naford
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2007
- Messages
- 800
- Reaction score
- 12
- Points
- 0
- Vehicle Year
- 2002
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Transmission
- Automatic
I have an 02 ranger 4.0. The battery was the original until this past week. I have been noticing that when I go to start the truck up the voltage gauge (gauge is factory on the instrument panel) is down then comes right back up slow but not that slow. The battery voltage before I started was 12.2 and when running 14.5. The battery is almost 12 years old so I figure I'll take it in and get a new one. I have it tested and the machine prints out 420 CCA ( cold cranking amps ) at 67 degrees. The battery is supposed to be 540 CCA. That is within spec. but I buy a battery anyway before winter sets in. After the install I watch the voltage meter again but this time it doesn't seem to be down at all. I wondering if watching the voltage gauge would be a good indication of when the battery is going bad? I know that on my old Toyota back in the day before the battery went bad the voltage gauge was doing the same thing.