[bluejae]

my car has been in my garage for a while now, over a month, partially due to the weather, and mainly due to another car i've been cheating with.

anyway, i made several attempts at trying to jump start the car. i tried a self powered unit and it didn't work. so then i hooked it up to a car and that didn't work. all i'm getting are clicks. so what could it be but the battery being dead. and let me add this was the first time i had seen my battery. it's an Exide.

i actually had purchased an odyssey battery from a member some time ago, and i pulled it out so i could attempt at replacing it. i pull out my trusty lotus tool set, and nothing works. it seems to be stripped. now what do i do? i can't even pull the battery out to replace it.

 

[SirLotus]

Try jumping it again from another vehicle with the other engines rpm up to around 2500. Make sure the jumper cable clamps have a very good connection. If that does not work connect up a battery charger to your flat battery and charge overnight.
Michael

 

[Sh4rkattk]

If you see some improvement by hooking it up to a car, it just means that there isnt enough juice to start it, connections arnt that great. I recommend leaving it hooked up to the car revving at 2500 for a few mins then try again.

If your getting clicks that means the solenoid is working and it dosent have enough power to crank over the engine.

Like viper says, hook it up to a charger overnight.

 

[AZReason]

Hook up jumper cables and then wait for 5 minutes for the battery to be charged. Then try to start your your car. Unless you paid over $100 for your cables and/or your battery in not very dead, just hooking up cables and starting a dead car is not going to work. TheViper's advice would be your best bet, but I am assuming you don't have a charger.

 

[bluejae]

nope, no charger... i guess i'll have to get one asap. does walmart carry one?

when i connected it to the car, it did the same as the portable one. but i left the 2 connected for over 10 minutes, revving here and there... of course i couldn't rev the car and go try and start the lotus at the same time though.

 

[bluejae]

and one more thing. on the top of the exide battery, there's a circle to let me know if the battery is good, needs charging, or need testing. it was at an angle where i couldn't see it, so i used my phone with the light on and looked through the screen and didn't see it white. it was just a dark circle. which meant it needed charging. so i hope that's at least good news that it's not white. or is it ruined all the same?

 

[ChrisB]

Make sure your battery posts are not corroded, that the cables are tightly connected to the posts and that the battery post adapters on the end of the cables are tightly connected to the cables. These were notorious for coming loose (or never being properly tightened). These are probably not your problem, but it's simple to check them to make sure they are OK

 

[bluejae]

so something like this should work right? it charges and then it just monitors it after it's charged

Amazon.com: Deltran Battery Tender Junior 12-Volt 750 mA Battery Charger: Automotive

 

[RoadDad]

Battery Tender Jr will work just fine. It might take a little bit depending on how depleted your battery is but it will work.

 

[bluejae]

if that solves that problem, what about replacing the battery if i ever need to?

 

[RoadDad]

Assuming that you mean the battery hold down bolt is stripped, you can cut a slot into the bolt head with a dremel or similar tool and have an instant "standard screw" on which to use your largest flat head screwdriver.

 

[JLElise]

That's the one that I have with the cigarette lighter adapter, which is always live. It'll charge it up eventually, suggest keeping it plugged in if not using your vehicle for more than a week or so.

so something like this should work right? it charges and then it just monitors it after it's charged

Amazon.com: Deltran Battery Tender Junior 12-Volt 750 mA Battery Charger: Automotive

 

[SirLotus]

I purchased a Black & Decker "smart" charger from Walmart, around $70. Works for all types of batteries, which is important, & has a maintainer mode, I recommend this. Incidentally, regular, "flooded cell" batteries like your Exide, start to degrade (sulfate) after being discharged, the Black & Decker has a de-sulfate mode too. When the time comes to replace the Exide, seriously consider an AGM type battery, which can't, leak and gives of no flammable hydrogen gas. http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f129/battery-choices-information-64071/
Michael

so something like this should work right? it charges and then it just monitors it after it's charged

Amazon.com: Deltran Battery Tender Junior 12-Volt 750 mA Battery Charger: Automotive

 

[bluejae]

i bought a smart charger to try and charge the battery and while charging it gave me a message saying Internal Shorted Battery Cell. and when i looked up what that meant, it said to take my battery to a technician.

so now, i have to try and remove this battery which i can't. and i doubt the dealership will try and help. i don't know anyone else who could have messed with the battery.

 

[tesprit]

i bought a smart charger to try and charge the battery and while charging it gave me a message saying Internal Shorted Battery Cell. and when i looked up what that meant, it said to take my battery to a technician.

so now, i have to try and remove this battery which i can't. and i doubt the dealership will try and help. i don't know anyone else who could have messed with the battery.

Basically you have a broken cell within the battery. It happens and there is nothing anyone can do to bring this battery back to life. Your only option is to remove it and replace it with a new one. When you say the hold down bolt is stripped what do you mean?

 

[bluejae]

i put in the allen tool and it just spins around, won't hook up. i've tried all the sizes i have and they won't work.

 

[tesprit]

Assuming that you mean the battery hold down bolt is stripped, you can cut a slot into the bolt head with a dremel or similar tool and have an instant "standard screw" on which to use your largest flat head screwdriver.

Your best bet is to follow these directions above from RoadDad, or get a Vise-Grips on the head of the screw to loosen it. Once you have it out, go to a hardware store and get a new screw/bolt to match the damaged one you removed.

 

[TimMullen]

i put in the allen tool and it just spins around, won't hook up. i've tried all the sizes i have and they won't work.

Out of courisity, are you using metric Allen wrenches? The nuts and bolts on the Elise are all metric...

 

[SirLotus]

Actually, although an "allen" wrench will work, the correct bit is a #30 Star (Torx) which grips much better.
Michael

 

[TimMullen]

Actually, although an "allen" wrench will work, the correct bit is a #30 Star (Torx) which grips much better.
Michael

I was going to mention that, but I figured (hoped) the OP new the difference between Allen and Torx. In my experience, and Allen wrench never works in a Torx bolt other then one that is already loose...

I never actually paid attention to what kind of battery hold down bolt is used - I've never had to mess with my battery other than to tighten the cable to the adapter on the battery post...