Dodge RAM TRUCK 1500 1995 Service Manual page 358

B R BATTERY/STARTER/GENERATOR SERVICE 8B - 1
BATTERY/STARTER/GENERATOR SERVICE
C O N T E N T S
page
BATTERY 1
GENERATOR 8
GENERAL INFORMATION
Group 8B covers battery, starter and generator ser­
vice procedures. For diagnosis of these components
and their related systems, refer to Group 8A - Bat-
page
SPECiFiCITlOlS I
ST1RTER Aii STARTER RELAY 5
tery/Starting/Charging Systems Diagnostics. Refer to
Group 8W - Wiring Diagrams for complete circuit de­
scriptions and diagrams.
BATTERY
SE1ERAL HFORiATIOl
This section covers battery service procedures only.
For battery maintenance procedures, refer to Group 0 -
Lubrication and Maintenance. While battery charging
can be considered a service or maintenance procedure,
this information is located in Group 8A - Battery/Start­
ing/Charging Systems Diagnostics. This was done be­
cause the battery must be fully charged before any
diagnosis can be performed.
It is important that the battery, starting, and
charging systems be thoroughly tested and inspected
any time a battery needs to be charged or replaced.
The cause of abnormal discharge, over-charging, or
premature failure of the battery must be diagnosed
and corrected before a battery is replaced or returned
to service. Refer to Group 8A - Battery/Starting/
Charging Systems Diagnostics.
The factory-installed maintenance-free battery (Fig.
1) has non-removable battery vent caps. Water can­
not be added to this battery. The chemical composi­
tion within the maintenance-free battery reduces
battery gassing and water loss at normal charge and
discharge rates. Therefore, the battery should not re­
quire additional water in normal service.
The factory-installed battery also has a built-in test
indicator (hydrometer). The color visible in the sight
glass of the indicator will reveal the battery condi­
tion, as follows:
® Green - Battery is fully charged.
• Black or Dark - Battery is discharged.
© Yellow or Bright - Electrolyte level is low.
If battery electrolyte level becomes low, the battery
must be replaced. However, low electrolyte can be
caused by an over-charging condition. Be certain to
diagnose charging system before returning vehicle to
service. Refer to Group 8A - Battery/Starting/Charg­
ing Systems Diagnostics for more information.
Fig. 1 Maintenance-Free Battery
BATTERY R E i O f E/ilSTALL
(1) Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Make
sure all electrical accessories are off.
(2) Loosen the cable terminal clamps and remove
both battery cables, negative cable first. If necessary,
use a puller to remove terminal clamps from battery
posts (Fig. 2).
BATTERY
BATTERY
ERMINAL
PULLER
898A4
Fig. 2 Remove Battery Terminal Clamp