Bought a 2000 Lumina with 20K for cheap at a US gov fleet auction, and a few days later it wouldn't start (low battery). Jumped it, and started up fine again after a ten mile drive, but this morning battery is low again (reading only 9 volts). I think it's the original battery so probably six years old and ready to replace. With the car running I was reading 13.8V at the battery but from other discussions here several guys said 13.6 -13.8 was normal even though I always thought it should be around 14.5, so I'm assuming the alternater is ok. Then I discovered what a b*&!* it is to get to the battery which is hidden under the washer fluid reservoir. Took off the support bar, loosened the fuse box, got the reservoir out (after discovering it's held in the front with two plastic rivets that refuse to go back in, - who designs these things?), took off the two top screws of the metal battery retaining bracket and then discovered it takes an extra long extension to get to its bottom screw (who designs these things?). Got that screw off, thinking the bracket would easily come out , but no, the air intake assembly is in the way. Since I don't have a service manual for this car I get anxious when I start to disassemble stuff without knowing if I'm going to suddenly pop something and end up with pieces that I have no idea how to put back together or that might fly apart and end up lost in the engine compartment. The air intake assembly has two large hose clamps on it - does anybody know which of these needs to be loosened to be able to move the front of the air intake assembly out of the way so I can remove the battery bracket? I'm thinking it's the one in front of what looks like an electronic air flow regulator assembly, but just want to make sure it won't screw anything up taking that off. Yes, I'm ordering a shop manual. Thanks for any advice.
- posted
17 years ago