Here's another thing to look at. I had an 81 Regal that was a daily driver.The battery started to drain overnight like yours too. I pulled every fuse,unplugged all lights and the wire off the lighter but still had the same problem.After a few weeks I found the problem.The wire that is in the steering wheel(with a spring on it) for the horn was rubbed open.It was not enough for the horn to blow but enough to draw the battery down.I put all kinds of electrical components on the car and fixed it with a $.50 cent piece. This may not help but worth a look. Pat
I'm gonna agree on the voltage regulator being suspect. Common for the contacts to stick. Have you felt the regulator after sitting a few hours? If it's warm to the touch it's probably sticking and conducting voltage.
yet another update.... Checked the car this afternoon- battery voltage was 12.5v right where it was yesterday. That's good news as the battery was hooked up overnight on the car. One thing that was changed that I failed to mention was the quick disconnect battery post piece which I had on the negative post. I was trying to open it up to fit it on the positive post but broke it. I wonder if that had any bearing with this issue? I've also discovered that the ashtray light works when grounded but, yet for the life of me, can't find where that piece mounts too even with CyberBuick's instructions? Anyone have a digital camera when they can snap a pic of the light as it sits and mounts? Someone else asked if the car has an underhood light.... no, it doesn't. I'm not the most skilled individual with a multimeter so maybe one of you can tell me where to set it to measure current at fuses? Am I looking at DC amperage here and which probes go where? Key on and/or with anything else on? My meter has several settings for DC amperage and I'm not sure which one to use. Owners instructions don't address this either? Voltage regulator was changed out to an original unit and it doesn't feel warm to the touch. Neither does alternator. I did disconnect cig lighter. Well, we'll see tommorrow where that battery stands..... Thanks folks for all the help and keep it coming! :Comp:
Evans, Did you check to see if there is a dead short somewhere? If you have a test light, run one probe to neg. battery terminal and the other to ground anywhere on the engine. If you get a light you have a short. Had a similar problem not too long ago. Turned out to be a bad ignition switch. Spent many hours tracking that one. Good luck!
latest update.... Battery is holding charge! One of the changes or combo of troubleshooting tricks seems to be working. I'm leaning towards it either being one of these three: change in external voltage regulators (although the one replaced could have been good?), unplugging cig lighter, or elimination of the quick disconnect battery switch off the negative terminal. I may reconnect the cig lighter to see what bearing it may have. Hey, and I even found the housing where the ashtray light goes too! Didn't know I needed to take out housing with 4 screws to access that panel. Many thanks to all who helped me in this electrical gremlin. Sure was nice to be able to drive the car away from home on Sat and have it crank later for return!:bglasses:
i am 100% positive it was not your negative disconnect. to test your lighter socket. keep it unplugged and take you trusty volt meter 1.turn the meter on ohms 2.hook the one test lead to a good ground 3.take the other test lead and carefully touch it to the backside of the lighter socket where the orange lighter wire was once plugged in (usually its a little piece of bolt that the wire was once plugged into). if your meter show ANYTHING, any movement at all, you have a bad/dirty/crusty lighter socket. if the meter does absolutely nothing, the socket is probably fine. try these tests with and without the lighter resting in the hole.
the saga continues...... Thought I had whipped this problem but it has reared it's ugly head once again! I replaced external voltage reg with a Wells VR715 (solid sate unit). Battery is known good by Auto Zone test and by multimeter check. I actually have two batteries (one almost brand new) that I rotate in and out during this problem. Something is definitely killing the battery and it still appears to be a parasitic drain. I've chased every loose wire, changed all bulbs blown, and checked about everything I can think of. I will change the alternator out as I've recently purchased a rebuilt and restored original date coded unit. I'll give that a go and see what happens. Battery will go dead with car sitting for about 3-4 days. If the alt replacement doesn't cure it, it may be time to pay some $$ and put in the shop with the electrical gurus. I'm all ears if anyone wants to throw out some suggestions.
Re: the saga continues...... Hi Evans - Short term solution - I have a battery cuttoff switch I installed on the ground. Every time the GS goes into the garage, I disconnect the switch. Like I stated, short term solution (at least your car will start the next time).
Marco, I did have one of the quick disconnect switches on the negative cable at battery post but I broke it tightening it up. I probably should purchase another as my car can sometimes sit for days or weeks between drives. I really want to get this car back in a dependable and reliable state where I will have confidence in it. I have to say that my 87 Turbo Regal (daily driven) never misses a beat and has only let me down a couple of times. One day.......
new alternator is now in Got the new alternator installed yesterday. Hope you can't mess it up by clocking the back cover as I had to do this so the connectors would line up where they needed to go. Here's my question of the day.... I noticed when I took off the previous alternator that nothing was attached at rear at negative connector at rear of alternator? Is that standard? Should something be there? Only noticed the main two prong connector and a wire at positive conncetor at rear of unit. Someone please clarify for me. After buttoning it up, it seems to work well and voltage looked to be around 14v with engine running at around 2000 rpm sitting.
One of my endless problems with my Regal was a drain on the battery....had a worn off spot of insulation on my positive battery cable that was rubbing the frame.
Thanks Chris! Chris- that's another area I haven't checked yet but will. Thanks! Problem is still there. With cables attached to battery, she loses approx 1v daily. Two days sitting still with cables on and she won't crank. I got tired of charging batteries and shifting them out so it sits with the neg off the battery. Haven't had time to check anything or even call the shop to see when the electrical gurus might could look at it. Been too busy as well as it's been way too hot and humid here!
another update Which chapter is this in this never ending saga??ou: Problem still exists. Was planning to drive car to repair shop today but car wouldn't engage starter! Wouldn't do anything when trying to jump start it either. Finally gave up and called towing company to take the car to the shop. I have the feature on my auto insurance policy of reimbursement for towing. The tow driver complimented my car and said that he had been at this job for a month. Stated his girlfriend had been after him to take his picture in the tow truck. He said that opportunity was now at hand with my GS in tow on the ramp truck as he planning to swing by his girlfriend's place for the photo opportunity. I will post back on the report from the shop on this electrical problem after a hopeful resolution. Does it ever end?? o No:
Evans : I suggest you buy a clamp on amp meter from Harbour Freight which does not require you to interupt any circuit to see where current is being drawn. A reading close to the battery compared the circuits close to the fuse block should quickly isolate the branch where the problem is located. Then examine the schematic to see what is on that circuit that could be the problem. Much easier on the nerves than guessing here and there.
Jim, I wished we lived closer and I would pay you to fix these electrical problems. I'm still learning and have along way to go to develope some competencies mechanically. My wife is an Electrical Engineer and I can't even get her to help me out with the GS! She's understanding but working on them isn't her cup of tea. Electrical issues really throw me for a loop. I know I have throw some money at the car in this area and have gone with some guesswork too. I just want to get this thing fixed and be able to enjoy this car and have it be reliable and not let me down. Aren't you up in the Charlotte NC area? I was up that way back late May for a National conference that was job related. I was at the Westin and got to go to Speed Street as I was there during the week prior to the Coca-Cola 600. Great time!
I am 180 miles east of Charlotte near Raleigh. Call your local GA airport and find the closest avionics shop. They will have a tech used to running down tougher gremlins on aircraft that can help you. In the military they are called sparkchasers.
hmm idea... have you pulled every fuse one at a time and checked for an amp draw across them? you can then atleast identify the circut causing the problem. my honda had about 4 milliamps and would be dead in 7 days. (its also the same size battery as our SB skylarks the digital clock/radio constant power would pull about 1 milli. I found out my alarm I added had a bad relay and the relay would short and leave the parking lights on with a very faint glow. nate
the saga is over! And do I feel stupid on the cause...... I am totaly relieved that this long playing saga with this electrical problem is now over as the shop found the problem. I've had the car back a couple of weeks and the battery is reading 12+ volts sitting which makes me happy! I've been reluctant to post as to what the shop found as to the culprit. I'll tell ya'll but want ya'll to go easy on me- OK?? Here goes- shop called a couple of days after they got the car and said they had found the drain on the electrical system- they said "it's that toggle switch you have underdash and when in the ON position it is pulling voltage". They went on to say that no drains were evident on the car with this toggle switch in the OFF position. They then asked, "what's that toggle switch for anyway?" It's my toggle for the switch pitch tranny and I overlooked the obvious and evident as the car sometimes would sit with the switch in the ON position. Now I know and understand that the SP solenoid energizes when toggle is placed in the on position and pulls voltage, but I totally overlooked it! My moral to the story is for future reference not to overlook the obvious and easy things in troubleshooting. If some of you want to take away my keys or tools for a few days I'll understand! :spank: I'm really glad to have the car back and have this electrical problem resolved. :TU: Thanks to all who offered assistance and support. It was and is appreciated.
Another one of lifes lessons. :jd: Never overlook the obvious. Like the faulty trunklight switch - Whodda thunk it! Glad the ordeal is over for you.
