BushyTea

Hi, this isnt a problem with my third gen camaro but I have got great help from this board and cant find much help boards out there for second gen's.

I have a 1981 Firebird with a Buick 231 V6 in it. Engine rebuilt and tranny rebuilt (brought back from dead). Well the car had been running fine with no real problems even drove it about 30 miles to the house to start fixing the small problems.

Well recently it has no started to drain the battery as the car idles. The longer the car idles the dimmer everything gets until the car staggers and would eventually die. Took the alternator to AutoZone and they said it checked out fine and the ground strap is tightly bolted to the back of the head. So just curious if anybody would have an idea of what it could be.

Sorry again for posting a second gen problem but hope someone can help.

Trickster

Check the wiring from the alternator to the battery. Go back to auto zone or any good auto parts store and have them test the alternator on the car. If the alternator tests good off the car and doesn't test good on the car, then your problems is more than likely in the wiring circuit somewhere.

Vader

What's the idle RPM?

Are you using underdrive sheaves?

What alternator is installed (70A, 108A)?

RB83L69

Make sure the idiot light in the dash works. If the bulb goes out, the alt won't "know" that the ignition is on; and won't get the proper excitation current.

BushyTea

Sorry for slow reply.....been extremely busy.

Well the amp is new and the car would run forever an no drain. It just started happening with no warning. The Voltage idiot light pretty much stays on...I have never seen it go off.

There are no codes or anything being thrown so all i can figure it maybe there is a problem in the wires maybe.