New Battery keeps dying! Alternator?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,941
Likes: 1
From: Central CA
New Battery keeps dying! Alternator?
Well, my AC Delco all of a sudden took a dump about 2 weeks ago... its a 2002 so I figured it was just its time to die...
So I bought a Red Top and plopped it in... worked great all day.. parked it at home overnight... went to start in the morning and it was totally dead... not even a click...
Figured it was probably not the battery but went back and exchanged it just in case I got a bad one... Same thing after a nights rest...
After I jump and fully recharge the battery for about an hour of driving around and sitting idle... after about 2 hours of sitting off the car doensn't start...
I figure its a bad alternator... but not 100 percent sure..
Anything else it could be?
If not... how much is it going to cost me to replace the alternator and can I do it myself?
Thanks
So I bought a Red Top and plopped it in... worked great all day.. parked it at home overnight... went to start in the morning and it was totally dead... not even a click...
Figured it was probably not the battery but went back and exchanged it just in case I got a bad one... Same thing after a nights rest...
After I jump and fully recharge the battery for about an hour of driving around and sitting idle... after about 2 hours of sitting off the car doensn't start...
I figure its a bad alternator... but not 100 percent sure..
Anything else it could be?
If not... how much is it going to cost me to replace the alternator and can I do it myself?
Thanks
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 320
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From: Jackson Mississippi
Get it running and take it to Autozone, Advance, etc. and have them test both. With a new battery it's probably the alternator unless you have something that is draining it with the key off (custom stereo. etc). If both battery and alternator test fine then a drain would be the culprit. But i'd guess it's the alternator. Can't help you with price cause i haven't replaced mine. Shouldn't be too difficult to replace.
Good luck.
Good luck.
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Take it to a place that can test both the battery and the alternator. Seems strange that you would get two bad batteries so my guess is either the alternator or some quick drain on the battery.
Safety Car
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From: Dallas, Texas
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It may be something as simple as your dome light running things down.. although, it's far-fetched that it alone would run down a brand new battery. Hmmmm.......
Last edited by kbuicker; Sep 23, 2006 at 12:47 AM.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 529
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From: Princeton Texas
I am going to say you have something draining the battery. Not the alternator. If it will start when you park it at night, but won't in the morning that takes the alternator out of the picture. If you can't or don't want to do it yourself you will have to take it to a shop and they can hook up a test light and start pulling fuses until the problem is found. Shouldn't be hard to find. The only lights I could think of that would kill it that fast is headlights or brake lights staying on.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,941
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From: Central CA
Originally Posted by Flat Broke
I am going to say you have something draining the battery. Not the alternator. If it will start when you park it at night, but won't in the morning that takes the alternator out of the picture. If you can't or don't want to do it yourself you will have to take it to a shop and they can hook up a test light and start pulling fuses until the problem is found. Shouldn't be hard to find. The only lights I could think of that would kill it that fast is headlights or brake lights staying on.
So if I can start it right after I drive it home with a new battery and for about an hour afterwards... the alternator isn't the problem? I can start the car over and hour after I jump it and drive it for about a half hour to an hour... I leave it for an hour and it starts fine... I leave it for 2+ hours its dead as a door nail... not even clicking sounds.... that would indicate not an alternator?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
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From: Central CA
Originally Posted by stingray4me
I put a optima red top in yesterday. It was even made in September.
Cost $159 no tax on Air Force Base here.
Cost $159 no tax on Air Force Base here.
Sorry about that, should have gone to Costco... Mine cost $119 plus tax which took it to $127.XX Gotta Love Costco...
Mine was made in august, but I didn't look for a newer one... probably could have found one made in September
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Team Owner
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From: Kannapolis NC
Battery?
When you find the problem, it'll be either a weak battery, or something is draining it.(as others are telling you) It could be as simple as the battery cable ends corroded or coated or loose. It could be something draining the battery. A friend of mine has a Z06 that everytime he leaves his radar detector on overnight, it is so dead it won't even light the dash lights. If the alternator wasn't charging, the car would die from lack of electrical power after running a while. Look at the DIC with the engine off, note the battery voltage, start the car and look again. Now it should read almost 14 volts. If so, the alternator is fine. I'd lean toward the battery side.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: panama city beach florida USA
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to be frank, i dont know why its not my name. you should STEP AWAY FROM THE CAR AND NEVER OPEN THE HOOD. or keep going and throw more parts at it till ya break a bolt or something and realy mess it up. take it to an automechanic
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
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From: Central CA
Originally Posted by 65GGvert
When you find the problem, it'll be either a weak battery, or something is draining it.(as others are telling you) It could be as simple as the battery cable ends corroded or coated or loose. It could be something draining the battery. A friend of mine has a Z06 that everytime he leaves his radar detector on overnight, it is so dead it won't even light the dash lights. If the alternator wasn't charging, the car would die from lack of electrical power after running a while. Look at the DIC with the engine off, note the battery voltage, start the car and look again. Now it should read almost 14 volts. If so, the alternator is fine. I'd lean toward the battery side.
After I put the first Red top in... it died over night..I jumped it, charged it for about 20 minutes at idle, then drove it for about 30 minutes around town... During that driving around town it was at between 12 and 12.8 voltage... when I first put it in, the night before it died, it was running at 13.9ish...
also, I have nothing in it extra... everything is stock.. I didn't see any lights left on when I parked it either time...
Last edited by sandmanusd; Sep 23, 2006 at 11:42 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Napa Ca
Originally Posted by sandmanusd
I replaced the battery twice, with 2 new Optima Red tops... so the battery end is out of the picture...
After I put the first Red top in... it died over night..I jumped it, charged it for about 20 minutes at idle, then drove it for about 30 minutes around town... During that driving around town it was at between 12 and 12.8 voltage... when I first put it in, the night before it died, it was running at 13.9ish...
also, I have nothing in it extra... everything is stock.. I didn't see any lights left on when I parked it either time...
After I put the first Red top in... it died over night..I jumped it, charged it for about 20 minutes at idle, then drove it for about 30 minutes around town... During that driving around town it was at between 12 and 12.8 voltage... when I first put it in, the night before it died, it was running at 13.9ish...
also, I have nothing in it extra... everything is stock.. I didn't see any lights left on when I parked it either time...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Kannapolis NC
Originally Posted by sandmanusd
I replaced the battery twice, with 2 new Optima Red tops... so the battery end is out of the picture...
After I put the first Red top in... it died over night..I jumped it, charged it for about 20 minutes at idle, then drove it for about 30 minutes around town... During that driving around town it was at between 12 and 12.8 voltage... when I first put it in, the night before it died, it was running at 13.9ish...
also, I have nothing in it extra... everything is stock.. I didn't see any lights left on when I parked it either time...
After I put the first Red top in... it died over night..I jumped it, charged it for about 20 minutes at idle, then drove it for about 30 minutes around town... During that driving around town it was at between 12 and 12.8 voltage... when I first put it in, the night before it died, it was running at 13.9ish...
also, I have nothing in it extra... everything is stock.. I didn't see any lights left on when I parked it either time...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,202
Likes: 4,187
From: Kannapolis NC
Another thought
I don't know if this would work on a C5, but I've worked as an auto mechanic and also on many of my own cars. If you turn off the switch. disconnect the positive battery cable, (night time or dark garage) turn off the garage lights and then touch the cable to the battery post, if you see a pretty good arc, something is draining the battery. The reason I don't know if this will work on a C5 is that it has so many devices that need power for memory that it might spark normally. A large spark should indicate a problem. The local Chevy dealer told me about a Cadillac that ran the battery down over a period of time because the system that "puts it to sleep" when off after a couple of hours failed. Don't know if the Corvette has that in it's vast computer network or not.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Twilight zone
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Gotta be a drain somewhere,not a battery or alternator
I had a c-4 that was draining the battery overnight and it turned out to be the security system...that's a possibility
There is also some type of timer that shuts the interior lights off after a delay
If that is faulty,it could cause your issue
There are lots of possibilities here,that's the one curse of increased technology
I am pretty certain your battery and alternator are fine ,judging by your description
I had a c-4 that was draining the battery overnight and it turned out to be the security system...that's a possibility
There is also some type of timer that shuts the interior lights off after a delay
If that is faulty,it could cause your issue
There are lots of possibilities here,that's the one curse of increased technology
I am pretty certain your battery and alternator are fine ,judging by your description
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 102
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From: Ft Lauderdale Florida
Originally Posted by Bakersfield
Hey neighbor, I can help you figure it out if you would like. Give me a call 831-9714. I am an electronics tech and I think we can find your problem. Dwayne
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Long Island N.Y.
I had the EXACT ISSUE!!!!! Pulled the ACDelco and installed a RedTop. About one week later....dead...no clicking...nothing.
Here's what my issue was:
The battery cables...the terminals were corroded (like cake batter) INSIDE the rubber boots. It wasn't allowing the juice to leave the battery or the alternator to charge the battery. I pulled the rubber boots off, cleaned them and coated them with dielectric grease. Put everything back and POW!!!!...no issues...
Start with the easy things and then go from there. Now I have the Delco on a trickle charger in my garage...it's perfect...go figure...
Good luck,
ace
Here's what my issue was:
The battery cables...the terminals were corroded (like cake batter) INSIDE the rubber boots. It wasn't allowing the juice to leave the battery or the alternator to charge the battery. I pulled the rubber boots off, cleaned them and coated them with dielectric grease. Put everything back and POW!!!!...no issues...
Start with the easy things and then go from there. Now I have the Delco on a trickle charger in my garage...it's perfect...go figure...
Good luck,
ace
