@Tester @db4690, I have a GM side terminal battery as well, and had I thought for sure my nearly new battery was stripped (I think I even posted a thread about it here). However, I was shocked (and thrilled) to find out that it was my $1.50 battery bolt that was stripped, and the expensive battery itself was fine.
It doesn’t make any sense to me that the lead battery terminal would strip the bolt, but apparently it does.
If you are getting 15 to 20 psi oil pressure at idle and 40 PSI at lets say 2000 RPM, its nothing to worry about. a lot of Fords would drop to 20 psi at idle when new… What are the voltage readings on the multi meter? I have a digital voltage gauge on my 89 Mustang GT and when it first starts up goes to 15 V then drops down to about 14.5v. Been like this for 25 years and my last battery lasted over 7 years and was a Wal-Mart battery…Guess what I replaced it with ?
I’ve also replaced GM side battery bolts that were stripped. I concluded that, while the mating surface is lead, the internal threads are not.
OP, I’d forget replacing the grommet. As long as it holds the PCV valve in, that little bit of oil leakage there is not a problem.
I’ve got two multimeters. An analog one that I bought 40 years ago at Army AIT for about $15, and a Harbor Freight type digital that I paid about $10 for. I actually prefer the analog with its swinging arm. At any rate, directions are included and you have to choose with the selector switch, AC or DC voltage or Ohms for continuity. Then select the range you want for the voltages. Selecting the range too high will result in the decimal point changing. Setting it too low though can be a bad thing. For 120 Volt AC house current for example, you’d pick the 200 volt range instead of the 50 or 2000 volt range. For the car battery, you’d pick the 50 volt DC range for 12 volts. Ohms I don’t understand and someone else will have to speak to that. All I know is if I get a reading the wire is ok and if I don’t the wire is broken. These cheap ones though won’t measure amps, which is what they need to check for alternator output.
Never use an anolog meter over a digital meter.
The anolog meter uses the 9 Volt reference signal to test components without any impedance. Which means you’re sending a 9 volt signal thru a component that should only see 5 volts.
Good way to burn those components that only need a 5 volt reference signal .
Tester
The multimeter I purchased (Equus Innova 3320) has Battery Load Test (1.5V, 6V, 9V, 12V), DC mA, D10A, DCV (says 10 MegOhm input above it), ACV, Omega Symbol, AC mA, plane-looking symbol, and a symbol that looks like a wifi logo sideways. I used the Battery Load Test set to 12V to test the battery and alternator output.
Your meter has a 10 megaohm impedanace.
Which means it’ll only send enough voltage thru to test the circuit, but not enough voltage thru the circuit to damage the circuit.
That’s the great thing about digital meters.
Tester
Was I correct in using the Battery Load Test 12V setting for testing the battery and alternator?
I’ve seen multiple sites that help you diagnose car problems by using a multimeter, but the they don’t explicitly state which setting you should use. Just AC or DC. I’m assiming AC mA measures AC milliamps and DC mA measures DC milliamps? I’m assuming I should be measuring voltage for most of these tests?
PS: Tester, I can’t stress how helpful you’ve been! I really appreciate all the insight you’ve lent me!
@player1145: You cannot use the mA functions on your meter to perform any tests with your car. When testing amperage, you put the meter between the load and the power source. (battery) The meter cannot handle the amount of current that even your dome light draws from the battery. Stick to the voltage scales or you will just ruin your meter.
The “Omega” symbol means you are checking for resistance in ohms. This can be useful in determining if you have an open circuit in a piece of wire (a piece of wire should theoretically measure 0 ohms), but is more useful for electronics work–you should not be on this scale when testing your battery’s output, or again, you will harm your meter. It should only be used to test completely powered off circuits with the battery disconnected.
I’m not sure the “battery load test” is useful for car batteries. It would be useful for small batteries, such as in your remote control or smoke alarm, but the additional load imposed by this function on the meter would be paltry to a car battery. It will still measure voltage, but will not adequately load your battery. To actually load the battery, turn on lights, etc. on the car. Or measure the battery voltage when cranking the engine–the battery voltage shouldn’t drop below 9 volts when cranking I think, or the battery is weak or inadequately charged. Also, a fully-charged car battery should register around 12.4-12.6 volts with no load on it. After starting, with the alternator contributing to the circuit, the voltage should be around 13.5-15 volts.
Here is a basic guide to using a multimeter: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-a-multimeter
Or google “using a dmm”
As a side note, in summer months with the oil at around 220 degrees, I get about 18 PSI of oil pressure at idle on my car (at 650 RPM with 5W-20 oil on a V8 engine) The rule of thumb is 10 PSI of oil pressure for every 1000 RPM of engine speed–so if you’re getting 40 PSI at 2000 RPM when driving for example, you’re doing just fine. Most oil sensors turn on the warning light at less than 5-6 PSI I think. A service manual for your car can tell you what the pressure ranges should be for your engine.
@player1145
Here’s my suggestion about the PCV valve, elbow and grommet
Either get them at your local Chevy dealer or NAPA
NAPA is often pretty good about stocking those small parts