybe you received a defective battery that is just barely working? It's possible.

500 cca? Wow, my tractor has more!!!!! :D

I would check the volts since you can't check cca. So what volts you have just sitting there. I hope it is between 13.8v to like 14.2 or 14.4v.

mburnickas, what is the cca supposed to be at then? I think the guy told me 500. Is this incorrect? I thought Consumer Reports had a battery test referring to cca's... maybe it was 1500. Don't remember.

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mburnickas, what is the cca supposed to be at then?  I think the guy told me 500.  Is this incorrect?  I thought Consumer Reports had a battery test referring to cca's... maybe it was 1500.  Don't remember.

I would check the battery. The cca does not mean jack if the battery volts is below par.

I do not know what the original battery had (around 500 seems about right), but my new one (optima) is around 850! My tractor is about 1,000. You could have a bad cell from the start so please double check it.

1500 is not gonna happen in one battery. You could need 2 for that cca unless you have a train (locamotive)battery.

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Okay, I thought you were serious that 500 ccas in a battery was incorrect.  That's why I had clarified.  Don't wanna be saying anything incorrectly.  :-)

500 could be close or not. My point was that is 500 is still low and I would not run a 500 or 600 in my car or anything; maybe my bike :)

Even my wife has over 800! :):):)

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