bd100
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 31, 2022
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- 28
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- Location
- USA Midwest
- Vehicle(s)
- JT, WK2, ole' Ram
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- #1
Resting voltage was showing 12.1 or so first thing in the morning. (Turn to aux power instead of starting the engine. This vehicle lets you scroll to display the voltage, unlike our other car which shows dashes until you start the engine.) Engine start/stop still functioned. But the batteries are almost three years old and we're due for a week of 0 degrees F weather. Time to change batteries while it's still merely 32F outside.
3.6L This AUX battery thing took hours to change, what with the fender liner stuff, and trying to close the case once it was done.
Working with the vehicle on the garage floor, I tried the method where you turn the wheel, pull the fender liner, pull and tape the two ground wires on the big battery, and access the AUX battery from below. There are three screws holding the case up. One of which you have to locate by touch. Once those are off, the case lowers down and the battery hangs down by its cables. Two nuts off the posts and it's still hanging there, apparently because someone cleverly designed the cable terminals to hold onto the battery even when they are not screwed on. Took some doing to get them off and the battery removed. And you have to transfer those little threaded post terminals as well, which seem to have internal torx heads...? Vice grips to the rescue. I may have to buy more next time, though. And watch out while unscrewing those post tips, I accidentally got the pliers across the terminals and ended up with some sparks and a little weld spot.
But putting it all back together was much worse. You have to maneuver the case into the correct position while holding it at arms length and out of sight, then continue to hold it there while getting at least one screw started.
So here's the tip. I ended up taking out the jack and using a length of wood to hold up the battery case from below, and turned the jack up a bit until it was just so, then finally got the screws to start. The rest went together ok, and now it's ready for the week of cold.
Too bad they didn't put these AUX batteries up top next to the main where we can get at them.
And whoever mandated this stuff should be required to change ten of them as punishment, Bonus points if it's cold and wet and dark at the time.
3.6L This AUX battery thing took hours to change, what with the fender liner stuff, and trying to close the case once it was done.
Working with the vehicle on the garage floor, I tried the method where you turn the wheel, pull the fender liner, pull and tape the two ground wires on the big battery, and access the AUX battery from below. There are three screws holding the case up. One of which you have to locate by touch. Once those are off, the case lowers down and the battery hangs down by its cables. Two nuts off the posts and it's still hanging there, apparently because someone cleverly designed the cable terminals to hold onto the battery even when they are not screwed on. Took some doing to get them off and the battery removed. And you have to transfer those little threaded post terminals as well, which seem to have internal torx heads...? Vice grips to the rescue. I may have to buy more next time, though. And watch out while unscrewing those post tips, I accidentally got the pliers across the terminals and ended up with some sparks and a little weld spot.
But putting it all back together was much worse. You have to maneuver the case into the correct position while holding it at arms length and out of sight, then continue to hold it there while getting at least one screw started.
So here's the tip. I ended up taking out the jack and using a length of wood to hold up the battery case from below, and turned the jack up a bit until it was just so, then finally got the screws to start. The rest went together ok, and now it's ready for the week of cold.
Too bad they didn't put these AUX batteries up top next to the main where we can get at them.
And whoever mandated this stuff should be required to change ten of them as punishment, Bonus points if it's cold and wet and dark at the time.
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