Dead Battery suggestions

[xxBURT0Nxx 10+ year member]

Okay so I have a 2000 VW Jetta, stock bat. and alt. I have kicker 0 ga ran to the back where it splits at the distro to 2 4 ga wires. one of the 4 ga wires isn't hooked up to anything, the other is hooked up to a kicker zx350.2 Now my problem is that after about 10 min of the car being off with stereo running, my battery will die. I also have a lot of alternatorwhine when driving around. And I'm only running 350 wrms MAX. Do you think my battery is bad and should be replaced (suggestions welcome) or is it the alternator or both. What about a bad starter. The lube on my starter causes it to stick making a wierd noise when you first start the car but then it's fine after that. Could that be the cause?

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[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

my friends GTI makes that screech noise when he starts it sometimes. and unhook the unused wire.

take it to autozone or the like and have the battery and alt tested

 

[xxBURT0Nxx 10+ year member]

Well there isn't actually a wire in the distro block lol i just have the 1/0 ran to the distro and then 1 4 ga wire coming out of it.

 

[xxBURT0Nxx 10+ year member]

helpppp!!!!!!

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

did you get the battery and alt tested? it's free...

 

[J31Rob 5,000+ posts]

get 0-4 gauge reducers. go to autozone n get the test jco is suggesting.

 

[xxBURT0Nxx 10+ year member]

Okay, well I'm on my way to work right now so I'll get the bat and alt tested at autozone. Do I have to take the alt out though?

And isn't a 1/0 to 2 4 ga distro basically the same as a 1/0 to 4 ga reducer?

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

pretty much

 

[Petey Goldz 10+ year member]

they have a machine they'll roll up to ur car to

 

[patotay 10+ year member]

test those bud..sometimes ground also causes noise.. then hollaback

 

[xxBURT0Nxx 10+ year member]

Okay well I went and the alt tested out fine. The battery tested out at 12.46v and the guy said it was fine but I thought it should be closer to 14.4v? Any ideas with my problems. Will big 3 help? My wire came in today I just haven't done it yet.

 

[Goindef154 5,000+ posts]

Big 3 will help, it really wouldn't hurt to get a better battery too. And I've heard sometimes that the tests done at autozone aren't always accurate, just what I've heard.

 

[xxBURT0Nxx 10+ year member]

Well I can use my dmm at home and car off I get 12.56v, then car running stereo vol at about 10 I drop to 12.2v car off for 10min with stereo running I get about 9-10v... so obviously the amp is draining the bat. it just seems like it's draining too quickly. I'm thinking a new battery would fix my problem, but maybe I should just add a second battery?

So I guess question is, do I replace current battery or buy a second and run an isolator? I don't really have enough money to do both. Also could you suggest batteries for each scenario. What is the difference between a red top and a yellow.. which would be better for my situation? Thanks

 

[j225 10+ year member]

battery problem

 

[xxBURT0Nxx 10+ year member]

I know so what type of bat should i get?