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Thread: how long before your battery is dead?

  1. #1

    how long before your battery is dead?

    When my 4Runner sits for a week without driving it, the starter will spin noticeably slower than usual. After 9 days it needs to be jumped. I am currently using a 3-year old Napa Orbital battery (similar to Optima) and it has eaten an Optima about every three years. (Optima is getting a bad wrap these days, so who knows...) Everyone keeps telling me that modern cars will draw a battery down that quickly when not driven, but I have my doubts. How many vacationers do you know that fly out for 9 days to come back to a dead battery in the airport parking lot? It doesn't seem like a common occurrence to me.

    I do not have any full-time power electrical system mods--everything I have added electrical-wise turns on with the ignition.

  2. #2

    Re: how long before your battery is dead?

    I am of no help as my junk never sits for more than 2 days and starts strong (except for when the starter contacts went bad). I can be of help if you need to get a new battery. What do you think about your alternator? Might be worth the time to have your system load tested. Most places do it for free.

  3. #3

    Re: how long before your battery is dead?

    While my 93 is far from a modern vehicle my old Red Top would only last about 2 weeks max before needing a jump.

    Switched to a Sears Platinum (AKA Odyssey) and have let it sit over 3 weeks with no noticeable loss in power. Not sure how relevant that is to your situation but it is the best battery I have had yet.

    Glad to Here you are making a speedy recovery.
    93 4runner - 3.0 5spd
    2005 LandCruiser

  4. #4

    Re: how long before your battery is dead?

    I had 2 different red tops in my Chevy and after 5 days of sitting it would need a jump. Sometimes up in Tahoe in the winter it would need a jump in the morning. I replaced it with a Sears Platnium and never had a problem. It was a very nice battery and with core it was around $160 out the door. I was going to swap it in the 4runner when I sold the truck but the battery wouldn't come close to fitting in the 4runner.

  5. #5

    Re: how long before your battery is dead?

    My alternator seems strong, putting out somewhere around 15V at the battery with the engine running.

    Rob, it seems to me I was having the exact same problem on my '94 V6 and I also ran Optimas on that truck. Maybe I just need to get away from the spiral cell type of battery.

    Thanks for the offer Mike, I am not planning to do anything about it just yet. One of those dashboard solar panels would probably work well for the airport parking lot scenario.

  6. #6

    Re: how long before your battery is dead?

    my optima red top used to go dead in a few days, but i finally found the source of the drain (i had made it where the rear window was able to be operated any time). i reversed that wiring back to original and now it doesn't drain. can't tell you how long it lasts now though, at least a week. it usually doesn't sit more than 7 or 8 days though. good luck.

  7. #7

    Re: how long before your battery is dead?

    FWIW, my truck will sit for as long as a month and still have enough juice (in summer) to fire up the truck just fine. Winter up here can drain even a good battery pretty quickly so the time of year is an important part of the equation. I'm also using a bone stock OEM Toyota battery.
    - Jamie<br /><br />1996 SR5 4Runner 4X4 Auto, Deckplate Mod,&nbsp; Hayden Tranny Cooler,&nbsp; Amsoil Air Filter, OME 881/906 N86C/N91SC Lift - SOLD, but still miss it!<br /><br />2005 Silverado 2500HD Duramax Diesel 4WD

  8. #8

    Re: how long before your battery is dead?

    Ken,

    I've had a collection of dual yellows (prob gone thru 4 or 5) and they weren't the "best" in longevity when not used often. Since my 4runner was decommissioned from dd use early in its life, I finally gave up on the Optimas and now use the Sears Platinum Die Hard (Odyssey) batteries. I have two and had them installed in Aug 08. I've driven my 4runner a total of 6 times now since and it still starts like a champ!

    I say pick up one of these and you'll be happy!
    Lance
    TLCA Member

    2003 4Runner SR5 4x4 Chaos Edition
    2000 Toyota Landcruiser
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  9. #9

    Re: how long before your battery is dead?

    Quote Originally Posted by paddlenbike
    My alternator seems strong, putting out somewhere around 15V at the battery with the engine running.

    Rob, it seems to me I was having the exact same problem on my '94 V6 and I also ran Optimas on that truck. Maybe I just need to get away from the spiral cell type of battery.

    Thanks for the offer Mike, I am not planning to do anything about it just yet. One of those dashboard solar panels would probably work well for the airport parking lot scenario.
    Alternator needs to be tested under load.

  10. #10

    Re: how long before your battery is dead?

    I sell batteries thru AAA as a contract (among other things) for a living.

    1. You live in cali you will get 3 years or less out of a battery, heat kills them.

    2. Depending on what you have in there (is it a 24F or a 35 series battery) it may be the wrong battery.

    3. Modern cars I have noticed have a huge drain, I cannot figure it out really-however our trucks shouldnt have that much unless you have a stereo system, or other high drain devices-remember your HU, amp and such are usually wired to be on ALL the time. Also, your computer and HU are always on period-how do you think it remembers w/e? However get this-I have one of our older exide batts in my T100, it has never failed to start or needed a jump and I drove it literally a dozen times in the past 6 months at most, probably less. But I have an old ass HU and nothing is powered when they truck is off unless I leave it on.

    4. Napa isnt exactly a good battery and neither is optimas-junk imho. Sears platinum, Odyssey, and such are VERY good batts. Regular old sears is pretty good, so is deka, and interstate. Exide is crap, thats all we used to carry and they switched cause they kept dying. Whomever makes napa is so so, walmart, pepboys, autozone, etc arent the greatest either/ The maker counts for so much more than you think.

    5. Not driving your car and the battery drains means you have a constant drain and recharge cycle-not a good thing. Eventually this causes a bad cell or the battery will no longer accept a charge.

    I would say that your battery is probably toast. CHeck it without a load for the alt and turn on your highbeams and fan on all the way and see-shouldnt dip more than about 13v or so. But I say its toast, buy yourself a sears platinum, oddessy, or similar. Other thing is you need a modern tester to check them. We got new ones last year-other ones we used were 12 years old-new one can detect everything-battery good, bad, needs charge, bad cell-find someone who has one and WATCH them peform the test. Dont trust napa/autozone or w/e.
    Marc<br />96&#39; T100 SR5 4x4<br /><br />Other rides:<br />00 Honda 416EX

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