So, I have a strange issue with my silverado.
First, some background info. It has a rewired HD alternator and 2 batteries to help with the elec load the plow puts on it. It has one Optima Red Top and the batt that was in the truck when I bought it over 5 years ago. I added the red top about 2 years ago wired in parallel. I learned that this is not right and I should have 2 of the same batt make/model and output to ensure no added strain on the alternator. Too late now. The alt was replaced at the same time as the red top was added. It has worked fine up until lately.
I noticed about a week ago that after a cold start the headlights would not reach their full brightness until I hit the gas pedal and got the alternator spinning faster. I didn't think much of it at the time, but it made me think about running larger power and ground wires off the alt. I havnt done anything to it yet and it acted up yesterday.
We were about to leave to go out for NYE, I start the truck and it barely starts and then dies. I figure I might not have cranked it enough or something so I do it again and it barley starts and begins idling at like 2-400rpm. not normal. I tap the gas and it revs up slowly and back to the low idle. I kill it and restart it and it does the same. I put in reverse and back up to see what is will do and it almost died when going back into drive. I decide to park it and take the Jeep.
So I think it could be the original batt sucking the life out of the system so I decide today to replace it with an other optima. I go to move the truck into the driveway to work on it and it starts up perfect. Idles normal, and the volts are pegged at 15-16 at idle in park. this is not normal as it is usually at 12v at idle. I dick with it, turn it on and off and drive it and now its completely normal. It did somehow reset the CEL, but not the radio memory.
Sorry for the narrative, but I wanted to include all the details. Should I just replace the batt like I was planning and then take it from there? Any ideas on what could have caused this for only that short period? It was much warmer yesterday, could that have affected it somehow? Gimme some ideas.
First, some background info. It has a rewired HD alternator and 2 batteries to help with the elec load the plow puts on it. It has one Optima Red Top and the batt that was in the truck when I bought it over 5 years ago. I added the red top about 2 years ago wired in parallel. I learned that this is not right and I should have 2 of the same batt make/model and output to ensure no added strain on the alternator. Too late now. The alt was replaced at the same time as the red top was added. It has worked fine up until lately.
I noticed about a week ago that after a cold start the headlights would not reach their full brightness until I hit the gas pedal and got the alternator spinning faster. I didn't think much of it at the time, but it made me think about running larger power and ground wires off the alt. I havnt done anything to it yet and it acted up yesterday.
We were about to leave to go out for NYE, I start the truck and it barely starts and then dies. I figure I might not have cranked it enough or something so I do it again and it barley starts and begins idling at like 2-400rpm. not normal. I tap the gas and it revs up slowly and back to the low idle. I kill it and restart it and it does the same. I put in reverse and back up to see what is will do and it almost died when going back into drive. I decide to park it and take the Jeep.
So I think it could be the original batt sucking the life out of the system so I decide today to replace it with an other optima. I go to move the truck into the driveway to work on it and it starts up perfect. Idles normal, and the volts are pegged at 15-16 at idle in park. this is not normal as it is usually at 12v at idle. I dick with it, turn it on and off and drive it and now its completely normal. It did somehow reset the CEL, but not the radio memory.
Sorry for the narrative, but I wanted to include all the details. Should I just replace the batt like I was planning and then take it from there? Any ideas on what could have caused this for only that short period? It was much warmer yesterday, could that have affected it somehow? Gimme some ideas.