72 mav Sprint 72 200 I6 engine. Just replaced battery because other one was bad. Get a "new" used one and notice a difference immediately in how fast the engine would turn over when starting. drove it around for a week or so then the other day my battery is dead. I believe the car is draining my battery. I went to charge it and my charger said it was charger but it only clicked when turning the key. took leads of battery and charged and it started fine after that. drove around the block to go to the store came back and took the negative lead off the battery. next morning it turned over but slow and then dead after a couple tries. Not sure where to start for this.
Get a "New" battery. Your battery shouldnt go dead with the cable disconnected. The one you got has a bad cell or three in it if it went dead all by its lonsome self. Its also possible you have a weak starter and its pulling ALOT of current when you start the car,but I doubt very much thats it.
I agree with you totally! It's not anything on the car draining the battery when it has even one cable disconnected. After you get a good battery, have your charging system checked by a reputable shop. They usually will do this at no or very little charge!
took to autozone battery and starter checked out but voltage regulator was done. Was reading 16+ voltage. Dont think the battery was getting charged possibly. So replaced that. We'll see if the car starts up tomorrow!
I agree w/ those who say get a new battery. If it discharged w/o being connected, there's no way it cud have suffered drainage frm something electrical on the car.
ok so when the battery "discharged" when disconnected I think it never got recharged when I drove it since that was before I replaced the regulator. I drove about an hour the other day and left the car over night. Next morning battery was dead. Jumped it and drove back. Seems if the car is shut off for a few minutes or maybe longer like an hour or so? I can start it back up but over night its pretty dead. I had the car rechecked after I drove back from the hour trip and everything checked out. So im guessing something is draining it. Is it possible if the ground cable is old/corroded/loose (bad contact from something) it would discharge itself? Where else and how should I check for draining? Thinking I could use a multimeter on the battery connected and disconnected from the car and see if the voltage drops?
if you have a multimeter check the current draw on the battery when vehicle is off, that will end the guessing game.
Do you have a test light? If not pick one up from any auto parts store. They are indispensable for wiring tests! the reason I don't like to use DMM's on the older cars, is that they draw no current. A test light will. Ok, now unhook your negative ( ground ) cable from the battery. Place either end of the test light on the battery terminal and the other lead on the cable end you removed. I've found clothes pins very handy to hold test lights onto things! Now, is it lit? If not, you do not have a draw worth worrying about. If it is lit, remove the fuses one by one until it goes out. When it goes out, check everything on that circuit for something left on. You said you replaced your regulator, but if the light is still on with all the fuses out, unplug it and see if the light will go out. Good Luck on this! It will take you a little time to go through these steps, but this will get you to the solution of your problem pretty quick! In the event that none of these steps get the light to go off, disconnect the battery lead from your alternator. If it goes out then, you have a shorted diode in the alternator! Do the easy stuff first, though. Most of the time this is a glove box or trunk light staying on!
hmm not sure I have a trunk light, and i dont have a glove box. Just a quick question, an alternator does not require a voltage regulator and a generator is diff from an alt, thus requiring the voltage regulator?
a dmm will tell you an exact number on your draw so you don't have to rely on a dim light bulb in your test light
Generators are DC (direct current) Alternators are AC (alternating current) both require a voltage regulator...
As was said before, yes both types will have regulators. I guarantee you, you have an alternator! If you have changed it to a 1 wire type, the regulator is inside the alternator case. If your test with the alternator shows it to be the problem, you may have to get a new one. Check and see if you have a warranty on it, if it is your problem.
well did the test light and it didnt come on. However noticed I could hear air escaping from one of the caps on the battery...tried pushing it down to reseal. Would an air leak cause the battery to drain?
Thats not an air leak per se'...The battery is being cooked (overcharged) That gas you hear escapeing is explosive/corrosive...NO sparks/lit cigars/torches etc around that battery till it cools down!
