Lucy gave me another scare last night at the Friday cruise in. She started fine, idle was a tad rough. I drive less than a mile to get to the cruise in. I was parked for maybe 90 minutes to 2 hours max. I jumped in it and a very, very, very slow engine turn and pause. She eventually started and I got her home.

i reconnected her to a battery tender for the time being. I need to put her on a timing gun and see if the timing got jacked up. Otherwise I’m wondering if I have battery or alternator issue. Grrrr! 

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

Lucy gave me another scare last night at the Friday cruise in. She started fine, idle was a tad rough. I drive less than a mile to get to the cruise in. I was parked for maybe 90 minutes to 2 hours max. I jumped in it and a very, very, very slow engine turn and pause. She eventually started and I got her home.

i reconnected her to a battery tender for the time being. I need to put her on a timing gun and see if the timing got jacked up. Otherwise I’m wondering if I have battery or alternator issue. Grrrr! 

This is where you need a good charger that shows voltage, do you have a mutitester mate ? 

 i have 2 chargers , ones a old school anmeter unit .. and i can charge anything with it 

the other is a fancy new thing that shows volts amps etc, but the fucker wont charge flat batteries ! where as my old charge will !!

sounds like a battery issue Frosty , maybe a load test is needed ?

I do have a multi-meter. I also have an old battery charger that switches between 3A, 10A, and 50A charging. No amp meter on it though.  Just a charge or not charged light.

I have Battery Tender smart trickle chargers for all the cars in the fleet.

How old is your battery?

Old enough to be of concern. It’s an Optima. It’s over 5 years old, so it doesn’t owe me anything. This may be the second Optima to go bad on me this year. The one in BB died this spring.

A really good/easy way to check the health of the Battery...First thing...Make sure that the battery is fully charged...Using a Multi Meter check the battery at the terminals...If it shows a 12 volt surface charge that is good...Then have someone turn the key and try to start the engine (loads up the battery)...With the MultiMeter still on the battery terminals...If the battery voltage drops off significantly (10 volts or less) while starting the engine...That is a very good indicator that the battery is on the way out/Done For...

If you suspect an Alternator issue...With the engine running...Using the multimeter check the alternator output right at the alternator itself..Place the positive lead of the meter right to the stud where the main red wire hooks to the alternator from the battery...Then simply put the ground lead right to the outer case of the alternator....It should indicate somewhere between 13.2 and 13.5 and 15.1 or 15.2 volts...Any less and the alternator will have a hard time keeping the battery charged...If it shows anymore than around 15.1 or 15.2 volts indicates that the internal voltage regulator is letting the alternator overcharge and will eventually cause the battery to boil over...If the alternator checks out OK...Then check the voltage at the battery It should be reading really close to the same voltage as the Alternator is putting out...If not...That indicates an issue in the wiring between the alternator and the battery...(high resistance/loose or corroded connections... ETC..)

Finally....Another check to perform on the alternator (diodes)...Is to disconnect the ground cable at the battery...Then put a 12 volt test light between the ground post on the battery and the end of the ground cable...if the light is brightly lit that indicates a parasitic draw on the system...If that is the case...Unhook the plug from the (top/side) of the alternator if the light goes out when the alternator is unplugged that can indicate that there is a bad diode in the alternator...

Was unable to photograph the load test....Because I have No one to start the car...

Will be attending the monthly Cruise in at Midway NC..Today Hopefully will be a good turn out today....

TLBT...

PS...Really like the Challenger..!

1st off it wasn't A Hornet....  It was a freakin GANG of em.  Sorry to hear Lucy is giving you fits again.

One other thing that I forgot to mention...If everything checks out electrically...Taking out a degree or two of timing...Could very well help/eliminate your slow starting issue...Especially in Hot weather....

4 hours ago, TWO LANE BLACK TOP said:

A really good/easy way to check the health of the Battery...First thing...Make sure that the battery is fully charged...Using a Multi Meter check the battery at the terminals...If it shows a 12 volt surface charge that is good...Then have someone turn the key and try to start the engine (loads up the battery)...With the MultiMeter still on the battery terminals...If the battery voltage drops off significantly (10 volts or less) while starting the engine...That is a very good indicator that the battery is on the way out/Done For...

If you suspect an Alternator issue...With the engine running...Using the multimeter check the alternator output right at the alternator itself..Place the positive lead of the meter right to the stud where the main red wire hooks to the alternator from the battery...Then simply put the ground lead right to the outer case of the alternator....It should indicate somewhere between 13.2 and 13.5 and 15.1 or 15.2 volts...Any less and the alternator will have a hard time keeping the battery charged...If it shows anymore than around 15.1 or 15.2 volts indicates that the internal voltage regulator is letting the alternator overcharge and will eventually cause the battery to boil over...If the alternator checks out OK...Then check the voltage at the battery It should be reading really close to the same voltage as the Alternator is putting out...If not...That indicates an issue in the wiring between the alternator and the battery...(high resistance/loose or corroded connections... ETC..)

Finally....Another check to perform on the alternator (diodes)...Is to disconnect the ground cable at the battery...Then put a 12 volt test light between the ground post on the battery and the end of the ground cable...if the light is brightly lit that indicates a parasitic draw on the system...If that is the case...Unhook the plug from the (top/side) of the alternator if the light goes out when the alternator is unplugged that can indicate that there is a bad diode in the alternator...

Was unable to photograph the load test....Because I have No one to start the car...

Will be attending the monthly Cruise in at Midway NC..Today Hopefully will be a good turn out today....

TLBT...

PS...Really like the Challenger..!

nice explaination two lane 

and a nice easy way of load testing that optma !

Edited August 11, 20241 yr by 64 kiwi boni

I had a little bit of time to look at Lucy last night. I can't say I accomplished very much though since it was close to sunset before I could get to the garage mahal.

I did manage to put a voltmeter on the battery after disconnecting it from the battery tender. It showed 12.95 volts at rest.

I started the car and pulled it out into the night air. The garage mahal has no AC or fans, so it can get stuffy and sweaty real quick without some air movement. While it was running I checked the voltage at the battery, it was 14.96 volts. So that tells me the alternator is working fine.

I pulled out my trusty Craftsman/Penske timing gun which my dad purchased new around 1969/1970 when we had to work on the family Chevy Nova. Initial timing on Lucy is around 14 degrees, if I am reading the timing marks correctly. With my eyes, that's a 50-50 proposition.

I didn't have time to disconnect the vacuum advance or loosen the distributor and perhaps push it to 11-10 degrees. That will be for another time.

Tonight is the rolling cruise for Back to the Bricks. I'll be meeting up with Justa and the Widetrackers ater tonight around 6 pm.

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Frosty

Of course you know this Frosty - 5 years out of a modern battery is very good going. Modern batteries aren't made like the ones from yesteryear. I know you have a penchant towards Optima (they are sold here too) but way too expensive. I always opt for the best a dedicated battery supplier has and it'll come with a 3 year warranty. If it makes it to 3 years, I've done okay. I also try to cram in as many CCAs as I can within the required footprint - you can't have too many of those suckers, especially in the cold climate you blokes live in.

I hear you Fitzy. I initially took to Optima because their design and manufacturing resisted battery sulfating better than conventional batteries. So I could get 7 or more years out of the battery. However, I lost one Optima this year already for Black Beauty. I replaced it with a little less expensive AC Delco from my local Menards. So if the battery in Lucy is going bad, I will likely step away from Optima for good.

Good to see Lucy out N about.  You also have starting issues that need to be addressed. Did you get a chance to look at and speak to any 455 owners?

No not really. I did peak at some of the cars that didn't have AC when they had their hoods open. So I know roughly were the bolt hold down is.

Not sure if I will have time this week to play with Lucy since we are packing and heading to Hilton Head Friday. I will need to dedicate some time to her once I'm back. She needs a serious deep clean.

1. She's dirty from the rain all weekend. 

2. Carpet needs vacuuming.

3. I need to change the timing to try to fix the hot start issue.

4. I've wanted to clay bar her too.

5. I want to install my new valve covers.

6. The AC brackets and such look really bad now so that needs to be cleaned and painted up. The whole engine bay could stand some TLC.

The new ratchet straps arrived today. (thankz again) Will be part of your goodie bag when I pickup your show material and turn in your event card. Am I suppose to get what you bought from their list?

Thank you!

No need to pick up anything from the list. I gave Ray the check Friday morning. He left  M1 around noon and he came back later in the day with the stuff. We are good there. Just note that items Q and R probably aren’t there anymore.

Right now I’m planning on being at the Clarkston church show on Labor Day. I might bring the Challenger. Is there pre-registration for that show?

Edited August 19, 20241 yr by Frosty

Nope... I will be there early to secure one of the few spots you can set up a tent. Will do what I can to save ya a spot.

Define early…..8 am? Before 8? I know we need to be early to get free Tim Horton’s coffee and donuts! Oh yeah, and good parking spots too! 

I usually leave my house at 7:30 and arrive there about 7:50.  You don't have to be there that early.  There is only 4 spots to put up a tent with any kinda room. Long as we get one.  I have my tent so you can save some trunk space.  Hoping Rick N LUGGAGE forgot about the show.  

Okay I’ll plan to be there close,to 8 am then.

12 hours ago, Frosty said:

Define early…..8 am? Before 8? I know we need to be early to get free Tim Horton’s coffee and donuts! Oh yeah, and good parking spots too! 

Bout sums it up....

1 hour ago, JUSTA6 said:

Bout sums it up....

Dangit, now I want donuts...

On 8/31/2024 at 10:51 PM, Frosty said:

Define early…..8 am? Before 8? I know we need to be early to get free Tim Horton’s coffee and donuts! Oh yeah, and good parking spots too! 

Well good thing I stopped at Tim Horton’s for breakfast this morning! The church got cheap ,this year. No Timmy’s coffee or donuts! I think they bought some Maxwell House ground coffee and a bunch of Enteman’s pre-made sugar, chocolate covered, and cinnamon donuts. 

The weather finally cooperated today. Decent wrenching weather but i didn’t get as much done as i wanted to. Iss de-railed by Violet and her bad tire sensor. I outline that in my Challenger thread.

Still I did get somethings done on Lucy. 
 

First thing I did was I disassembled the driver door. I installed dynomat inside the door. While the door card was off, I used Gorilla glue to put the carpet that was coming loose back on. Once the glue was dry, I used some black touch up paint from BB to clean up the door card. 
 

Once the door was back together, I removed the driver seat and I installed a two inch seat set back plates to move thecseat rearward two inches. I got this kit from YEAR

With the seat installed, I started to run the microphone wire for my Retro Sound radio. I want to be able to connect my iPhone to the radio and go hands free. I got as far as running it from the sun visor to the floor before I had to leave. 

I also put rubber cement on the valve cover gaskets for my new valve covers. I put the gaskets on the valve covers for now and let them dry.

Well today was another unmitigated disaster. I jumped in Lucy and she would barely turn over. She’d weakly turn over and then stopped cranking completely. Ugh!

Now I have a cold start AND a hot start issue. F’ me! However I think I might know what the problem is……

Notice anything?

 

Yeah nothing like a 15 year-old Optima battery! They just don’t make them like that anymore!!!!!

Obviously I bought another battery and installed it. Vrroom! She starts right up. Imagine that!!!! So now I am wondering if my hot start issue is battery related too. I am going to drive the car some before I tweak the timing, justa to be sure.