What does it mean when the battery gauge goes full "40+" when the engine is off of idle? At idle it's pretty even, but any revs and off to the full right it goes. This is a brand new issue, and it cooincides with a severe battery drain if car is left with the battery connected. 65 327 . . . . . TIA

 

First, it means you should disconnect one of your battery guage (it is not an ammeter and is not labeled as such) wires (relay or starter) before you burn the expen$ive and hard to replace guage up.

Second, trace the battery drain with a test lamp or multimeter. Start by checking the lines to the alternator and the starter to see if they are fried. Then proceed to pulling up one end of all the fuses, to see if the drain goes away. If it does, push the ends down one at a time until you locate the circuit with the problem. Don't forget that the courtesy lamps are engaged whever the doors are open and the clock likes to run all the time.

Put the test lamp between a battery terminal and battery line with all fuses up. The lamp should be out. If not, the problem is not in a fused circuit, and is likely to be under the hood.

Tell us what happens. :lurk:



[Modified by magicv8, 8:03 AM 4/19/2004]

 

Jack,

Does it stay at the 40+ AMP rate or just go up there and settle back down to 0?

Immediately after start-up I see about 40 AMPS on mine, but it pretty quickly (20-30 seconds) settles back down to 0.

What is that state of your battery? A weak or bad battery will draw alot of current.

Is there a heavy draw of current from the battery when the ignition is off?

Let me know if you need a hand on this. My undergrad was EE, so perhaps I can figure out the wiring on your Vette.
Marty

 

thanks for the quick advice, help is surely what I need. More details: Car now lives in my parking garage at work, lost the use of my garage at home (long story). Brought it home from work on Friday, wanted it for the weekend and was putting the 5 Goldlines on (looks awesome!). Car has been running great; while I have a green-**** batt disconnect I have not had to unhook it every time I park, but I do when I leave it for long periods anyway. Replaced all of the harnesses last year, Lectric Limited. Pirkle-alternator late last year, no issues. No aftermarket options, radio works, clock works.

I have been driving it all around all weekend, went to drive it on Sunday and dead battery condition (Optima, near new, super strong cranking). I charged it up (with the system disconnected, green **** is a God-send there) and off I went. Didn't notice anything with the gauges, but I cannot swear I looked at the batt gauge (the temp gauge has always been the focus of my glances!). Odd thing, when I got to where I was going, I popped the hood to disconnect the battery (knowing that I seem to have a drain and not wanting to be stranded) and when I untwisted the ****, I heard a sound like a solenoid releasing, perhpas in the area of the voltage regulator (which was replaced out of caution last year). But I am not certain as to the source of the sound. When I got home and disconnected the battery, the same noise. Drove some more last night. I really don't think the batt gauge was blasting then, cause I tend to look at it when my headlights are on.

Drove it in this morning, towards the end of the 1/2 hour ride I notice the batt guage is acting weird, as described. Full 40+ when cruising, back to even if I lift off the gas and let it idle. got in, and by the way, when I disconnected the battery, no solenoid releasing noise.

ok, that's as much possibly relevant info as I can think of. Problem is, the car is now at work in a dark corner of the parking garage, not too conducive to working under the hood, but I can bring a flashlight and do some minor tweaking - I need to know if I can drive it that way home again next weekend to work on it

 

Jack,

Give me a call, I have a few thoughts that you can easily try. I am in the office util about 5:30.

203 855 8755 x 303

Marty

 

MagicV8, 66BB - thanks for the suggestions, I will open up all of the fuses tomorrow when I have a flashlight in hand, and my multi-meter along as well.

one other thing I am going to look at - recall how I said there was a "release" noise of sorts from the area of the voltage regulator when I disconnected the battery - I just searched the NCRS forum and found a discussion from june of last year started by a guy (Mike Yager) with similar symptoms - and he was good enough to come back and advise what he found - a bad connector at the volt reg was leading to a heavy short! hmmmm . . I'll be checking that voltage regulator out too!
http://www.ncrs.org/forum/archive13.cgi?review=86410

I just need to be able to drive the thing back to my house (the land of tools, light, and an approriate venue for hood-up work) but don't want to melt a wiring harness (or worse!) doing so. :rolleyes:


[Modified by ctjackster, 5:12 PM 4/19/2004]

 

Just a guess but since you hear a solenoid releasing or what sounds to be one.. Could it be the horn relay? Dave...

 

Let me jump on the horn relay bandwagon.....

Does the horn relay body get (real) hot? (Shouldn't....)
Does your horn still work? (Should, obviously)

Don't let the :boxing get you down!

 

you know, I had forgotten that the "horn relay" [pretty poor word choice since it seems to do much more than that] lives right in that area too, thanks for reminding me, it's on my list of things to take a hard look at now . . .

 

You shouldn't have any trouble driving it home if you charge the battery fully and skip any unnecessary drain on it on the way home ie: headlights, radio, wipers, etc. I've located many a short by disconnecting both battery cables and hooking my volt/ohm meter leads to the battery cables. Assuming you see a short, start unplugging things and removing fuses till it goes away. The last two significant shorts I had were altenator and voltage regulator.

 

Sounds similar to an experiance I had with my battery gauge, except mine would point straight down and go back to zero when shut off! Pulled the alternator and regulator, went to Auto Zone they checked the alt and it was fine. The regulator did not check out ok and they had a $10 made in China replacement. Put it in two years ago and its been fine ever since. I also replaced the dash harness with Lectric Limited..... For $10 its worth having one..... Good Luck... :smash: