Okay, here is the list of symptoms...
Headlights brighten up as rpm increases (from idle).
Fuel gauge will read 1/2 a tank at one point, then a few miles down the road reads 7/8ths.
Occasionally does not start on tries 1, 2 or sometimes 3. But most of the time starts just fine.
All of these symptoms tell me the battery is on its way out. I am no expert, but my inferior common sense leads me in this direction. Here is the problem. I took it to an alternator/battery/starter shop and had it tested. Everything was just fine. However, I had of course just driven the car there. The place was about fifteen minutes away so there was time for a possibly weak battery to be "charged up" by the alternator.
Does this sound odd to you. Most practical experience with batteries has shown me that they either work fine, or don't. I am not used to this slowly fading away that seems to be happening. (It has been acting this way for 4 months now. Very odd I think.) So, is it the battery, or could something else be wrong with the system? Any ideas?
I bought the car used so I don't know how old the battery is, or the alternator. Thanks for any help.
Woody
Headlights brighten up as rpm increases (from idle).
Fuel gauge will read 1/2 a tank at one point, then a few miles down the road reads 7/8ths.
Occasionally does not start on tries 1, 2 or sometimes 3. But most of the time starts just fine.
All of these symptoms tell me the battery is on its way out. I am no expert, but my inferior common sense leads me in this direction. Here is the problem. I took it to an alternator/battery/starter shop and had it tested. Everything was just fine. However, I had of course just driven the car there. The place was about fifteen minutes away so there was time for a possibly weak battery to be "charged up" by the alternator.
Does this sound odd to you. Most practical experience with batteries has shown me that they either work fine, or don't. I am not used to this slowly fading away that seems to be happening. (It has been acting this way for 4 months now. Very odd I think.) So, is it the battery, or could something else be wrong with the system? Any ideas?
I bought the car used so I don't know how old the battery is, or the alternator. Thanks for any help.
Woody