Hi group,
My 2000 Honda civic is running fine. However, I noticed that the cranking
for starting the engine is lasting about two seconds more than it used to.
It is starting up in one crank everytime though. This is happening only when
it is a cold start. When the car is warmed up it is not doing it. I am
suspecting the battery which I never changed after buying the car. Its not
that big an issue, but I am afraid it is indicating something which I do not
know or may lead to something big. Should I go for a battery check up?
Thanks for the help,
Subha

 

To get the ball rolling:

Five years is a good long life for a battery. Particularly if you're in
Virginia in those hot summers and mild winters. Heat kills batteries more
than cold does.

Have you inspected the battery terminals and looked for corrosive salts
around them? If not, please do, and report back. Or google for how to clean
battery terminals safely.

Do you have a voltmeter so you can at least check the battery voltage, with
the engine off and then on? Also, with the engine on and the headlights on?

Naturally, any voltage below 12 volts when the car is not running (and the
battery is supposedly fully charged) indicates a suspect battery. Also,
sites
like http://www.justbajan.com/cars/mainta...01-01/volt.htm suggest about
14.4 volts when the car is running is one indication of a satisfactorily
operating battery.

How many times have you jumped the car battery in the past? (Jumps tend to
reduce battery life.)

Also, driving around with a weak battery can reduce alternator life. It's
best not to wait until the battery is completely dead.

Autozone may do a free battery check for you. I don't entirely trust their
expertise, but this is simple enough that you might want to try them.

I do recommend at least doing preliminary price checks for new car batteries
right now. The brand "Interstate" is much recommended for Honda replacement
batteries here.

My 1991 Civic's first two batteries each lasted 4.5 years and then died. My
car has been through one alternator. I replaced the third battery
pre-emptively at about 4.2 years.

"Subhabrata Bhattacharyya" <sb4st@virginia.edu> wrote
> Hi group,
> My 2000 Honda civic is running fine. However, I noticed that the cranking
> for starting the engine is lasting about two seconds more than it used
to.
> It is starting up in one crank everytime though. This is happening only
when
> it is a cold start. When the car is warmed up it is not doing it. I am
> suspecting the battery which I never changed after buying the car. Its not
> that big an issue, but I am afraid it is indicating something which I do
not
> know or may lead to something big. Should I go for a battery check up?
> Thanks for the help,
> Subha

 

Subhabrata Bhattacharyya wrote:
> Hi group,
> My 2000 Honda civic is running fine. However, I noticed that the cranking
> for starting the engine is lasting about two seconds more than it used to.
> It is starting up in one crank everytime though. This is happening only when
> it is a cold start. When the car is warmed up it is not doing it. I am
> suspecting the battery which I never changed after buying the car. Its not
> that big an issue, but I am afraid it is indicating something which I do not
> know or may lead to something big. Should I go for a battery check up?
> Thanks for the help,
> Subha
>
you're saying something like it turns over 5 times instead of three
before starting? check your plugs. run some injector cleaner through it.