So Many Issues. Where To Start...howbout BATTERY ISSUES? 94 LS400
04-14-18, 07:03 PM
#1
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So Many Issues. Where To Start...howbout BATTERY ISSUES? 94 LS400
Newbie here. Been stalking the forum ever since buying up my LS a few weeks back..
let me start by saying im pretty much clueless when it comes to any kind of vehicle problems/maintenance but im starting to learn a few things and this page has helped out quite a bit
so i recently picked up my 94 ls400 for 600$ and thought i had gotten a great deal and was really happy with my purchase.. especially after seeing the online community still involved around it.
needless to say... im starting to wonder if i even got such a good deal.
okay so i did buy the car knowing some issues, #1 the front passenger wheel bearing needs to be replaced. (still needs to be done) #2. had some electrical issues, causing the headlights not to work properly. ( fixed that thanks to this site- trunk latch wiring harness had some split wires. and replaced the headlights) and #3 SMOG- did not pass smog here in CA... i was thinking i could solve the problem as it passed all catagories except one. it failed with really high HC.. i bought it anyway...
i was being stupid and driving it around with the expired tags and still hadnt taken the pink slip to the DMV.. ya i know... im currently unemployed and have limited funds and it was my only vehicle... anyway long story short i end up getting the car impounded. it was not yet in my name so the tow yard wouldnt let me get it. next day went to the dmv and waited all day to pay the reg and put it in my name. come to find out they dont take credit cards! :/ fast forward another two days and im finally getting it back. the guy at the tow yard was nice and went easy on my but still it cost me almost as much as i paid for the car..
so now im sitting here a little over 1200 into it.. still havent done the wheelbearing ( i actually bought it from autozone for 50$ and had planned to do it. i saw that wheel was missing a 1 & 1/2 lugs so i decided to get the whole assembly from a junk yard. went a couple days ago to get it but wasnt able to get it offf.....
anyways the whole reason why im here right now... so i have it jacked up as i was changing the oil and filter and flushing the cooling system. ( i left the car idling for maybe 30mins last week and then something sounded like it blew up then it started steaming and smoking really bad. went over and noticed coolant everywhere shut it off and rolled it in the garage where its sat since. i thought that was really strange since i had driven it quite a bit before that and never had any issues... but thats for another time)
so my battery appherently died which wouldnt have been the first time (not shutting one of the doors all the way and a light stays on) so i bring out my battery charger and leave the battery connected to the vehicle like every other time, but when i connected it NOTHING.. weird i thought maybe its the battery charger. i disconnected the NEG of the car from the battery and try the battery charger again.. and it WORKED?? i can not get the battery charger to read it at all when the negative termanal is connected? why would that be? it has always worked before.. the battery is pretty new still under warrenty from previous owner?
i appreciate anyone that can help me, maybe its a something stupid, like i said im new to this sort of thing.. and sorry if im all over the place here i havent even brought all my other issues im having ill get to them after i get this figured out ;}
let me start by saying im pretty much clueless when it comes to any kind of vehicle problems/maintenance but im starting to learn a few things and this page has helped out quite a bit
so i recently picked up my 94 ls400 for 600$ and thought i had gotten a great deal and was really happy with my purchase.. especially after seeing the online community still involved around it.
needless to say... im starting to wonder if i even got such a good deal.
okay so i did buy the car knowing some issues, #1 the front passenger wheel bearing needs to be replaced. (still needs to be done) #2. had some electrical issues, causing the headlights not to work properly. ( fixed that thanks to this site- trunk latch wiring harness had some split wires. and replaced the headlights) and #3 SMOG- did not pass smog here in CA... i was thinking i could solve the problem as it passed all catagories except one. it failed with really high HC.. i bought it anyway...
i was being stupid and driving it around with the expired tags and still hadnt taken the pink slip to the DMV.. ya i know... im currently unemployed and have limited funds and it was my only vehicle... anyway long story short i end up getting the car impounded. it was not yet in my name so the tow yard wouldnt let me get it. next day went to the dmv and waited all day to pay the reg and put it in my name. come to find out they dont take credit cards! :/ fast forward another two days and im finally getting it back. the guy at the tow yard was nice and went easy on my but still it cost me almost as much as i paid for the car..
so now im sitting here a little over 1200 into it.. still havent done the wheelbearing ( i actually bought it from autozone for 50$ and had planned to do it. i saw that wheel was missing a 1 & 1/2 lugs so i decided to get the whole assembly from a junk yard. went a couple days ago to get it but wasnt able to get it offf.....
anyways the whole reason why im here right now... so i have it jacked up as i was changing the oil and filter and flushing the cooling system. ( i left the car idling for maybe 30mins last week and then something sounded like it blew up then it started steaming and smoking really bad. went over and noticed coolant everywhere shut it off and rolled it in the garage where its sat since. i thought that was really strange since i had driven it quite a bit before that and never had any issues... but thats for another time)
so my battery appherently died which wouldnt have been the first time (not shutting one of the doors all the way and a light stays on) so i bring out my battery charger and leave the battery connected to the vehicle like every other time, but when i connected it NOTHING.. weird i thought maybe its the battery charger. i disconnected the NEG of the car from the battery and try the battery charger again.. and it WORKED?? i can not get the battery charger to read it at all when the negative termanal is connected? why would that be? it has always worked before.. the battery is pretty new still under warrenty from previous owner?
i appreciate anyone that can help me, maybe its a something stupid, like i said im new to this sort of thing.. and sorry if im all over the place here i havent even brought all my other issues im having ill get to them after i get this figured out ;}
04-16-18, 09:59 AM
#2
Wow... lot's going on here...sorry for all the bad luck...
Let's work on the battery... based on what you've stated above we know.
1. Battery is good, because it's fairly new and under warranty. Won't know for sure until you test it, but looks promising.
2. Can charge the battery without the negative cable on... which is good, I'd go ahead and get that started.
3. Can charge the battery without the neg cable on, so charger is good.
Only thing the Neg battery cable does is connect the battery post to the ground on the car. This grounding position can deteriorate over time so might be good to double check that.
Cannot image why charger would not work when cable is attached as the cable clamp should simply be a conduit to the battery post. Pretty simple. Unless you've got corrosion, buildup inside the clamp or on the post that needs to be cleaned off....or when you attach the clamp you don't have a good connection. It should be a simple connection.
Let's work on the battery... based on what you've stated above we know.
1. Battery is good, because it's fairly new and under warranty. Won't know for sure until you test it, but looks promising.
2. Can charge the battery without the negative cable on... which is good, I'd go ahead and get that started.
3. Can charge the battery without the neg cable on, so charger is good.
Only thing the Neg battery cable does is connect the battery post to the ground on the car. This grounding position can deteriorate over time so might be good to double check that.
Cannot image why charger would not work when cable is attached as the cable clamp should simply be a conduit to the battery post. Pretty simple. Unless you've got corrosion, buildup inside the clamp or on the post that needs to be cleaned off....or when you attach the clamp you don't have a good connection. It should be a simple connection.
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