How to Test Automotive Battery & Cranking Amps with a Multimeter

I realize that most of you probably know how to change a car battery but here I show you how to run some simple diagnostics with a multimeter. Please subscribe and thanks for watching!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• battery
• car
• amps
• voltage
• multimeter
• changing
• testing
• cold
• cranking
• no
• start
• clicking
• when
• starting
• vehicle
• 12.5
• truck
• how
• to
• tutorial

[altpath]

Hello, I have a 98 town car. Whenever I get to a stop light, I step on the gas and get no revs at all for several seconds, as if the car is going to stall. I had that happen before with another vehicle and it was the alternator that had gone bad. I checked on this car using your videos, and it seems to be ok. But the battery is showing 12.43 cold, after leaving the car on for a few minutes and turning it off, it shows the same or less than that. Think I should replace the battery?

[Johnnysshop]

@altpath Hmmm.. I doubt it's either. Now if it wants to die when you turn the lights on that could be the alternator.

[vincent4eyes]

Thanks for the video. However, the proper way is to remove the negative first. When reconnect the battery, the negative should be connected last! :-)

[Johnnysshop]

@vincent4eyes I know... I get in a hurry must of the time..

[altpath]

@altpath could a bad battery cause the no revving problem I'm having as well?

[Johnnysshop]

@talkntribe Good luck, that can be a PITA to find. A common place is the glove box light believe it or not.

[talkntribe]

@Johnnysshop

Thank You for replying. I took a multimeter and set it to 10A. Found out that the meter is reading 0.60-0.65. I definitely have a drain somewhere.lol. Now, I have to figure where. Thanks helping :)

[talkntribe]

@altpath

Thank You.

[Johnnysshop]

@devGOD What is the reading when the car is just sitting there? Clicking is typically a dead battery. You could have gotten a bad one.

[Johnnysshop]

@talkntribe Sounds like the alternator is fine to me. On the car in this video my kid took the car to Autozone (since I was working) and they sold him a new battery. It was the alternator. I never trust those places.