Batteries and Alfas

["Warren, Howard" <HKWARREN@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<<<<<
Our 164 continually has problems with it's battery going flat. We  have had
the alternator checked etc 

The auto-electrician claims it is not unusual for this kind of car
(mentioned Porsche 928) and that we just have to drive it every day. If we
skip a day it will not start. Does anyone else experience this???
>>>>>

Possibly your battery is either getting old or too low a rating.  I've found
that Alfas love high-output batteries, and most of my starting problems have
been traced to bad batteries.  The batteries in mine are 900 amp/750 amp
capacity.

Here's how I would test your battery: drive the car a good bit, drive home,
turn it off and pull the battery cables off the battery.  Let the car sit a
couple of days.  Reconnect the cables and see if it will start.  If it will,
then something is draining the battery even with the key off.  If not, the
battery is losing its ability to hold a charge.

If the battery is old, I would suggest replacing your battery with a new one
with the capacity listed above.  In the US, the price is about the same as
an hour of shop labor.

As far as charging, I have a trickle charger for my GTV-6.  If I'm not going
to be driving it for more than a week, I attach the charger and leave the
main cables attached as well.

Good luck!

Howard K. Warren, Little Rock, AR
1988 Milano Platinum, "SnowHawk", 153k miles
1984 GTV-6, "Falconi", 131k miles

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