27-03-12, 10:21 AM
Check there are no corroded or loose contacts on the battery or elsewhere. A voltmeter can tell you a lot about battery and wiring condition. But yes, it pretty much sounds like the battery is on the way out.
The chemical reaction in the battery works slower the lower the temperature is, so there are fewer cranking amps available... and cold engines are harder to turn over. Once you've bump started it and run it for a bit the engine is warm, the battery has had a top-up charge and that makes enough of a difference for it to be able to restart the engine.
The chemical reaction in the battery works slower the lower the temperature is, so there are fewer cranking amps available... and cold engines are harder to turn over. Once you've bump started it and run it for a bit the engine is warm, the battery has had a top-up charge and that makes enough of a difference for it to be able to restart the engine.