So its been a fantastic couple of days leading up to what I hope is a dead alternator and nothing more serious, after work and a day of perfect driving I ran some earends without issue but as I was leaving my last stop I turn the key to a rough start and hard idel when I go to back out it wont go over 1k rpm the lights start to flicker and stals after about two to three more tries then when I turn the key it just clicks and turns the interior on. Any ideas on whats wrong now?

 

How new is the battery?

 

Less than a year old and I just charged it, though it did loose charge pretty quickly

 

Your battery has a bad cell. Have it checked out before you do anything else.

 

My last battery charge did only last about 5 days (of non use)

 

If you have time you can go to a shop or battery retailer they should have a battery load tester that's the only way to tell it it's bad. I thought mine was bad too had to trickle charge it for an entire weekend according to the Interatate Batteries store manager. You can also go to a local parts store and see if they have a hydrometer also a good way to test it as well.

 

If it's one thing these cats hate is a bad performimg batterty.
In NO WAY should an open cell ordinary lead acid battery be fitted to these cars....they are just not up to the job.
Correct spec for these cars is 100 amp/hour 800CCA sealed Silver Calcium.
It's worth paying that little bit extra for a decent battery that will last for years if looked after properly with regular charging on the correct auto charger designed to charge calcium batteries....anything else and you are wasting time and money ;o)

 

Huh. I never buy a battery I can't use a hydrometer on. But high-quality batteries and generally a bit over the minimum spec.

These cars are ridiculously sensitive to voltage. If I get "Traction control fail" as I switch on the ignition, I know it's time to hook up the charger.

 

Interesting is that what that's about? I get that too in the morning or fail safe engine mode for a second. HAHA must be what that is. Only in the morning on initial start up probably those stupid LEDs I have that hang on a little bit. OH well it still starts, it's not broken I'm not fixing it.

At work we install many AGM batteries and have yet to have one outlast standard acid/water filled cell batteries.

 

Well it wasnt the battery so Im still thinking /hoping its the alternator, I'll know monday

 

Bulkhead connection?

 

No idea it's in my mechanics hands I'll know monday

 

Fule pumps I shouldhave known