Reply With Quote6 year old battery uncharged for 6 weeks? I'd say that's pretty normal. I would definitely buy a new one.
3 Grand Master
How long should a good battery take to discharge hooked up...
to a parked car? I have a autozone 49d that i have had in my e34 for about 6 weeks now, undriven. The battery is about 6 years old, so this is mostly for my curiousity. I tried to start it this morning for a little 1-2 mile drive, and found that the starter wouldn't even click--the fasten seatbelt display just dropped somewhat dimmer than it was. I want to drive the car to canada in december, more likely than not, so I'm probably going to change the battery before then. Thanks.
Major Contributor
6 year old battery uncharged for 6 weeks? I'd say that's pretty normal. I would definitely buy a new one.
BMW E34 528i, M52B28 + M50 manifold, Remus exhaust, ///M Parallel Spoke 18" rims
4 Grand Master
6 years old is old... but you can try that battery conditioning trick that is well document on this forum to bring it back alive...
Autozone has 7 years prorate warranty so you might save several bucks. Colder temp really does kill weak battery.
3 Grand Master
If you are talking about the one with the carbon pile, I'm pretty sure that I wrote it
this battery has been ryan-conditioned once about 2 years ago. it has kept on trucking up til this point. the longest i've left this battery before has been 3 weeks, and it started right up then.
Originally Posted by Tiger
4 Grand Master
LOL... it is probably you. Try charging it up and see what voltage it holds and when cranking... If it drops to below 9.6V during starting, you know it is bad.
Green Beret Special Ops
Praises the method and have a 1 year batt that just wont respond to anything. Direct short nothing, batt tender zero, maybe dump the acid and add acid from other known dead battery?If you are talking about the one with the carbon pile, I'm pretty sure that I wrote it
this battery has been ryan-conditioned once about 2 years ago. it has kept on trucking up til this point. the longest i've left this battery before has been 3 weeks, and it started right up then.
95 E34 530I V2.37
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Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy
3 Grand Master
what was it on? a boat, a pump of some kind? is this one connected in series or parallel in some way to other batteries. I've never done the dump and wash myself. I take it that your warranty is toasted before I suggest something?
Last edited by ryan roopnarine; 10-18-2009 at 11:51 PM.
4 Grand Master
I've had better luck using Ryan's method than dumping and refilling with fresh electrolyte.
Yours sounds like it's shorted internally. I've heard that if enough of the "stuff" on the plates precipitates off it can build up enough to short circuit the cells so may be a dump and wash out could help but at one year I'd be trying hard for a warranty claim instead.
"The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"
2 Grand Master
Where is the old post by Ryan for reconditioning old batteries?
When reading the battery in volts, what amount is too low to restore a dead battery?
3 Grand Master
I'd try it even if it is too low, you've only lost your time if it doesn't work.
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showt...t=battery+ross
Jeff, If you don't mind d*cking around with the acid, I have something to suggest and a table of acid concentrations. all you'd need is new acid and the gravity tester.
oh yeah, and about the original thought in the thread. i tried starting it at 5 in the morning, when I was leaving at 6. I didn't have time to try to charge it or jump it. I'll look at it when i'm back in town.
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