Battery Draw

[rose1mr]

Recently, I have had to have a battery charger around cause if the car sits for like days, the battery is toast. So, I figured the simple soultion is to have the battery replaced. I took it to Sears Auto here in town, to have a new battery put in. I have an Optima Gell Battery, and was going to have another put in. The tech put a tester on the back of the alternator, and the light came on. He said "you are pulling some serious juice" and cause of the nature of the car, he wanted nothing to do with it.

I called a guy here in town who is the Turbo Regal pro, and he pointed me in a few directions. Here is what he told me, tell me what you think.

First, he said on the drivers fender well, there are 3 connectors. 2 small connectors (that need to stay connected) and a 3rd that is a big connector. That one is the relay for a fan that if the car should reach 220 degree's or above, this fan would kick on for 10 minutes after the car is turned off. He said they are famous for pulling juice like that, and that if you disconnect it, leave it that way & may fix the problem. Then he said also the computer could be fried! This I dont understand, cause I am a Network Tech, and when a computer is fried, it pulls NO JUICE!! I am not calling him a liar by any means, I respect him. I just dont understand how the computer could be causing a problem.

Anyone have any ideas? A friend of mine asked what the battery was when it was at idle. I told him "12 volts" he said that it should show above that and it could be the alternator that is going out.

I dont know who to bring it to, since I trust few people with my car, and I am not a master mechanic by any word.

Help please?

 

[trbodon21]

Do you have an AC Delete pully? If you do this may be causing the low voltage problem. Also at idle you want at leat 13 volts. I have mine around 14.5, but with out a volt booster it is sometimes hard to get voltage this high at idle with stock alternator. I'd say with your 12 volt reading you have a dying alternator. Buy a refurbished alternator from an auto parts store making sure you can take it back. Install it and see if this fixes your problem if it does, keep it if not take it back. Most places won't give you a problem, but you want to make sure so you aren't stuck with an extra alternator.
Just a suggestion...

 

[Nick Micale]

Originally posted by rose1mr
......I dont know who to bring it to, since I trust few people with my car, and I am not a master mechanic by any word.
....

Check with Len of Performance Trans, on Boulder Highway. He usually has a "few" GN's around he is working on!

 

[rose1mr]

The Guy I speak of who told me about where to look is Len from Performance Transmission. He never has time for me anymore.
I dont get it. He did my rear main seal, I paid the guy cash, and since I have asked him for several different things to be done to my car, but he is never interested. I know that tranny work is his bread n butter. But I am willing to pay his hourly rate for labor....I just dont get it.

But thanks for the heads up

 

[getchasum]

I was having the same problem. I replaced all three fan relays and the problem was gone. Have you ever had your fan come on when the car was just setting or do they NOT come on when they reach 165/170*? If so, that's a good sign the relays are bad.

The way I found mine was, when I would unhook the battery to charge it, the fan would try to click on and they would NOT come on when the car reached temp.

 

[rose1mr]

I dont drive the car enough to notice! And living in the Desert, I dont take it out during the heat of the day. Only at night when its cooled off. I suppose Fan Relay's are cheap, and I could replace all 3 and see what happens.

I'll give Kirban's a call Tuesday and find out how much they are.

Thanks! I'll keep you all posted!

 

[Black Car]

Here is a good way to check things out.
First go to any major part store and have them check the alternator for voltage and amp output while it is on the car.
If good then this will be the next step

Get an Amp meter and put it in line with the positive feed from the battery. i.e remove positive cable, connect to amp meter then amp meter to battery positive post.
If you are pulling more than1/2 to 3/4 of ONE amp then that is why the battery is going down. Then one at a time disconnect the a relay to see if amp draw drops. If all relays doesn't make a difference then start pulling fuses one at a time to see what circuit is pulling power. Once you find the circuit, the rest is easy.
This isn't as difficult as it sounds.

 

[chevyII]

are you drawing power with the ignition off?? A easy check is to put a amp meter one side to the poss battery and the other to the positive cable-disconnected. there will be some draw fromthe ECM and the clock display should be in milliamps. Have you checked the entire charging system?? That would be the place to start if the Alt is up to the task look for draw.

 

[OneLethal87GN]

My car is currently doing this too. I fear it is all the gauges and things I got rigged up to the fuse box. I'll check it out sometime. I'll probably end up taking it somewhere to get someone else to do it though. They'll have more time and tools to do it quicker. By the way, when you unhook the positive battery cable and go to hook it back up does the fan click on momentarily while you're screwing the terminal back in? Mine does.

 

[rose1mr]

I replaced all 3 fan relay's and the problem is gone!

Thanks for everyone's help on that one....it was getting to be a real drag!

 

[mybuick]

another thing that is common with our cars is the volt light on the dash if the bulb socket is corroded, or the bulb is burnt out the alternator won't charge.