Passed test but still fails, always learning

So before the running club board meeting I drove over to the nearby Autozone to have them check my truck charging system.  I told the guy how my battery light was flashing on and off erratically as I was driving.

So he hooked up the diagnostic stuff to my battery and started the test.  He initially had a hard time getting a good connection on the positive terminal of the battery.  Eventually he got a solid connection and started the test.  According to what he saw, my battery, alternator and starter are all working just fine.  Hmmmm.

Well this was good and bad news. He said that perhaps the initial trouble he had getting a solid connection meant some of the black slimy stuff that is on the positive battery terminal was causing a momentary loss of connection.  Well I liked that simple prognosis.  I went back inside with him and spent $4 on a new battery install kit which included pads you put over the posts to prevent corrosion as well as a gel you apply to the terminals.

This morning I went outside, already dressed for work and quickly redid the terminals, cleaning them up well, applying the new pads and gel and making sure the connection was tight.  Imagine my joy when I saw the battery light flicker on for the first time a few miles into my drive to work. Damn it.

So my next idea is that perhaps the positive battery lead to the new starter is not as secure as I thought it was.  Maybe it is jostling around, causing the flashes although the truck never runs like it is having it’s electrical connections f’d with.  If that is nice and tight then I am out of ideas until I dig around on the internet.  Since at least so far, it appears to be more of an annoyance than anything I am not pushing the panic button.

So after the running club board meeting I once again headed over to South Street with a few of the board members.  They drink and eat dinner, I just drink, since I grabbed Subway before the meeting.  These guys make me laugh, hard.  Some of the stories I heard literally had me laughing to the point of tears.  I always learn something new.

I stayed way later than I originally intended, not getting home till damn close to midnight.  I had like 4 or 5 beers so I had to give myself adequate time to clear the fuzzies.  I supplemented the process with three cups of coffee before I left.