HELP!

PutPut6

PutPut6

Well-known member
Sorry this is long but I want to be as detailed as possible in hopes of figuring this problem out. Ok, I got a problem that's really bugging me. Recently I finished installing sub-frame connectors, export brace, monte carlo bar, aluminum radiator, radiator fan, and moved battery to the trunk. After finishing everything, I tried starting the car and the battery wasn't giving much juice, just clicking, it had been sitting for sometime while I worked on the car so I charged it up and put it back in the car. Got the car to start, drove around to see how things were. At first everything worked fine while driving, then my tach starting moving erraticly as if it wasn't getting enough power. I turned the electric fan off and everything went back to normal. When I turned the fan back on, the lights dimmed and the tach went crazy again. Eventually it got to the point that the lights were dimmed and the tach was erratic regardless of the fan being on or off. With all this going on, the engine ran perfectly fine. On my way back home a guy pulled out in front of me and I accidentally let the clutch out while braking and stalled the car. I tried starting it back up and the battery was nearly dead, lots of clicking but no turning over. After some choice words, I pushed the car home since I was only a minute away from my house. If I recharge the battery, I can get the car to start, but everytime after I turn it off, it wont start again. I had the alternator checked at autozone and they say it's fine. Took the battery back to where I bought it and they said it's fine. I've replaced the voltage regulator before and wouldn't think that was the problem, although I'm going to go pick a new one up anyways tomorrow. Does anyone have any idea what's going on here? My dad's in Korea so I don't have much help here.

Thanks for all your help
Andrew
 
This is grasping at straws, but is the alternator up to the task of running everything? If it can't produce enough juice to run the lights, fan, etc, it'll drain the battery.

Just a thought.

--mikey
 
could there be a short in the system. My alternator wasn't charging the battery fast enough for a while cause I disconnected a ground wire like from the engine to body or something. I heard of people loosing juice through shorts. Maybe something was disconnected or wired wrong when you did the switch.
Just a Thought,
Paul
 
What size wire did you use between the battery and the engine? If it isn't a large size. it could be the problem. I beleive it should be about 1 gauge, but i am not sure.
 
i had a bolt back off my alternator, check the connections...

or its ground ing out somehwere
 
So you moved your battery to the trunk. What size battery cables did you run? How long are they? Were did you mount the ground wire? When you increase the length of the cables you will need to also increase the gauge of the wire. Also as mentioned in one of the other posts, is your alternator to small for the current load of your set up? Install an amp meter and turn everything on, your amps should not exceed the output of your alternator.
 
It could be a grounding issue with the remote mounted battery. Make sure the connections are clean bare metal. You may have to run a heavy ground wire up to the engine. A set of jumper cables may let you test it. Connect one to the engine bolock and the other to the battery ground. If you voltage reading change at the battery, you may have found the culprit.

A slow short can do the same thing. I had a car that I replaced the alternator, regulator and battery on multiple times under warranty, until they said no more warranties. It woudl always test fine, but the battery eventually ended up depleted. Once I replaced the wiring harness I had no more problems.
 
I used a trunk kit from Summit, the wires are 2 gauge I think. I have the ground going from the battery bolted to the rear frame rail, and in the engine compartment I have the ground cable that would normally go to the battery bolted to the front frame rail I'm gonna go through all my connections once this rain clears up. I think it probably is a short. We'll see what I can find. Thanks for the help.

Andrew
 
Start the car then pull off the ground if the car dies then the charging sysem isn't charging. You can also check the current coming off of the alternator.
 
I believe Sleeper has it backwards. If you pull off the ground off, the engine will die. If you disconnect the positive terminal of the battery, the engine should still run if the alternator is functioning.
Doug
 
Guys, it doesn't matter which side you pull off, doing either will take the battery out of the loop. This is a good test to see if the charging system is dead or not, but let me caution you- this test is very hard on anything electronic on the engine. If you are running the old fashioned points and coil it's no problem, but I've seen MSD boxes permanently burn out instantly when the battery is disconnected while the car is running, also electronic points (both Pertronix and complete aftermarket electronic distributors) permanently fried. I think it's because the battery acts as a type of surge sink that protects these systems from spikes.
 
HEY THERE MR. MUSTANG6


.....YOU HAVE A GOOD ONE GOING HERE. THEIR IS A REAL GOOD TEST TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON. TRY THIS....:

.....GET A METER AND TEST THE LOAD WITH WITH THE BATTERY UNHOOKED. TAKE YOUR METER AND HOOK IT UP TO THE (+)SIDE CABLE AND HAVE THE (-) METER HOOKED TO GROUND. NOW HAVE EVERYTHING TURNED OFF. KEY IS OFF. YOU SHOULD READ 20,000 TO 100,000 OHMS. NOW TURN ON THE KEY AND YOU WILL SEE THE LOAD. YOU SHOULD STILL HAVE ALMOST 20,000 OHMS. ANY THING IN THE BELOW 5,000 OHMS IS A LOAD THAT WILL DRAIN THE BATTERY.

.....IF THIS IS ALL OKAY, YOU HAVE DIVIDED THE PROBLEM AND YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A CHARGING PROBLEM. THERE COULD STILL BE A INTERMITTED SHORT SOME WHERE BUT THOSE WILL STOP THE CAR OR GO UP IN SMOKE SOME WHERE.

.....ALL OF THE ABOVE POST ARE POSSIBLE REASONS YOU ARE NOT CHARGING UP. LOOSE CONECTIONS WILL GIVE THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO FIND THEM. TIGHTEN UP EVERYTHING YOU HAVE MOVED.

.....NEXT TIME YOU GO OUT TAKE TWO BATTERIES WITH YOU AND USE THEM IN PARALLEL. MAKE SURE THE SECOND BATTERY IS NEW AND GOOD!!!?! WITH #2 WIRE AND TWO BATTERIES YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO START THE MOTOR AND GET HOME. ( IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD PUSHING AND OLDER CAR DOWN THE ROAD.... :lol: :lol: :wink: FOR ALL OF US!!!).

....REMEMBER DIVIDE AND KONKER...CONKER...CONCOR,..NEVER COULD SPELL THAT WORD...CONQUER. :D :D :D

LOTS OF LUCK....LOL

LIVE IN GRACE

LEROY POLL
 
I tried disconnecting the battery wth the engine running and it died, so I guess I have a charging issue. Looking through my wiring diagrams I'm a little confused, the ground wire going from the block to the alternator, is it supposed to be connected to the STA post or GRD post. Also, the diagram in my haynes manual shows four wires connected to the alternator but theres only three connected in other diagrams I've seen. Anyone have a picture of their alternator wired up?
Thanks

Andrew
 
The ground wire from the block to the alt was connected to the STA post on the alt so I moved it to the GRD post. It seemed like the battery lasted longer but was still loosing charge. I charged the battery up again Started the car up and no matter what I turned on or if I revved the engine, the voltage at the battery and alternator steadily decreased. Still not charging. Parts store said the alternator was fine, but maybe I'll just get a new one and see if it helps. I don't trust the parts store people around here, I'm not exactly god's gift to auto mechanics :D but it's like the parts stores around here have people that know nothing about cars at all. If anyone can clarify the alternator wiring for 67 it would help.
Thanks

Andrew
 
I just replaced the Alternator and voltage regulator, eveything's great now! :D But just my luck, a coolant hose running to the carb adapter burst.... oh well, easy fix, just messy. Thanks for all your help.
 
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