battery dead or other problem...

88 Civic PGM-FI

1) I've been having to push start every time unless I've had it out on
the highway for 20 to 30 min in which case I seem to be able to get
about 6 starts out of it before it is dead again.
2) After 30 min on highway and using a cheap'o battery meter the
battery reads "full". After 3 starts it reads 3/4's.
3) About 3 months ago when car seemed to be running fine I left the
headlights on by accident and after just 20 min there was not enough
energy in the battery to start the car.

The connections are fine, starter motor seems to work as it is turning
the engine over sometimes, alternator likely is fine as I'm able to
push start car(I read in this group that push staring indicates that
the alternator is fine).

So is the battery dead or do I believe the cheap'o battery meter
telling me it's "full"?

Any other possible problems?

If I need to change the battery can I do it myself without worrying
about the FI or any computer equipment?

thanks for the help and an excellent newsgroup
Eric

 

All the symptoms point to a failing battery. How old is it? Most people
get less than 5 years of service from a battery (and this is where the
thread usually deteriorates to an endless list of anecdotal evidence
that car batteries outlast giant sequoia trees), so if yours is older
than that, I'd just replace it.

 

It does sound like the battery is dying. Take the car to a battery depot
and seek the advice of the people there. There is very little to changing
the battery and they will not charge extra to do it if you buy the new one
there. They will be able to put a heavy current discharge voltmeter on
to assess the 'goodness' of the starting ability. They will also check
that the alternator is operating 'in spec'.

Make sure you know the radio code before you disconnect the battery
or better, disable the code immediately before setting out.

Apart from the radio, yes.

HTH

 

Sounds like you need another battery. It's easy to change yourself.
Just remember to take off the negative (-) lead first when removing,
and put it back on last after installing the new battery. Not
completely necessary, but a good safety precaution. Reduces the
amount of sparking when you reattach the new battery.

 

Hi Eric,

I agree with Randolph, but if you have some special attachment to your
car battery, please see Section 4 in the Car and Deep Cycle Battery
FAQ on www.batteryfaq.org for information on testing it. A better
solution would be to take your car to an auto parts or battery store
and have both the battery and the charging system tested. Some stores
like Auto Zone, Sears, Wal*Mart, Pep Boys, etc. will test them for
free. But before you go, please read Section 7.8 for some buying tips
for purchasing a replacement battery.

Kindest regards,

BiLL......