When changing a battery in a car is there more to it than getting the right one and hooking it up?

Ever since I changed the battery in my truck, it has been very hard to start after it has been sitting. Once it opens up and starts running I can turn it on and off no problem. I was wondering if maybe I needed to add water to the battery (I remember my dad doing that a long time ago).

I bought the battery at Walmart and didn't know if they did something to make them safer to have in the stores and now I need to undo it to make it work better.

I am planning on taking it to a shop tonight but can't afford to. Please help?When changing a battery in a car is there more to it than getting the right one and hooking it up?Thick oil on a cold morning would cause the motor to turn over slower than normal. But after the truck has ran a few minutes, the oil becomes warm and thinner, so the engine is easier to spin.



Many batteries still take water. Pull the cap(s) off of the top of the battery and look inside each cell. If you find one or more lower than the rest, fill it/them with distilled water (NOT TAP).



You could have a parasitic draw on the battery somewhere in the truck, causing a weak battery. Insert a current meter on either the positive or negative terminal (remember you measure current in line with the circuit). You will most likely see a small amount of draw from the radio (for the clock and memory) but not a large current. If you do, pull fuses one at a time until the large draw disapears, then you know what is draining your battery.



You could have a weak starter, but less likely. Or the battery that you bought is simply weak... Did you buy one with a high cold cranking amp (CCA) rating? Do you live in a cold climate?
When changing a battery in a car is there more to it than getting the right one and hooking it up?
sounds like a weak alternator, a loose connection, or a weak starter...



check the connections first, if you need to, replace or clean the battery terminals (they are pretty cheap)



if that doesn't help, take the vehicle to auto zone to have your alternator and starter tested...good luck...
When changing a battery in a car is there more to it than getting the right one and hooking it up?
yes, disconnect the car Earth wire whilst charging, or you'll cook the regulator, and perhaps more. Your battery is draining thru' a fault in your alternator. some distilled water to restore fluid levels might be a good idea, but is not a cure for this trouble. See auto electrician or get used alternator and recondition it yourself.
Sometimes when you change to new parts, the problems start to go down the line. Like if the battery is new then the first thing I would do is change the terminals + and the - ends and then if that don't work change the positive cable, in a truck it should be the shorter one to the battery. Then start the truck and pull the + side cable off the battery and if it dies your alternator is bad if it stays running your battery is bad.
Depending on the year you may have done a bad thing!!! Some vehicles now require a constant power source. When you change the battery, you need to hookup secondary power temporarily. Don't start or move the vehicle!!! Call your local new car dealer and ask the service manager if yours is one. Loss of power can result in loss of computer memory. Driving/running the car can have unexpected results including destroying the insides of your transmission.
i havent seen a battery that takes water in 25 years,,,loose connection or bad starter
sounds to me like you may have gotten a bad battery. Or something is draining the battery while the car is not in use. I think your alt is fine due to the fact that once it starts it is OK, that tells me the charging system is working. Check cables on both ends, at battery, stater, and engine block( ground) for loose or dirty connections. Also is the battery the right battery for that truck, If you add water make sure it is distilled water. Why did you change the battery in the first place?
Some cars have special code to be re-entered after the battery has been replaced. Check with your dealer.
I just changed my battery . Check the cables first. Could be bad connection . The cables don't cost a lot maybe 15 dollars . Make sure you get some lube for a good connect. If that isn't the problem then it could be alternator . Which cost a lot more. About 100 to 200 bucks multiply by 4 and thats what you pay for the shop to fix . Start small and trouble shoot .

GOD BLESS
Todays batteries are of the maintenance-free and low-maintenance type so there is no need to add water like we did years ago. You must get the correct battery for your car the BCI group number needs to at least match not be lower. These numbers are on the tops of the battery. Some cars need a higher rating battery than others due to the electrical accessories and options on the car. It is good to have a higher cold cranking amps in a colder environment. It is also possible that you are getting a parasitic load, that is something that stays on while the ignition is off ie- a plugged in car charger that has a led on it or a visor mirror light that stays on. You could also have loose connections or corrison at them, check the battery cables for this and check the ground cable at the chassis ground.