No sparkplug firing while starter turns engine over on low battery

[Dennys Adventures]

it only takes a few minutes of your time at an auto parts store for them to run a battery drain test and also check the charging system. all free of charge. if a new battery is needed a Walmart battery is the way to go they are good battery's.

 

[CosmickGold]

it only takes a few minutes of your time at an auto parts store for them to run a battery drain test and also check the charging system. all free of charge. if a new battery is needed a Walmart battery is the way to go they are good battery's.

Great idea, Denny!
(I don't know why I didn't think of that myself, and I didn't know they'd also check the charging system.)
Thanks to you, my morning plan is to have them test battery and charging like you said (instead of only guessing I need a new battery).
Then I'll buy the $69 model if needed.

 

[CosmickGold]

it only takes a few minutes of your time at an auto parts store for them to run a battery drain test and also check the charging system. all free of charge. if a new battery is needed a Walmart battery is the way to go they are good battery's.

I took my van's battery to the store today, as you suggested. They didn't even have to use their tester because of the sides being so bulged out. The girl explained that when the sides of a battery bulge out like that, it means the cells are swolen inside and the battery is DEFINITELY bad, no doubt about it. So she sold me the $69 new battery, and I was happily on my way. Thanks again for stating what I needed to do!

 

[user 16179]

I'm sure you are correct in many if not most cases, and gave good advice.

But in my case, I had this problem two years ago of cranking and cranking and no start. I was told "if you've got enough power to crank the engine, it's not the battery because that's enough power for a spark and gas. However, when I fully charged the battery, it started right up! So I bought a new battery which solved the problem that year. It was the most expensive battery -- about $300 -- but I think I have abused it so much it's now mosying slowly toward "The Elephant Grave Yard". So this time I'll take tzagi's advice and just get the $69 battery; he said it can't be beat.

Batteries get "sulfated" as they are ran extremely low. This causes very low performance. SOMEtimes they can be helped (repaired?) with a special charging method. Try solar installers to see if they can do this. Or, maybe auto sound system installers, they often run a separate battery for big systems. I don't know if they do this, it might be worth a try.
I use 2X 6v 200Ah AGM batteries. It seems to me that if I use my NOCO Genius 10 charger to fully charge and run through a "repair" mode, maybe every six months or so, it "regenerates"(or something) the batteries and they perform better. I could simply be that I need to think I spent $110 on a battery charger for a reason.
You might try this before you dump a $300 battery.

 

[Sasnak]

Using a standard battery as a deep cycle will shorten its life.

 

[CosmickGold]

it only takes a few minutes of your time at an auto parts store for them to run a battery drain test and also check the charging system. all free of charge. if a new battery is needed a Walmart battery is the way to go they are good battery's.

Well, I did it. This morning I connected the $69 battery, and the engine started right up like it had not done in ages. No "chug-chug-sputter-chug" first or repeated tries. Fantastic cure! Someone should write a song titled, "What a difference a battery makes."

I also put my new disconnect switch on the battery to prevent it from running down while just sitting there. The switch works perfectly too.

 

[user 16179]

Using a standard battery as a deep cycle will shorten its life.

There are batteries with new technology starting to show up on the market. Basically, they are deep cycle batteries with a CCA rating for use as a starting battery. Kind of a combo deal!

 

[CosmickGold]

I just looked up the difference between the two types of batteries. It's new information for me.
STARTING BATTERY: Can produce a great burst of energy to start an engine, but damaged if drained significantly more after that.
DEEP-CYCLE BATTERY: Doesn't produce the great burst of energy engine startup might need, but can be drained deep and long without damage.

 

[jasper]

I've been using and recommending Walmart deep cycle marine batteries for starting and house batteries for a number of years, if sticking with lead/acid. They have always started the engines just fine, even large V8s. Measuring the battery box, then selecting the largest group size that will fit works for me.

Marine deep cycles have 5/16" threaded studs to allow easy connections to accessories. They have removable caps to check for electrolyte levels, and by using an inexpensive specific gravity tester, it's easy to determine percent of charged levels.

Walmart mainly because of ease of purchase and possible warranty replacements. There are two types of Marine batteries there, Start (MS) and Deep Cycle (DC). Group sizes 24, 27, 29, and 31, IIRC.

 

[Happy Camper]

https://www.amazon.com/GOOLOO-Start...er&qid=1652949929&sprefix=gool,aps,123&sr=8-5
Get one of these so you don't get stranded. Very reliable.

 

[[email protected]]

I am hoping the OP was able to fix his van. Depending on the year of your vehicle cranking voltage level is critical for maintaining minimum battery voltage for the PCM ( engine computer). When that voltage level drops below it minimum…. The PCM will not stay powered up. Thus….no ignition…no fuel injection….
Quick test….. turn your key on….the check engine light should come on….. start to crank….light should stay on until engine starts…and then if no problems…light will go off. If light goes off while engine is cranking….usually means the PCM isn’t receiving enough voltage.
Usually a weak battery or a starter circuit is drawing too much cranking volts
Any questions…just ask

 

[CosmickGold]

I am hoping the OP was able to fix his van. Depending on the year of your vehicle cranking voltage level is critical for maintaining minimum battery voltage for the PCM ( engine computer). When that voltage level drops below it minimum…. The PCM will not stay powered up. Thus….no ignition…no fuel injection….
Quick test….. turn your key on….the check engine light should come on….. start to crank….light should stay on until engine starts…and then if no problems…light will go off. If light goes off while engine is cranking….usually means the PCM isn’t receiving enough voltage.
Usually a weak battery or a starter circuit is drawing too much cranking volts
Any questions…just ask

Thanks Maddad63. You are so correct. I learned these things rather slowly. Hope others are learning from you a lot faster. I bought a new battery, and then ran it down twice during the next year, so I recently had to buy a new battery, again. But this time, I went a step further and purchased the below battery disconnect switch which I use every time I turn the engine off for more than an hour. The result is that now my van starts instantly, every time! So again I say, you are SO correct!

First I bought a manual battery disconnect switch, which meant lifting the hood and reaching over to the battery to turn it back on every time. I wouldn't have minded doing that, but started thinking about the possibility of needing to make an emergency escape from an animal (whether two-legged or four-legged). After all, that's what the door is for between cab and living sections of my van, so that I don't have to go outside saying, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" to whatever I'm escaping from as I pass by. So then I added this switch, which comes with two remote controls. I keep one in the tray next to the steering wheel. It works perfectly every time. I only need to press the little button on the remote, then I turn the key and off I go! (Catch me if you can!)