I would change the battery since it is undersized and of unknown history.

 

I think you have good advice with replacing the battery. With your voltage drop, I would expect it to have problems. If you have an parts store somewhere close, they will typically test your battery for free. You can make the final decision then

 

950CCA @ what temp? My batt is 1000 @ 32* and 900 @ 0*...

 

I wouldn't listen to anybody at an auto parts store because if its not on their computer it can't be done. ex. trying to get an inline oil filter for waste oil, told me they never heard of such a thing and you can't burn that in your truck you'll clog your pump. Well thats what the filters are for...

anyways if your gonna listen to anybody listen to these guys, its a passion not a day job.

 

$100 is cheap insurance.

I agree. A good battery goes a long way in the cold.

 

Ok thanks guys, I will change the battery then go from there I guess if need be.

 

Get that nice napa group 31 battery. I have bought a few of those and never been dissapointed. Beware of the 'deep cycle/starting' batteries, they just won't last in our application. I know costco has some of these large batteries, watch out.

 

well I just replaced the battery, but hard to say if it improved any because its already been started today, and it about 12*C out. Doesnt seem like it improved, and the old battery checked out, according to the napa guy, but the tester they use doesnt seem to put a load on it, just checks charge and CCA, the CCA was down a bit, to about 910CCA so a little low, and if it was undersized to begin with that could be the cause. Thanks everyone for the help. I will post up tommorow morning to see if anything changed, if not I will be pulling my starter.

 

Thanks to Mister PapeCAT, here is a good picture of the Group-31S "stud-type" battery that I was trying to describe.

Note the 3/8x16 threaded stud terminals, and the complete absence of the problematic lead posts and clamps that corrode and oxidize.

 

so this morning it definatly started better, only about 2 revolutions of the engine or so, but they still seemed like they were 2 slow revolutions. It could just be me being paranoid about it, so I think I will leave it and just make sure I plug it in when I am up north, and hope for the best. Thanks everyone for the help. If any one has other suggestions I am more then open to them. Cheers

 

My 91 has a workaholic that is more than 10 years old. It was in it when I bought it in Arizona and PO said it had been in there "a while". I didn't have any starting issues until I moved to Alaska. It wouldn't crank below 17°F. I was going to replace the battery but the starter became intermittent first, so it got replaced. Guess what, it wasn't the battery. It cranks over fine now.

 

You did get a Group-31, right ??

 

Just my 2 cents. NAPA should be able to tell if the battery is bad or if it is the starter. In some cases they will even change out the battery for free. As heavy as the group 31 batteries are I would let them do it if you like their batteries. Posts with nuts IMHO are surperior. My next battery will be that style for sure.

 

While we are talking batteries and how HEAVY the good ones are, I will try to describe my little trick.

Due to their extreme weight, and plastics weakness, it is rare indeed to find a commercial battery that comes with those handy "suit-case" handles.

I guess the manufacturer does not want any liability issues stemming from a plastic carry-handle breaking, causing a battery full of acid to drop.

After having a brand new one get away from me, slipping loose from my squeeze-the-sides carrier, sliding over the wife's plastic grille surround thingie, and knocking off her letter "G", glancing off the bumper, and landing safely on my left boot with one of my favorite feet in it, I decided there had to be a better way.

I had a bunch of those inch-wide nylon straps that come with ratchet-strap tie-downs.

I made a two-sided harness that surrounds the battery at each end, connected across the top by a handle also made from strapping.

I slid a six-inch section of old hose over the handle before rivet-ing it in place, sort of as a hand-grip.

I used a 20-penny nail heated with the torch to melt/punch the rivet holes.

I also played the heat over the cut ends to prevent fraying.

I used those two-piece copper rivet/washer thingies commonly referred to as "belt rivets" or "harness rivets".

This works so well that I made it a practice to do likewise to every battery in my fleet whenever I have reason to have it out.


If you can't access harness rivets in your locale, very short 1/4 or so bolts/nuts/washers will suffice.

 

So it looks like it is the starter, yesterday it took 5 real slow revolutions before it fired. So I will be pulling the starter today to see how it looks and probalby putting in a new one, or rebuilding this one. And yes it is a type 31 battery 1125 CCA