My battery wont hold a charge and I cant figure out why. I charge it and it starts and runs for a bit, and slowly looses all electrical power. My first thought it bad battery so I take it back for its warranty and they say its fine. So next I think alternator is bad, so I take it out and have it checked twice, its still pushin power strong. Now Im kinda out of options. My only guess is a bad ground somewhere.

Recently my driver's side window wouldnt come up until I got the battery FULLY charged, then it came up fine, and now works good even as the battery is losing juice. So I dismissed that as just a one time sparatic sticking or whatever.

What should my next plan of action be? I really dont feel like hunting down all the grounds and metering them ALL but I guess Ill do what I gotta to keep the power going.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Let's start with the obvious.
1) Check the cables/Both ends for corroded/loose connections.
2) Are you stating the battery loses charge when off?

 

You need to buy a VOM meter (a cheap one will do). Disconnect the + lead on the battery and connect the VOM (set on milliamps) between the batt terminal and cable. Close all the doors so no lights are on (key off) and read the current on the VOM. It should be zero. If it shows a current draw, pull one fuse at a time until it does read zero. When that happens, something in that circuit is drawing a current when it shouldn't be. (underhood light, glovebox light etc.). An electrical diagram will be most helpful to determine exactly what's on that circuit.

 

Does it drain while running, stopped, or both?

 

it only loses charge when power is being used. When car is totally off, the battery actually gains a bit of charge. I had it trailered from my home in south tx to where Im going to college and it died just as my dad got it on the trailer. When it got in it to start it, it wouldnt turn over so he charged the battery and it turned right over. He pulled it out of the driveway and went around the block so he could line it up right with the flatbed and as he came around the corner, the brights looked like parking lights. He said it pretty much died just as he got it on the trailor and in gear to park. When I got it here, I opened the door and tried to start it. Before I turned the key, the dome light was as bright as ever and the cd player came on and played fine for a few seconds till I tried to start it. I turned the key and it didnt make any sort of turning noise as all. When I tried to get the key back to "accessories" the dome was almost out and the cd player wouldnt even come on. So I guess it somehoe got a bit of charge on the trailor throughout the drive up here.

The battery cables are fine, maybe a little corrosion, but nothing at all like Ive seen on a bunch of other perfectly running cars (including vettes)

 

If you don't want to do much personally;
Take the whole car to an Advance Auto etc. They will check the battery and alternator charging in the car for free and probably give you a printout of the charging amps.

If it meets the charging specs, then your cable connections are probably the first suspect.

 

Okay. When you turn on the key, before you start, does the red alt warning light come on? When it is started, does it go off? What is your volt reading when running?

 

try charging the battery get the car started and put a volt meter on the battery see if the battery is reciving any charge from the alternator. you should see 13 to 14 volts at the battery with the car at idle. if not you may have a open between the battery post on the alternator and the battery. you should have battery voltage at the alternator battery post with the key on and engine off. good luck.

 

after charging, the volt guage sits around 14, but starts dropping steadily once the charger/jumper cables are removed.

and I never looked for the red alt light to come on, when charged or running, but I will tomorrow. Its been pouring rain here all day so Im stuck till then.

 

Alright
Tomarrow check for the red light. If it does not light, check the gauge fuse. If it does, pull the plug out of the alternator and check for 2-4 volts from #1 to ground.Check for 12 volts at the main alternator term.(With the boot). If no voltage, it may be the fusible link at the starter.

 

He can start it when jumped, so the fuseable link should be good, otherwise there would be no power anywhere other than battery term. at the starter.

Test as Duke94 suggested and also do it with key on.
From your description it sounds like you have an unusually high draw somewhere, or your battery is never fully charged.

BTW, the terminals don't have to look cruddy to not be able to charge a battery. Here is what is probably in there from the factory. Pretty poor cable. They outlawed this for residential, commercial and industrial use because the connections would go bad. So you may want to also check it out if you find nothing else.