SOLVED! Battery / Alternator questions and feedback?

Ilikemy3s

Original poster
Member
Dec 3, 2011
367
Have a few concerns I am looking to address and wanted some feedback on my 05 TB LT w/I6

1. Truck sat for a week while I was away. Come back and battery is dead. No interior lights, not anything. This has not been the first time in 2 plus years the truck had to be jumped. All times were either my or my sons fault. With winter here and cold weather coming soon, I am going to bite the bullet and get a new battery either under pro-rated warranty or just pay for a new one. Question I have, has anyone been able to put in a larger heavy duty CCA battery, which may be larger/ into the same location and use the factory cover and hold down bolt and cross bar and so on?

2. I am thinking on putting on / using some terminal extentions on the side posts. I have seem some posts that also have slip on covers.

3. I have noticed recently that the truck and lights are usually fine, but more and more, while driving at night, when i take my foot off the gas, and the engine RPMs start to drop, the lights will dimm slightly for a brief moment and come back up. With 200k miles and the age, I am thinking a new alternator would be prudnet a the same time.

Thoughts?
 

northcreek

Member
Jan 15, 2012
3,310
WNY
Just a thought from having worked in an alternator repair shop. Check the belt tensioner, even though the belt may look tight, they can slip under load, we saw people want new alternators when all they needed was a tight belt.
At 200K your alternator owes you nothing so I wouldn't rule that out either.
 

Ilikemy3s

Original poster
Member
Dec 3, 2011
367
Just a thought from having worked in an alternator repair shop. Check the belt tensioner, even though the belt may look tight, they can slip under load, we saw people want new alternators when all they needed was a tight belt.
At 200K your alternator owes you nothing so I wouldn't rule that out either.

Although i did replace the belt last year when i put on a new tensioner on, I will check it. Thanks for the advice
 

Ilikemy3s

Original poster
Member
Dec 3, 2011
367
Solved. While the battery still had some of its warranty left, the pro-rated part I would have to pay I decided to opt for a new battery. After doing some homework and checking with other car people in my area, I went with a top of the line Duracell battery. Yeah I know it is not one of the usual big names, but with several months in, no issues or complaints.
 

Reprise

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Jul 22, 2015
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I have 2 Duracell 6V 'golf cart' batteries (lower tier, flooded) for my RV trailer, and a Duracell 12V AGM (upper tier) that I just picked up for the Envoy.

All are doing well, no complaints yet (I keep the two 6V on a float charger, off-season)
 
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