Increased PSI resulting in engine working harder? Discovered Dent in oil pan

[imzjustplayin]

well if you take your car into autozone or some place, they can check your alternator to see if it's functioning properly. Don't let them "test" your battery because a severely discharged battery will show up as "bad" when it's really just discharged..

As for your battery charger, you never mentioned what model it was.. The reason I'm suspect about your battery charger is because my neighbor with his something like 40 yr old 4a battery charger thought he had fully charged his battery with his charger but then was confused when he couldn't start his truck. I volunteered my charger and discovered that his battery was only at 10v.. Either get another charger or keep that charger on that battery for like another day or something. Maybe you should get a volt meter and check the voltage of the battery with nothing to attach just to make sure that it's actually charged somewhat.. One thing I've noticed with those "dial" battery chargers is that on a very discharged battery, they'll display funny things but if you leave the charger on the battery long enough it'll eventually charge the battery. Maybe you should consider charging at the lowest rate even if it takes at least two days to fully charge the battery. Remember, at 11.8V, at 2a on a 50ah battery, it'll take approximately 28 hours to charge!

[add|ct]

Okay, its a Schumacher SE-82-6.

That's all I've got for now. Its a manual/dual rate, according to the front label. We left it on 12V 6A for 18 hours, and the needle was way low. I wanted to leave it on longer, but my pops needed it. If we wind up needing to charge it again I'll try the slower method, but with this charger it appears as though it wouldn't start charging on the 12V 2A setting.

[imzjustplayin]

Originally Posted by add|ct

Okay, its a Schumacher SE-82-6.

That's all I've got for now. Its a manual/dual rate, according to the front label. We left it on 12V 6A for 18 hours, and the needle was way low. I wanted to leave it on longer, but my pops needed it. If we wind up needing to charge it again I'll try the slower method, but with this charger it appears as though it wouldn't start charging on the 12V 2A setting.

I'd just keep trying again and if your dad keeps "needing it", then I'd suggest buying one of the battery chargers I had linked to in this thread. There ARE more advanced ones that have a desulfate and equalization, however I didn't like how they didn't have a 6a charge rate. One reason why I like the chargers with a digital display is because they actually put out an error message when they can't charge something unlike the ones with a dial on the face of them.

[add|ct]

Well, after work today I started charging it again on 12V 6A, but immediately it fell off to 1A rate and trying to attempt a charge at the 2A setting doesn't register that it is even attempting to charge.

For the summer, if its 70% discharged( or a better percentage than that), I'll take it with this battery. I'm hoping it will last until the winter time. Other areas of the car need attention in the process of restoring it still, but since I had the wheels off doing front end brake work I figured it was a chance to give it a nice long charge. I'll leave it overnight again and see where it is tomorrow when I go to put the brakes back on(rotors turned at the shop while at work, right now they are waiting for pickup).

EDIT: Perhaps I'll get the alternator tested while I'm at it.

[JanGeo]

You shouldn't be adding acid to the battery just distilled water - the acid originally added to the dry battery is all the sulfuric acid its plates are chemically designed to handle and any fluid loss is actually water broken down by electrolysis into H2 and O2 from over charging or cell imbalance causing the weaker cells to over charge and loose water.

A lot of "smart" charger still run a little high on the voltage so get a really smart charger or you will end up overcharging the battery. The charging can take a day or two of slow charge (2 amps or less) to really get deep into the plates and bring the battery up to full charge if it is getting old. Although a great alternator can charge the battery up quickly for the bulk of the charging it still needs to run a really long time to get the last bit of charge into the plates.

Check your toe in with a laser pointer level or just sight it with a straw taped to a stick against your rim bead. See where the front wheels point making sure they don't diverge - they should converge with about a degree or half a degree meaning that the wheels should point together at about 500 feet ahead of the vehicle.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by JanGeo

<snip>

Check your toe in with a laser pointer level or just sight it with a straw taped to a stick against your rim bead. See where the front wheels point making sure they don't diverge - they should converge with about a degree or half a degree meaning that the wheels should point together at about 500 feet ahead of the vehicle.

On a rwd car, you're right.

On a fwd car, they should be straight, or slightly toed-out.

Gotta check the Geo's alignment one of these days...it's been pulling a little to the right lately...

[bowtieguy]

Originally Posted by JoeBob

Gotta check the Geo's alignment one of these days...it's been pulling a little to the right lately...

no worries...let it go. if it starts to pull left, well then, get it fixed straight away!

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

no worries...let it go. if it starts to pull left, well then, get it fixed straight away!

LOL!

[JanGeo]

Originally Posted by JoeBob

On a rwd car, you're right.

On a fwd car, they should be straight, or slightly toed-out.

Gotta check the Geo's alignment one of these days...it's been pulling a little to the right lately...

If the front is toed out it will tend to wander left and right on a straight road but I looked up the 2008xB and it is 0.00 to 0.56 degrees toe in.

Yeah pulling to the right - check your steering wheel if it starts to move off of the normal center position you could have some frame rot like mine did and loose a lower A arm mounting horn on the chassis. My 94 Geo started to need more and more left in the steering when the right wheel broke off.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by JanGeo

If the front is toed out it will tend to wander left and right on a straight road but I looked up the 2008xB and it is 0.00 to 0.56 degrees toe in.

Yeah pulling to the right - check your steering wheel if it starts to move off of the normal center position you could have some frame rot like mine did and loose a lower A arm mounting horn on the chassis. My 94 Geo started to need more and more left in the steering when the right wheel broke off.

No frame rot...it's been a California car all its life, and hasn't a lick of rust anywhere. OTOH, the control arm rubber bushings are probably getting a little old...

The xB may be set up a little differently than other FWD cars...or maybe cars newer than what I've been dealing with are different...