Okay, here goes....I have a 2007 Forester automatic, stock electronics.( I do have a plate type trans cooler)...a year ago the battery died and I replaced it with a Wal-Mart Everstart Maxx 34N with 800ca/600 ( more cold crank amps and reserve than stock).
Last weekend I went away with someone and my car sat in driveway for 5 days and I had to use a jumpstart battery to get started. Then I drove at least for extended 2-4 hour periods until a day or so ago and it sat a day and had to be jumped again. So I went out and bought a Schumacher Speed Charger ( SCC-1500A) microprocessor controlled charger. The battery registered 10% charge when I hooked it up and charged ( automatic charger senses completion then lowers voltage rate ) about 3 hours and it registered as fully charged.
Today I had an appointment at 1:30 so I checked the battery and it was 30% this morning so back on the charger and the jumpstart battery in the back just in case. The battery was fully charged when I set out, and about 5 minutes into the ride the temp ( yes temperature gauge ) starts climbing and gets to max.( it was 85 degrees out ) I turned on the heater to draw away some heat and the gauge goes down to normal in less than a minute. So, I figure it’s an electrical glitch as the car was running fine Oil changed ( by me two weeks ago )but the water level in the overflow tank was about a quart down from the MAX line. Made the appointment and drove home in stop and go traffic and the temp gauge did the same thing ( climb to max then returned to normal ).
When I got home I let it idle and temp seemed fine, I let it cool off added a quart of distilled water to the overflow and ran at idle...gauge stayed in the normal mark and didn’t move....... Battery reads 30% although it would start the car...... I have the battery charging at 2 amps.
Of course I can't find my multimeter..... but my question is parasitic drain ? Short ? ( if so it happened while it was motionless ) dead battery ?...bad alternator? regulator?..... I plan on taking it to AutoZone in the morning and having them test battery and alternator, but would one quart cause the overheating problem ?
Last weekend I went away with someone and my car sat in driveway for 5 days and I had to use a jumpstart battery to get started. Then I drove at least for extended 2-4 hour periods until a day or so ago and it sat a day and had to be jumped again. So I went out and bought a Schumacher Speed Charger ( SCC-1500A) microprocessor controlled charger. The battery registered 10% charge when I hooked it up and charged ( automatic charger senses completion then lowers voltage rate ) about 3 hours and it registered as fully charged.
Today I had an appointment at 1:30 so I checked the battery and it was 30% this morning so back on the charger and the jumpstart battery in the back just in case. The battery was fully charged when I set out, and about 5 minutes into the ride the temp ( yes temperature gauge ) starts climbing and gets to max.( it was 85 degrees out ) I turned on the heater to draw away some heat and the gauge goes down to normal in less than a minute. So, I figure it’s an electrical glitch as the car was running fine Oil changed ( by me two weeks ago )but the water level in the overflow tank was about a quart down from the MAX line. Made the appointment and drove home in stop and go traffic and the temp gauge did the same thing ( climb to max then returned to normal ).
When I got home I let it idle and temp seemed fine, I let it cool off added a quart of distilled water to the overflow and ran at idle...gauge stayed in the normal mark and didn’t move....... Battery reads 30% although it would start the car...... I have the battery charging at 2 amps.
Of course I can't find my multimeter..... but my question is parasitic drain ? Short ? ( if so it happened while it was motionless ) dead battery ?...bad alternator? regulator?..... I plan on taking it to AutoZone in the morning and having them test battery and alternator, but would one quart cause the overheating problem ?