Ok, so what has been happening lately with my car is rather annoying. If I leave the car sit for any length of time, the battery slowly discharges. Note on this...I have a decent stereo system in my car. However, I have purposely been not a-bumpin the past week or so trying to see if that was what was draining the system. I think not. Plus, I've had the sub in the car (well, this car, and my old car that I swapped the engine into this one...bat too) for over a year with no problems. My alternator is a little goofy, putting out 14V at idle, and almost 16V at a faster than idle rpm. Also, I took out the battery and alternator, and let Autozone load check each, and each were fine. So here's what I'm thinking: 1) There's either a constant load on the system even when the car's off that is draining the battery (which might o No: explain why the voltage regulator is throwing out higher than normal voltage...it sees more resistance), or 2) I have some wire shorting somewhere that I somehow didn't have before. Now, a bit more info: my dash lights for the speedo cluster only have been out since I put the dash back together, and I think it's the headlight switch itself because when you jiggle it, all the other lights not on the cluster, go off an on. Oh, and my starter is starting to give me that little lag after the initial "rur" which has always seemed to signal that the starter is going. I don't really know how to describe that better. Aside from that, everything else seems ok. So what do you think, option 1, 2, or something else? o No:
Check all your ground points, and make sure your main cables are good at both ends. (Pos and Neg bat cables) I would suspect your stereo has developed a problem. Try removing a fuse a night(different) until you stop the draw, and then you will narrow the problem down. John C
Ronny: 16v will cook your battery. So somethings fishy with the regulator. Are you still using the factory points syle on the firewall? If so you can turn it down with the internal adjustment. Those regulators are a little slow to turn on, and you should limit voltage to about 14 to 14.5v. To help trace down which system is causing the drain. Get a test light and a friend. Remove the neg. battery cable and hook the test light up in series with the cable to ground. You can also make a test light with a 12v bulb and two wires soldered to it with alligator clips. The light will illuminate if any circuit is active in the car. You can now remove one fuse at a time and see if the light goes out. Whichever fuse you pull turns the light off then thats the circuit that got the draw. Now if you have a working clock, your aftermarket stereo with digital clock, those will turn the light on, as will having the dome light on with the door open. So disconnect the clock, radio and close the door. I'll bet you don't have a good ground under the light switch (that round metal tab with the gound lug). It fits underneath the switch and the dash lights connect to it. You could also have a faulty switch, which is a good bet considering the age.
John, My main ground points are good (the neg. off the battery, engine ground, and cap ground.) Your fuse idea is great! Why didn't I think of that! :spank: Thanks!!! Any other ideas/analysis are still very welcome!
The Alternator as a draw source? Wet battery can draw too A mechanic told me once that the Alternator can also be a draw source We didnt talk very long but I think what he meant was if the field is energized even a amp or 2 that will of course draw a battery down When doing you lamp/fuse test, disconnect the lugs off the Alternator Another thought with the engine cold and the case of the Alternator warm That would be a clue the field is energized Also I had a battery where the top of the case was wet from moisture and acid and after 2 weeks the battery was down, I put a volt meter on the case and one post and saw as much as 10 volts.
