Short
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Short
Good morning,
I have a problem. My 84 is killing batteries and altenators. Any ideas where to start to look for the short? When the pos cable is removed from the battery there is a spark. Are there any common places to look? Thanks Bob
I have a problem. My 84 is killing batteries and altenators. Any ideas where to start to look for the short? When the pos cable is removed from the battery there is a spark. Are there any common places to look? Thanks Bob
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
I looked at the console first as its givin me issues in the past. I still think its a short as when I get it running the alt gets very hot to the touch. What ever happened to cause this is a mystery. It worked fine one day, dead the next..... Thanks for the reply!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 995
Likes: 1
From: Naples Campania
I had one problem with my alternator. There is a little rubber boot on the positive cable coming off of the alt. Not in the connector, It's a single cable held on by a nut. There is a sleeve of rubber around the stud that you connect the cable that insulates it from the case. If that cable isn't positioned properly and that rubber boot is broken/gone, you might be arcing across to the alternator case. That would REALLY **** off your alternator and cause heat.
However, I'm inclined to go towards the lighting staying on. If you own a coupe, the light on each side will stay on whether you have the doors or the hatch open. I've seen problems with both. Check those connection points. Clean and look for broken/shorted wires that would keep lights on.
However, I'm inclined to go towards the lighting staying on. If you own a coupe, the light on each side will stay on whether you have the doors or the hatch open. I've seen problems with both. Check those connection points. Clean and look for broken/shorted wires that would keep lights on.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
The alternator could be getting hot because it has high charging current to charge up your badly discharged battery when you first start the engine. This will shorten the life of the alternator. At night, look for underhood lights, vanity mirror lights, door map lights, console light. Do you have a CB radio, GPS, radar detector, aftermarket alarm or radio or audio amplifier? Check em. Otherwise you need to connect an ammeter from your disconnected battery cable to the neg battery post and watch the ammeter while you remove fuses one at a time (remove the courtesy light fuse the whole time) to find out what circuit is drawing current.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 8
From: Westerly RI
The alternator could be getting hot because it has high charging current to charge up your badly discharged battery when you first start the engine. This will shorten the life of the alternator. At night, look for underhood lights, vanity mirror lights, door map lights, console light. Do you have a CB radio, GPS, radar detector, aftermarket alarm or radio or audio amplifier? Check em. Otherwise you need to connect an ammeter from your disconnected battery cable to the neg battery post and watch the ammeter while you remove fuses one at a time (remove the courtesy light fuse the whole time) to find out what circuit is drawing current.
Solid electrical advice from jfb as usual.
