Electrical issue... no power.

[Foxslider]

Pre cursor: I was drifting in the slight rain per usual. All is well, then in middle of drift or spin out everything dimmed hard, car might of died, i cant remember. If it did, it started right back. Sometimes when i spinout real hard it does die.

Issue simply put: i went to start it a few days later and it is dead. No dome light, nada.. got battery checked and it is dead. Battery is only 4 mo. Old and all was fine before this.

What you think caused it? Alternator go out?

 

[Blown88GT]

...What you think caused it? Alternator go out?

Drifting

 

[Foxslider]

Lol.

 

[Foxslider]

I charged the battery and it started. Not surprised there. Just didnt know what killed it.

Think it was the glovebox light that was stuck on. As it bearly shuts it off when close it. I can bearly pullback on the glovebox and see the light is on.

Pretty sure thats it, stoked i figured it out quickly. Gonna do some kind of fix for it.

 

[Foxslider]

Negative. Sat for 20 min. Seemed like a weak start. Ill find out tom.

 

[redNfast]

remove the bulb, see what happens. + "What you think caused it? Alternator go out?" .. Huh? that's a giant leap

Cannot see the first story, drifting flicker, dead deal / glove box lit on ....those dots don't connect also.

 

[Foxslider]

Right. Ya that does'nt connect. I think i was wrong about the glovebox light. Im thinking alternator went out. Meant to check it when i was at the car in storage. Will go check it in a few.

 

[Blown88GT]

Voltage at Battery with Engine OFF = 12.65V (for fully charged battery)
Voltage at Battery with Engine Running = 13.5-14.5V (if alternator is working)

 

[redNfast]

13.5 is correct ... good

Just a though cause I do not know the car, did you look over the battery cables, ground and positive . Corrosion free connections, both ends of the cables, battery connections tight?

Also I believe you mentioned the battery once charge goes dead a week later. Going to use the glove box light to make a point. Some thing like that very well could cause the battery to die, in a week.

That said if you suppect that, suggest you remove the bulb, first test. If that is not it, you will need to find what is drawing power constituently .

That will be a bit harder too find, 2 ways to do it. Fastest way use a meter in series with the battery + connection, set too AMPs.

Start removing fuses one at a time, reinstall it, go to the next until meter drops to zero. That will be the circuit to follow and trouble shoot.

Not using a meter, the process is much slower, charged battery. Remove all the fuses remembering where they go.

Install 1 fuse, come back a week later, battey good? Leaving the one in, Install the next fuse, same drill for each fuse until the battery dies. Battery dies bad actor found.

Happy hunting

 

[Foxslider]

Blown88- cool will do that this evening.

red- ya connections are tight. Ya, ima have to do that if its still drawing power from somewhere. Going to get back to the car this evening and find out if it drawing power or not. What do you mean + connection? Like negative terminal of volt meter on battery, positive onto wire that im pulling fuse on?

I'll see, maybe i can check the battery and say its pulling more volts than it should, then pull fuses and see if the volts come down? or dont work work like that? With accessories on (fan, lights) iam guess it will still show 13.5 volts while running?

Preciate the input/idears.

 

[redNfast]

1 Set the meter to read AMPs. uA is the symbol, want the display to look > 000.0 that will read 1amp and above

2 Remove the black battery cable.

3 Connect the black meter lead to that cable.
***Side note,
As long as the ground cable is removed from the battery. You can use any ground, frame, hood engine whatever. to attach the black meter lead too.

4 Connect the red meter lead to the - (ground) battery terminal. Meter is now in series and will read AMPs

5 Seeing a reading start removing the fuses one at a time. Or could see the reading, then remove all the fuses and replace one at a time until you see AMP reading again.

What it will look like, the meter in the middle red meter lead too battery. Black meter lead to removed battery ground cable, or car part.

The meter with leads has replaced the ground cable to the battery.

Ignition off, doors closed, do not turn head lights on or start the car...(fry the meter).. Most likely you are looking for a 1 - 5 amp draw, the battery goes flat in a week, posted. Where as head lights @ 20 AMPs will flatten a battery over night, next day.

Using the glove box, as an example again, that bulb may draw 1 AMP, If battery is 80amp + 1amp bulb = 80 hours to flatten the battery.

 

[Foxslider]

Cool deal, ill check it out tomas or monday.

I went back earlier on today, about 24 hours later, it started but the battery had gone down 1 notch if not 1.5 i saw on the battery guage. And it was a little weaker too start. Def
Have some kind of draw going on.

The alternator appears to be charging it. I start it and let it charge for a minute. Battery guage is back up 1 notch below the middle (foxbody). And it starts back easier.

So i checked it while running, got 13.5 then it goes all over the place, lower, back to 13.5. Lower 1,5,8, back to 13.5 repeat.