Well this is the second time I went out for a cruise and stopped, went to start and the relay goes click, click click. I'm lost. My charging voltage at the battery is 13.86V when the car is running at idle. I have an MSD6al and a electric fuel pump. Turn the car off and it drops to 12.4. So it looks like the alt is charging. I can take the battery cables off and the car still runs. I clutch started the car to get home with no problems. Now...when I got home I turned the car off and was able to start it once then dead. This is where I'm lost. Last time this happened I went to my local Autozone and had the battery tested. Voltage was good and CCA was around 450 when It should be 560CCA. So I went home and charged the battery over night. Brought it back and had it tested. CCA was now 565 and voltage was good. I was told the battery was good. What am I missing? All connections are tight. If I give the car a jump it starts. I'm charging the battery again and having it tested somewhere else. How can I check the charging system? Or did I do it right?

Thanks

 

An easy check for charging system is to turn everything on while running... lights, fans, fuel pump..ect and check voltage at the bat, and at the alt. It needs to be at least 13.2v at the bat or the alt is not keeping up, or possibly a voltage drop between the alt, and bat. It sounds like your bat is the issue, but a few checks would help... when it just clicks, check bat voltage while trying to start. If it drops a bunch, its the bat, if it stays up, then look for connection, or starter issues.

 

I'll check the voltage drop at idle with it all on and all on reving it. It drops to 6V when it clicks so I know the battery is the problem as of now, but why isn't charging that's my question. I'll have the battery checked out again tomorrow and do the test you said and see.

 

It sounds to me as if it is charging..... batteries on their way out can do strange things, and load tests can be biased depending on test, and how the bat was charged. I personally would buy a bat with more cca if buying a new one.

 

^^^This^^^ If the battery won't load test right at it's rated capacity, (AFTER knocking off the surface charge), then it's on it's way out, which can cause the alternator not to charge it properly. There really is no such thing as too much battery, unless you're counting the change in your pocket before you make a pass....