I didn't drive my car for three days this week, and when I tried to start it yesterday, no dice. I checked, and I didn't knowingly leave anything on that would drain the battery (31K miles). I jump-started my baby and she ran fine; however, a 30-mile drive did nothing for the battery; it's still dead as a doornail. Anybody got any ideas. I guess I'll take a trip to the dreaded dealer today for a diagnosis.

 

31K? Is that approaching 2 1/2 - 3 years? If so, you're going to need to replace the battery. Note how small the battery is in an S2k compared to say, a Holden Commodore. The life is a little shorter, because the cranking amps aren't there to begin with.

If you need say 200 CA to start engine, and the S2k Battery has 280 (I think), while the Commodore battery has 450. If each battery loses 20% of it's charge capacity per year of use, which one do you think will die first?

On the other hand, it could be just the alternator. Pray it's just the battery.

 

My battery dies after parking the car for two weeks. I think that this is routine for the battery based on its small size and age. The warranty covers the battery for a year from purchase and then "pro-rated" after that. During the "pro-rated" period, the warranty is pretty useless compared to buying an aftermarket battery.

My car has a Honda alarm system that contributes drain when parked. The S2000 computer draws while parked also. Also, my Alpine head might draw more than the stock radio while off. I do know my sub's amp goes on and off properly but it might draw something when off also.l

I purchased a charger at K-mart ($30 on sale, normally $50) that automatically turns the charger off when the battery is fully charged and provides 50 amp (for jump)/ 10 amp / 2 amp. This bridges those two week periods.

Your battery is probably bad. Take it to a dealer (Honda or otherwise) with a battery tester that tests the battery under load. These are about 80% accurate.

My battery always tests out "ok" on the tester so I'm getting by with the charger for now.

Our battery is a Group 51 battery. Here are the prices I found when I shopped two weeks ago:
Battery group 51
napa 435 cca $70.00
everstart 650 ca $40.00
checker 530 ca 435 cca Exide 840 all climate technology $54.99 51-84
Champion silver Kmart 51-72 24/72 month warranty $55.97 450 cca.

I think the Honda group 51 battery is $90 before "warranty" rebate. Mine didn't qualify since the tester said "ok."

Do a search on this board and you'll get info on more sophisticated/more expensive choices.

Let me know how it works out.
Barry

 

Went to my friendly neighborhood dealer. The battery was definitely kaput; they offered a replacement for $100.00.

I said, "Thanks, but no thanks." I then went to Manny, Moe and Jack's and picked up a Prostart for $60.00, put it in myself and spent about 30 minutes looking for my radio code card. I finally found it and now all is well.

 

$100???? Whadda whadda??? I'm glad you said no! Either that, or I hope that's in Argentinian Dollars!

I paid the equivalent of $27.50US for my battery, with a 2 year warranty. Even if it fails after a year, I'd have gotten value for money out of it.

 

Wal Mart has a group 51 Eveready Energizer 6-3-2 battery (72-51N*), at a substantial saving over the Honda replacement battery, the latter being BTW, not the same as the one that came with car (white Panasonic) but a run of the mill Civic battery.

Anyone knowing of other group 51 batteries please post...


Pierre

*625 CA

 

I've been "semi-storing" my S during this nasty winter we're having here in the northeast. So the car typically sits in an unheated storage facility for two weeks or so without being run. After one particularly cold two week stretch, the battery just barely cranked enough to start the car, but it managed. My car is two years old, and I was quite happy that it was able to start after two weeks of sub-freezing weather, considering that any battery loses about 1% of charge for every day it isn't used. Since the battery in the S is smallish to begin with, I don't imagine it would take much to kill one.

Sears automotive also has reasonably good deals on replacement batteries, got a new die-hard in my Integra for $70 from them, which included the testing and disposal of the old one.

 

My OEM battery lasted about 30 months before dying.

Here's a link to a pretty good S2000 battery discussion thread with more links inside it: https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...tery%20userid62

 

Was that $100 installed? Retail on a 51 is $70.40