Battery drainage
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,552
Likes: 324
From: Mid Ohio
Can't help much other than to say: Is it actually draining or is the battery degraded to the point where it doesn't take much normal drainage to kill it.
I've "heard" C4s eat batteries. Mine was dead when I bought it. New battery and the car can sit for 2weeks. Starts just fine and I see 14.2V on the digital guage.
I've "heard" C4s eat batteries. Mine was dead when I bought it. New battery and the car can sit for 2weeks. Starts just fine and I see 14.2V on the digital guage.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
If the battery tests as good, put a full charge on it.
Connect a DMM between neg lead and ground and mesaure mA of current draw.
If greater than 50mA begin pulling fuses, one by one to isolate the problem circuit.
Connect a DMM between neg lead and ground and mesaure mA of current draw.
If greater than 50mA begin pulling fuses, one by one to isolate the problem circuit.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,771
Likes: 177
From: Rolla Missouri
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
St. Jude Donor '10 thru '25
A C4 isn't going to "eat" a battery any more or less than any other modern car.
If you have an substantial electrical draw while the car is not running, the battery is going to go dead in short order.
Not any different than any other car.
The problem is these are now "old cars" and there are numerous electrical issues that current and/or previous owners have failed to take care of.
Fix the problems and the car can sit for weeks and/or months at a time without any issues.
If you have an substantial electrical draw while the car is not running, the battery is going to go dead in short order.
Not any different than any other car.
The problem is these are now "old cars" and there are numerous electrical issues that current and/or previous owners have failed to take care of.
Fix the problems and the car can sit for weeks and/or months at a time without any issues.
5th Gear
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
My 84 Vette, starting with a fully charged battery and new alternator, will only show a maximum of 13.4 volts on the dash voltmeter which steadily drops throughout the day as I am driving it until it gets down around 12.4 volts whereupon it dies and will not restart. I have been through 2 new batteries and 2 new alternators with no change so I know that the problem does not exist with this part of the charging circuit. Someone suggested that this could be a problem with the charging wire off of my alternator and possibly a fusible link or the excitation wire to the alternator. Can anyone tell me how to find the actual problem?
Thanx
GCM
Thanx
GCM
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,393
Likes: 2,741
My 84 Vette, starting with a fully charged battery and new alternator, will only show a maximum of 13.4 volts on the dash voltmeter which steadily drops throughout the day as I am driving it until it gets down around 12.4 volts whereupon it dies and will not restart. I have been through 2 new batteries and 2 new alternators with no change so I know that the problem does not exist with this part of the charging circuit. Someone suggested that this could be a problem with the charging wire off of my alternator and possibly a fusible link or the excitation wire to the alternator. Can anyone tell me how to find the actual problem?
Thanx
GCM
Thanx
GCM
If you want to do some interesting reads using Google search just check for carbon pile load test evaluation of electrical system. You should find several good reads.
Here's a start that's orientated for heavier equipment but it's quite complete for each component:
http://delcoremy.com/Documents/diagnostic-manual.aspx
Last edited by WVZR-1; Jul 28, 2014 at 07:23 PM.
