One final update here. Last week we had some cool weather, maybe in the 50's in the morning. On those cold mornings when I started the truck it had the odd idle problem again. It seemed to take just a little longer to crank than normal and when it did start the idle was real low and it tried to bog down and cut off unless I goosed the throttle and held it at about 1,000 RPM. I do not like gunning the throttle on a cold engine.

I kept trying to find out what the problem was and last Friday I read about low battery voltage possibly causing idle problems. We all know Dakota's are super sensitive to low voltage. Last Friday night it got cold again, maybe 40 or 45 degrees, I don't remember exactly. It was cold on Saturday morning when I checked my battery with my volt meter, the static voltage was 12.2 volts. We know that it should be at least 12.6. I had a Duralast Gold battery that was only 3 years and 4 months old so I called Auto Zone, they said bring the battery in for a pro-rated warranty exchange.

The Auto Zone guy was surprised I still had the original receipt for the battery. He used a hand-held load tester to check the battery and said it was "no good". I will never know exactly how bad the battery was because I dropped it when I was trying to carry it and get through the door at the same time. It landed on its top and bashed in the negative post, acid was dripping out of where it cracked the case too. Autozone took it back anyway and I paid $52.00 after they pro-rated the warranty and I had a $10.00 coupon. I did not ask what the voltage was on the load test because I wanted to get out of the store before the Auto Zone guy changed his mind about warranty exchanging my damaged battery..

I got a new Duralast Gold 750 CCA battery, installed it in the parking lot and my truck fired right up. Since I installed the new battery I have had absolutely zero idle problems and my truck starts up very quick with just a blip of the ignition. It idles right at about 700 RPM when it is warm outside. The last few days it has been very cold here. Monday night it was about 25 degrees, last night was about 35 and today the high was 64 I think. During this cold snap my truck still started very easily. This morning and yesterday it did idle high till it got warmed up a bit but settled down very fast. The idle is also a nice steady 700 RPM when I stop at a red light or idle in my driveway when I get home. It does not fluctuate at all now with the new battery.

So I guess I got to learn just how voltage-sensitive my truck really is. It would have only been a matter of time until that old battery would have left me stuck some where. I may not really have needed new plugs and wires after all but they did not cost much to replace so they will stay right where they are.

Jimmy

 

**** keep a car clean up north period is a bitch. we are more worried about the salt then we are a little dirt on the engine block. besides. TRUCKS ARE MADE TO BE WORKED AND WET cars are made to look nice. that all there is to that