Here's a weird one!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Chesapeake VA
Here's a weird one!
I'm getting very frustrated at my car, I just bought an Optima Redtop battery and I really like it. However my car is draining it because it's not charging when I run the car. So my first reaction was the alternator... changed it out with a remanufactured unit from Autozone. Drove to work this morning and my battery was drained, I barely made it to the parking lot. My turn signals stopped working the voltage was so low. I know I hooked it up the right way. Now anyone else have a problem like this before? The only think I can think of is an electrical ground somewhere. But if I had a ground that was draining the electrical system so bad, why did I even get my car to run in the first place?
-Joe :confused:
-Joe :confused:
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 376
Likes: 0
From: NE PA PA
Re: Here's a weird one! (obelisk)
Disconnect your pos battery cable with a muiti tester check for continuity between the pos cable and the neg. If you get a reading or beep your have a pos to ground short. The clock could give you a reading so pull the clock fuse. Then check again , pull another fuse and check again, ect. ect. until you get no reading this will isolate your drain( assuming you had a reading to start with). This is a great proceedure if the drain happens with the switch in off. But if your drain only happens when the car is on then with the tester in the DC volt mode, (car running) check pos. battery to neg.(frame of car) you should have at least 13.5 volts. If not then check output side of altenator,pos (red lead on meter) and neg. (black lead on meter to frame or altenator bracket) you should have +13.5 volts. If not I would say the new altenator is bad.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: Here's a weird one! (JBR)
The problem isn't a drain ... obviously the charging system is not working.
I don't have any books here, but most repair manuals will have a troubleshooting guide that entails measuring the voltages at the control wires
as well as the output voltage.
Is it an external or internal voltage regulator ? If external, then that is the likely culprit.
81 ... I think is internally regulated. Often the two wires at the connector
can start to break under the insulation from flexing and corrosion.
If the wire feels flimsy near the connector ... this could be it.
:seeya
[Modified by NHvette, 9:51 AM 3/5/2004]
I don't have any books here, but most repair manuals will have a troubleshooting guide that entails measuring the voltages at the control wires
as well as the output voltage.
Is it an external or internal voltage regulator ? If external, then that is the likely culprit.
81 ... I think is internally regulated. Often the two wires at the connector
can start to break under the insulation from flexing and corrosion.
If the wire feels flimsy near the connector ... this could be it.
:seeya
[Modified by NHvette, 9:51 AM 3/5/2004]
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Re: Here's a weird one! (obelisk)
I have found rebuilt alternators to be very iffy. I went through 5 in as many days on one car before I got one that worked. Ususally it takes 2 or 3. Rarely in the last 15 years have I gotten one that works the first time. Poor rebuild quality is probably the answer. I had the same problem with rebuilt A/C compressors. Compressors are much more difficult to install so I started buying new ones only. Never had a problem with new compressors. Alternators are easy to install. Most take less than 30 mins. New alternators are so expensive, that it is worth it to keep taking them back until you get a good one. By the way rebuilt starters are iffy too.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 2
From: Dayton Oh
Re: Here's a weird one! (Never Finished)
:iagree: with Never Finished. Although I've not had alternator problems on my Vette, I had to replace my pickup's three times the same day. The first two were rebuilt. The third and only good one was new, GM out of our local Chevy dealer stock room. :mad
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,865
Likes: 1
From: I may be getting old but I refuse to grow up
Re: Here's a weird one! (Never Finished)
I have found rebuilt alternators to be very iffy. I went through 5 in as many days on one car before I got one that worked. Ususally it takes 2 or 3. Rarely in the last 15 years have I gotten one that works the first time. Poor rebuild quality is probably the answer. I had the same problem with rebuilt A/C compressors. Compressors are much more difficult to install so I started buying new ones only. Never had a problem with new compressors. Alternators are easy to install. Most take less than 30 mins. New alternators are so expensive, that it is worth it to keep taking them back until you get a good one. By the way rebuilt starters are iffy too.
Steve :steering:
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 669
Likes: 0
From: memphis tn
Re: Here's a weird one! (stpman)
fwiw, i have read many post over in C4 regarding new optimas discharging rapidly w/out any current drain.
charge and load test the battery. if it passes, get a cheap multimeter and check the voltage at the battery while the engine is running. should be at least 1 volt more than with the engine off. if its not, check it at the alternator. should have within .5 of battery voltage w/ engine off, at least 1 higher when running.
charge and load test the battery. if it passes, get a cheap multimeter and check the voltage at the battery while the engine is running. should be at least 1 volt more than with the engine off. if its not, check it at the alternator. should have within .5 of battery voltage w/ engine off, at least 1 higher when running.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Chesapeake VA
Re: Here's a weird one!
I found it... t'was the charging system. I found a heavily corroded wire going to the pos terminal... thanks guys. I do think I have a ground too because the battery will drain slowly if I don't drive it for a couple of weeks but that's a whole other issue.
-Joe
-Joe
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 1
From: "Too Low, Too Fast, Too Loud" TX
Re: Here's a weird one! (obelisk)
I found a heavily corroded wire going to the pos terminal...
[Modified by 81' Corvette Guy, 6:54 AM 3/6/2004]