[s-cars] No Start 92 S-4 after dead battery was charged

[kirbyasmith]

chris chambers wrote:
> Check your battery cables for:
> 
> Wear...my negative cable was worn away into a cone shape and couldn't
> make a good connection to the battery.
> 
> Corrosion on the cables causing resistance
> 
> After that I'd check the ignition switch.
> 
> 
> 
> Good luck
> Chris
> 
> --- AW <weststar at ziplink.net> wrote:
> 
> 
>>Hi Listers,
>>
>>Yesterday I tried starting my 1992 S-4 and looks like I let the
>>battery go down a bit too much and after a few turns of the key - I
>>just didn't have enough juice to turn it over.  I got that slow
>>churning sound of a low charge battery (starter just not quite making
>>it to turn over).  
>>
>>So I put my trusty battery charger on overnight and the next day
>>after the green light was blinking on the charger indicating a full
>>charge, I tried again, this time when I got into the car the light
>>came on right away as per normal and I was expecting a clean turn
>>over - but this time all I got was well...nothing, nothing at all.  I
>>turn the key and the dash lights go out briefly but no start, no
>>sounds of the starter trying at all.  The radio, lights and air
>>blower all run strong, but just no turn over at all.
>>
>>I checked the fuse for the fuel pump (fuse 17 I think) and it seemed
>>fine - not blown.
>>
>>Any ideas would be much welcome.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Andrew
>>92 S-4
>>90 80Q

Would this be a Sears charger by any chance?  I bought one once and it 
was rather fickle about when it would charge and what battery condition 
would be accepted as fully charged when it wasn't.

A charging lead-acid battery should read 13.6 volts when lightly 
charging; more with high charging rates depending on resistance, which 
is high when old.  The charging terminal in the engine compartment is 
sufficiently far from the battery that the voltage there under charge 
will be a bit higher.  When fully charged but not being charged, you 
should see 12.6V at the battery.

With the battery under the rear seat, it is easy to neglect checking the 
fluid levels.  Use distilled water, or RO water.  The easiest thing may 
be to just change the battery.  Unless your time is free and no 
disruption to your schedule is too long, you probably have already 
surpassed the cost of a replacement.

kirby