I have a 1977 maverick with a 250.For the past few weeks the car has refused to start.We have replaced the battery,alternator and voltage regulator yet still nothing.For some reason it drains the battery ridiculously fast.We were only able to start it for a few times with a new battery,then the battery is completely dead (as in only reading 0.2 volts!)It wont even start with a jump start,and if it somehow does start cranking over,which it has done only a few times,it does so extremely slowly.Otherwise there would just be a loud,fast clicking noise coming from the solenoid.I am completely dumbfounded up to this point and would really appreciate any advice.Thanks
If you have any aftermarket audio, make sure it's wired so its not on when key is off. Did you check trunk, hood, glove box or any other hidden lights to see if they're on? How fast does the battery drain? An hour? A day? A week? If it takes a day or more you might pull a battery cable and check the current draw when everything is supposed to be off. Check your ammeter to see that it will take 10 amps. If it will, I doubt you'll hurt it even if its drawing more than 10. Worst case, you'll probably just blow a fuse in the meter. Best case, you'll see a current that's draining your battery. Now pull the fuses one at a time and use your ammeter to try to find a circuit that's drawing the current. That might narrow it down.
From your post, it sounds like the battery drains from trying to start it, not from sitting right? If it drains from starting, check your starter. If it's cranking that slow on a good battery and solenoid, good chance that's it. In fact, I just replaced one of my last fall. It wasn't quite as extreme as you're describing, but cranked too slow for my taste.
I suppose I can try the starter.Would a bench test work to test it or would it not show the problem with the starter? Oh I forgot to mention that when I put the new battery in t begin with,it did start but would not stay running,which is also another thing that I am worried about.Is there anyway that the battery would provide the spark for the spark plugs?Because I replaced the alternator but it still wouldn't stay running.I just want to get this thing running so I can sell it.
It would stay running for about 5 minutes providing you feed it gas but even then it would still die.
Check the wiring from the alternator to the regulator. Those wires and plugs are old and could be corroded and/or a broken connection or wire. Seen it happen before....wire looks good outside, only to be broken inside the insulation. Also check your grounds good.
yea, i painted my engine bay, and painted where the voltage reg goes, and my car was acting crazy, i had to run a ground from the regulator to the battery negative, and bam...problem solved. so i would definetly check your grounds...a wire brush is your friend...lol.
Is the wiring harness at the voltage regulator in good condition? They can become brittle. The parts stores still sell replacements for a few bucks.
I'll give all of those suggestions a look today when I go to work on it.It's a beautiful day so it should be fun.
Okay I just started checking wires underneath the dash and I found a wire that is drawing current without the keys in the ignition.One is blue/white with a little black L connector on it that was not connected to anything drawing 12 volts.I don't think that that is a constant but I have been proven wrong before.
Finding a wire that has 12V on it when the key is off is not a problem, unless its drawing current. You have to look for current draw (amps).
that sounds like the cigret lighter power wire. its susposed to have 12 volts all the time. take off the ground wire and take a test light and attach one side to the bat cable and the other to the neg bat post. if all is good it should stay off. in your case i expect it to stay on. if its off ignore the rest of what i say. now you need to goto the fuse pannel located under the drivers side of the dash and remove each fuese one at a time. as you remove each fuse check to see if the light is still on. if it turns off then the short that is drianing the bat is on that fuses circut. you now need to figure out what all is on that cirucut. that info is usually in the owners manual or in repair manuals. put the fuse back in and then disconect each idem in that fueses circut checking the test light to see if its still on. when the light turns off youve found the problem.
I'll give the test light test a try tomorrow since its dark now.I charged the battery up real quick and it was at 12.5 volts,I put it back in the car and within 30 minutes it was down to 2 volts.It wont even jump start so I think I'll try replacing the starter too.
If you have draw like that be careful when you attach those Batt. cables. Sparks and a freshly charged or discharged batt. is a bad idea. They do explode. I've seen it done. Wear safety goggles and have a hose handy.
