I have a 99, EX, V/6, Auto with 116k on it. I borrowed the car to my son who called me from a thousand miles away. He said the battery was "leaking acid and smelled like sulphur" He got a new battery installed at a small gas station in Wyo. I was a little worried because I thought the voltage regulator was the most likely culprit and replacing the battery would just lead to another ruined battery. He said the "mechanic" tested the alternator and it was "OK" He did the say the car did run fine afterwards for about 50 miles before he arrived at the National Park.

The car had the alternator replaced about three years (40,000 miles ago). There have been no electrical issues until yesterday, when they drove 17 straight hours from Minneapolis to Western Wyoming. He did tell that he tried to jump start a stalled biker in So Dakota before this happened. He said they tried to jump start the motorcycle but it didnt work because the "battery didnt have enough power" to start the motorcyle so they started the car to get more power but it still didnt pop off the bike. They did however restart the car several times aftewards with the same battery which I assume would require a lot more amps than a bike. There are numerous advisories about not starting bikes via a jump from a running car but they mostly refer to damaging the bikes electrical systems. I am wondering if there is some cause and effect here?

He also said the "alt or charging idiot lite" is not on. Does the lite come on when there is overcharging?

Is it possible that a bad battery cell alone could cause this to happen without overcharging?

I dont exactly know how the alternator was tested, I assume he did it with a multimeter. Is it possible that a voltage regulator could intermittently give a an accecptable reading.

Any insights from anyone who knows anything about electrical issues would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

 

Sure sounds like a bad alternator. I've seen some give satisfactory readings when cold and they get less and less efficient when they are heated up

As far as the bike goes.... I'd put money on the bike having its own problems and would disregard that experience. If the battery could crank the car the bike should have started the bike. Bikes typically run off a 6-10 volt battery while cars operate at 12-14 and some times 16 volts. That is why they don't recommend jumping a bike with a car. It's possible that just by hooking the car to the bike your son fried the fuses in the bike.

What symptoms are you experiencing? Just the alternator light?

 

The alt light is not on.

The symptoms were smell of sulphuric acid and acid leaking all over.

 

That was when the first battery went right?

Has it happened since?

What has happened since?

Just the light?

 

They jump started the biker at about 1 PM. The biker said he didnt get power from the battery so he told them to start the car then he touched the postive and negative cables together with the car running; he said he didnt get a spark so he gave up and then they left. They continued to drive and noticed a sulphuric smell at about sun down (when they turned their lights on) They opended the hood and saw acid all over and heard a hissing sound.

They went to an Amoco Station in a small Wyoming Town but the clerk said they had no mechanic on Sunday Night so she called a local NAPA store and the owner came in Sunday Night and sold them a battery. The guy reportedly checked the alternator on a "scope" and said it was all right. After installing the new battery they drove for forty-five minutes at night and reported no probelms.

Now they are back packing so I dont know what's up.

I am just hoping it's not the regulator and they make it back.

 

dont worry about it. they probably just did get a good clamp on your son's batt. of course a car takes more juice than a motorcycle.