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computer/ electrical problems after dead battery

latenights

latenights

NAXJA Forum User
Location
south plainfield, new jersey
i have a 1996 xj with 175,xxx 4.0HO. whenever the battery dies i always get wierd electrical/computer problems. my battery died yesterday and when i jump start it it idled worse then having a aggressive cam in it, bogs down really bad when i press on the gas, and wants to stall really bad. my radio isnt woring and neither is the volt gauge or the rpm gauge. i have no idea what it could be but i just started school again this week so i kinda need some help. any advice would be more then helpful thanks! if you need anymore info just let me know.
 
My 98 doesn't like to run after a dead battery either. I have to drive it around holding a foot on the gas at all times otherwise it will stall out. I don't have the same problems you do but I have to drive it a bit before it relearns everything and stays running.
 
yeah i checked the battery off and it was at 12.4 and when it was running it was at 13.9. xj eric thats what i have to do with mine and it usually goes back to normal after a few miles but i cant even get it to go down the street without bogging out so its just a pain in the butt. i was just seeing if anybody else had this problem and fixed it i wasnt to worried about it thanks guys. hopeully my gauges start to work again though
 
latenights said:
i have a 1996 xj with 175,xxx 4.0HO. whenever the battery dies i always get wierd electrical/computer problems. my battery died yesterday
Click to expand...

Job #1 is to figure out why your battery is dying. Something is wrong.

You need to test both your battery and your alternator output. Load testing is the ONLY accurate way to determine battery condition, voltage testing can be inconclusive.

Your engine management system doesn't like it when available battery voltage is low.

Life starts with good electrons. Start there.....

If you're still sympotmatic after verifying electrical system, post back here and we'll try to help.
 
birchlakeXJ said:
Job #1 is to figure out why your battery is dying. Something is wrong.

You need to test both your battery and your alternator output. Load testing is the ONLY accurate way to determine battery condition, voltage testing can be inconclusive.

Your engine management system doesn't like it when available battery voltage is low.

Life starts with good electrons. Start there.....

If you're still sympotmatic after verifying electrical system, post back here and we'll try to help.
Click to expand...

it died cause the stereo in my car stays on by itself if i dont manually turn it off (idk why but the previous owner wired it all wierd). ill load test it next thanks.
 
update. my xj wont stay running without jumper cables to another car. with my xj off its at 11.4 volts. with it being jumped its at 13.3-13.4 volts. when i take the jumper cables off it starts falling down to 10 then 9 then 8 volts then stalls. pretty sure its time for an alternator
 
Sounds like battery or alternator. If the battery is really bad I'm pretty sure it can suck enough power trying to charge that the alternator won't keep up. Try disconnecting it and having a parts store charge it overnight, then load test it. They did that for a friend of mine for free in hopes of selling him a battery, turned out his HVAC system was drawing down the battery overnight though.
 
A battery can fail internally when a plate breaks off and lays up against another. A dead short on one cell will eventually kill the battery but it can limp along a few days before going out completly.

As mentioned before, best way to know is get the battery load tested first.

Check alternator, clean all your grounds, then wire your radio the right way.

Batteries don't live very long getting drained and jump started all the time.
 
Got in himmel! Wake up and smell the bagels!

Take the following steps:

STOP killing your battery--pretty simply, connect the main radio power lead to a switched power source.

BEFORE wasting money and time CHARGE the battery for about 8 hours (Ok) or for 24 hours (Best), then take the battery to a parts store and have it load tested.

DEFINITION OF INSANITY: when a person keeps doing the exact same thing over and over, and expects a different outcome.
 
joe_peters said:
Got in himmel! Wake up and smell the bagels!

Take the following steps:

STOP killing your battery--pretty simply, connect the main radio power lead to a switched power source.

BEFORE wasting money and time CHARGE the battery for about 8 hours (Ok) or for 24 hours (Best), then take the battery to a parts store and have it load tested.

DEFINITION OF INSANITY: when a person keeps doing the exact same thing over and over, and expects a different outcome.
Click to expand...

its hooked up to a charger as we speak. once i get it running again ill take the radio out and re wire everything cause the guy before me just used the cheapo connectors they gave with it so im gonna solder and heatshrink wrap everything and connect it to a 12v switch.
 
Don't bother with a switch, the factory radio connector has both switched and constant 12V power. The PO probably just switched them by accident when he connected it up. Switched power should be a purple wire with a white stripe, constant power should be a pink wire. If he wired the pink wire to ACCESSORY POWER on the radio and the purple/white one to MEMORY this would explain the issue perfectly.
 
kastein said:
Don't bother with a switch, the factory radio connector has both switched and constant 12V power. The PO probably just switched them by accident when he connected it up. Switched power should be a purple wire with a white stripe, constant power should be a pink wire. If he wired the pink wire to ACCESSORY POWER on the radio and the purple/white one to MEMORY this would explain the issue perfectly.
Click to expand...

ok thanks for telling me what to look for. i didnt mean me physically making a switch i ment hooking it up to the 12v it usually goes too
 
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