Battery dead...

OK, so I got this problem that I've been having. First off, I already have a 3G alt and I just put in an electric fan, both work fine. This is where I think I have my problem. I have my battery relocated to the back, power runs up the side of the car to the solenoid. It's grounded to the metal where the back seat used to be.

I had to jump the car to get it started last weekend. While it was running, I had no problems at all. The amp gauge was reading above normal. But then I shut the car off, and go to start it back up in two minutes and it would be dead.

I know the battery is supposed to be grounded all the way back up to the block, but I haven't done this, yet. I have a ground wire from the block to the computer ground under the hood, but not one connecting the battery to the block.

Could this be my problem?

It might also just be a dead battery, because I've let it sit awhile w/o disconnecting the battery and it's gone dead like that also.


Thanks for any help.
 
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My battery is still up front, but I had the same problem untill I put in a new battery, and ran a new ground cable from the batter to the block. Unfortunately I did them both at the same time so I'm not sure if it was just one problem or two. Maybe you could run a ground cable from the block to the frame? Just a thought.
 
Just another thought. I use to own a 67 mustang that I was having battery problems with. I took it to a reputable shop, and they said it was a ground problem, and they installed a ground cable from the shock tower to one of the head bolts. Poof, no more dead batteries. Hope this helps you.
 
Two minutes of run time after having a dead battery isnt necessarily enough time to recharge the battery enough to get the car to start on its own. I'd get the battery charged and load tested (as it very well could be the problem, as you hypothesized).

Good luck.
 
I'm with HISSIN. Get the battery checked and charged and try again. It takes a lot of juice to start a car, so while the battery might be fine under normal conditions, under load, it could be having problems...or not....maybe it's just not fully charged.

Also, what gauge ground did you use to run that far? You're gonna want some pretty beefy ground wire to run the length of the car. Like 0 gauge or something similar/bigger. Some guys get welding cable I think, but I don't know a lot about that.
 
Rear mounted battery ground wiring. Follow this plan and you will have zero
ground problems.


One 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from battery negative post to a clean shiny spot
on the chassis near the battery. Use a 5/16” bolt and bolt it down to make the
rear ground. Use a 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from the rear ground bolt to a clean
shiny spot on the block.

One 4 gauge wire from the block where you connected the battery ground wire to
the chassis ground where the battery was mounted up front. Use a 5/16” bolt
and bolt down the 4 gauge engine to chassis ground, make sure that it the metal
around the bolt is clean & shiny. This is the alternator power ground.

The computer has a dedicated power ground wire with a cylindrical quick connect
(about 2 ½”long by 1” diameter. It comes out of the wiring harness near the
ignition coil & starter solenoid (or relay). Be sure to bolt it to the chassis ground
in the same place as you bolted the alternator power ground. This is an
absolute don’t overlook it item for EFI cars

Note: The quick disconnect may have fallen victim to damage or removal by
a previous owner. However, it is still of utmost importance that the black/green
wires have a high quality ground..

Picture courtesy timewarped1972
ground.jpg

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Crimp or even better, solder the lugs on the all the wire. The local auto stereo
shop will have them if the auto parts store doesn't. Use some heat shrink tubing
to cover the lugs and make things look nice.