Well this WAS not fun. (trouble starting/running truck)

[dustin83]

So my truck has been sitting in a parked, in a heated garage, for over a week now. I sent the gauge cluster to a company in VA to fix the erratic fuel gauge. Anywho, I went to move the truck today, dead battery. I got another car over for a jump, the truck fired right up. It died about 10 seconds after I pulled the cables. Hooked everything back up, and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Pulled the cables, it died. Tried starting the truck, starter clicked, lights barely lit, the annoying tone is barely playing. At this point I give up and put the truck back. I pulled the battery and brought it to Batteries Plus to test it. They are keeping the battery overnight. Anyone here have any ideas?

 

[Sierra]

sounds like a dead battery.

 

[dustin83]

I understand that, but dead as in just needs a charge? I've drained batteries dead before, like bone dead, but the vehicle would stay running after jumping it. I was also thinking maybe the alt, but that didnt sound right.

 

[Sierra]

I mean dead as in throw it away dead. The truck will stay running as along as you got the jumpers on it b/c it is running off the other vehicles charging system. Have you checked the alternator? This will also happen if alternator is bad as well.

 

[dustin83]

I dont have any equipment to test the alt. I live in an apt, I'd have to pull the alt and bring it somewhere, unless you know of another way?

 

[Sierra]

a volt meter doesn't cost that much and always comes in handy with electrical stuff.

 

[dustin83]

since the battery is not in, could I hook it up the 08 Malibu, run the truck off that, and test the alt like that with a volt meter?

 

[Sierra]

No, b/c you will get a false reading from the malibu's charging system. You need to have a battery in the truck. Now you can take the battery out of the malibu and put in the truck and test it that way.

 

[dustin83]

Thanks man, I'll just wait until I get my battery back. Have you looked under the hoods of these new cars? EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING, is underneath plastic covers and I'm not going to mess with that.

 

[Sierra]

yeah, I have an 08 g6. I understand.