[tuga]

Eight year old starting batteries! What kind are they?

I usually get 4 years out of mine. I have whatever brand Newell uses, I think they were Interstates.

Sounds like you had some blockage in your caps; although I have never heard of that. My biggest problem with batteries has been the corrision that builds up on the posts. My '93 had that problem but the '99 hasn't so far and it has been 6 years on the house AGMs.