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Tom Wesenberg · 07-21-2010, 09:38 AM

If the cutout is sticking, then it should be sticking when you drive home, and the battery would be completely dead in a few hours. When you stop the car look at the amp guage. It should be on "0". If the cutout is sticking it would be 5 to 10 amps on the discharge side. That's if the guage is working OK. Some repro guages act very sticky and don't always indicate too well.

If the engine starts within a couple compression strokes, like it should, then it doesn't take but a few minutes to have the battery recharged to full power. If you have to crank the car for several seconds, then a 3 mile drive won't be enough for the battery to fully recover, but a good battery should still start the car.

If cranking draws 150 amps and you have to crank for 3 seconds to start the car, then it would take 150 seconds ( 2 1/2 minutes) of running at a 3 amp charge to replenish the battery. So, you can see if you had to crank for 15 seconds, you'd have to drive for 2 1/2 minutes at 15 amp charge, or 12 1/2 minutes at a 3 amp charge. A 15 amp charge is overloading the generator an would be too much for the battery anyway. This is why I only run a generator with an EVR. It takes care of the proper charge at all times. As soon as the engine starts the generator will put out about 8 to 10 amps, then quickly tapper back as the battery is recharged.

If you're unsure when the starter was last taken apart, now would be the time to do it to make sure the brushes and bushings are good, and to replace them as needed. Also have the battery load tested to make sure it's good.

07-21-2010, 09:38 AM	#10
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Is this a battery problem? If the cutout is sticking, then it should be sticking when you drive home, and the battery would be completely dead in a few hours. When you stop the car look at the amp guage. It should be on "0". If the cutout is sticking it would be 5 to 10 amps on the discharge side. That's if the guage is working OK. Some repro guages act very sticky and don't always indicate too well. If the engine starts within a couple compression strokes, like it should, then it doesn't take but a few minutes to have the battery recharged to full power. If you have to crank the car for several seconds, then a 3 mile drive won't be enough for the battery to fully recover, but a good battery should still start the car. If cranking draws 150 amps and you have to crank for 3 seconds to start the car, then it would take 150 seconds ( 2 1/2 minutes) of running at a 3 amp charge to replenish the battery. So, you can see if you had to crank for 15 seconds, you'd have to drive for 2 1/2 minutes at 15 amp charge, or 12 1/2 minutes at a 3 amp charge. A 15 amp charge is overloading the generator an would be too much for the battery anyway. This is why I only run a generator with an EVR. It takes care of the proper charge at all times. As soon as the engine starts the generator will put out about 8 to 10 amps, then quickly tapper back as the battery is recharged. If you're unsure when the starter was last taken apart, now would be the time to do it to make sure the brushes and bushings are good, and to replace them as needed. Also have the battery load tested to make sure it's good.