are my duel batteries dying?

[almac]

strange thing happened today.
it was pretty cold out and snowing and i got into my deli. didnt have a thermometer so i dont know how cold.
did the glow plug "cycle", 2 clicks and a really slow rough start. Choke on full.
then it died.
so i cycled the glow plugs again, foot to the floor, and it started again.
rough start, but the RPMs climbed high, so i backed off the choke to around 1000 to warm up.

thats when i noticed it.
i went to use the wipers to clean the windshield, and the wipers were REALLY slow. on all speeds.
when the engine warmed up after about 5-6 minutes of driving, the wipers returned to their 'regular' speed.

are my batteries on their last legs?

[Meanman]

CHOKE? If you are talking about the pull knob to the left of the steering column.....thats a hand throttle not a choke. You shouldn't need to give any throttle to start. If its really cold, your glow plugs will still cycle for a few minutes and that will cause some draw against the charging system.
Do you have a volts/battry guage? or at least a multimeter (DVOM)?

[Luna-Sea]

Hey Almac,

When I do a cold start I pull and twist my throttle knob out a notch or two.
It starts up and start chugging away sometimes alittle smoke.
I take a minute do a walk around the van and make sure everything in hunky dory.
The RPM will start to spike after a 30second to a minute or so.
I take this as a sign it she is warming up nicely and probably finished
with the glow plug cycle.Smack me with a custom cup holder if I am wrong.

Beyond that I usually give a couple of minutes to warm up and then it's game on!

Going with what Meanman said,if you are worried do a voltage test on you terminals while your RIGHTEOUS
ride is running . A load test on your battery will tell you for sure if your batteries are good.
(different tool than a voltmeter) Also and always clean as possible and snug terminals
and connections make sure the juice is flowing properly,I have spazed out on several occasions
when it has been loose and dirty connections....

Snow mean your back home?

Right on!

[jessef]

If you use any lights/heater/wipers right after you crank it in cold weather, it will all go super slow.

Why ?

Diesel engines take a LOT out of your batteries when cranking over. Starter/glowplugs are a battery killer.

Give it a min before you turn on stuff so you don't tax the batteries even more.

Your symptoms are quite normal when the temps drop to freezing/below.

You can get some kickass batteries if you want. It's more insurance.

I'd personally go with a single battery system (cost vs. benefit) and there are MANY threads about batteries, cold starts (how to) and different symptoms and resolutions.

If you're paranoid about being stuck somewhere without a good battery, I suggest to invest in a good one. Single battery that can take the Delica's diesel cranking in the winters runs from $150+. You can buy cheaper one's but with batteries, you do get what you pay for. The plates, thickness, capacity and shell are all made to different specs depending on cost.

[almac]

Luna Sea,
i pretty much raced back home for a job interview.
i wanted to stick around and bother tardisdeli with a bunch more silly questions, but business is business...
the connector 97c was horrible! people still don't know how to drive in snow.
i have a few pics, but im sure you guys have better things to look at than plows.
it was an odd trip.
i switched to my veg tank on HWY#1, and got some intermittent 'hesitation' on the highway... i ran diesel for the remainder of my drive. i think it might be my vegoil filter. i just hope that i don't have any water in my vegoil... i doubt it, cause i traded a cubie 2for1 with tardis before i headed home. probably my vegfilter.

anyways, thanks for the thoughts jessie. i was a bit concerned when the wipers acted weird. i suspect that i'll be looking into new batteries in the spring, and a diesel filter soon(just to be safe). right now im more concerned about my front 'marker lights. guess i'll be tearing into things tomorrow...

[marsgal42]

Once the engine has started, the voltage in the van's electrical system is set by the alternator, not the batteries. Measure it. Just because the idiot light is out doesn't mean the alternator is doing much. I found that out myself the winter before last.

The symptoms of dying batteries on a Delica are exactly the same as on any other vehicle. Slow, laboured cranking, with the starter sounding like a 1940s 6 volt starter that can only just barely turn the engine over.

Please review cold weather starting procedures, and consider new batteries sooner rather than later. Do you really want to go through winter with dodgy batteries? If they're the Japanese originals, they are a priori dodgy.

Delicas are fun in snow. I drove up Mount Seymour this afternoon and did some test skids in one of the parking lots. OK, yes, I did some powerslides and spun some donuts too. Only in 2 wheel drive. Gumdrop won't skid in 4 wheel drive.

...laura