Let me first say - I hate this pos.
The car has more electrical issues than I probably want to even know about - every time I look to fix one, I find at least 2 new ones.

Lately, the car has not been wanting to crank. I figured it had a lot to do with the cold weather, and that it was just that the battery didnt like the temperature change (like not enough CCA's). I would just use a battery that I keep in the garage, start the car, and it would be fine until it sat for a long time (5hrs +).

Today, I was on my way to school, and I began to smell a lot of sulfur...
Goody...its got to be the battery cooking.
When I got home, I checked the voltage and, just sitting there, it was more than 13v; with the car on, just idling, the reading was over 17v (wtf).

The car will not start with just one battery, not even my optima red top. It just acts like theres no juice, and wont crank. I have to act as if Im jumping it, using 2 batteries, to start the ******.
When it runs, the battery sizzles (and scares me )

Why is it cooking/overcharging batteries?
Why does it need so many amps to crank?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by pdiggitydogg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Why does it need so many amps to crank? </TD></TR></TABLE>
are all you grounds good and clean and the terminals too and tight?

 

It just started doing it out of the blue, about a week ago.
Before that, it was fine. Grounds do seem fine though

 

if im correct your alternator has a built in regulator, your probably going to have
to replace your alternator and for the starting situation check resistance in your cables to your starter and make sure all connections are good.

 

Yeah, Ive come to the conflusion its the regulator.
Guess i need to check resistance...