yea i just went out to my car put a charger on it and started her up for a while and i checked the wires going to the alternator conector..only one lit up..is this the same problem you were having?

 

If you have three wires going to the back of the alternator 1 should have 12V constant, 1 should have 12v when ignition is on. ill check the fuse.

 

Going to try this myself. Any harm adding an extra ground wire on the drivers side head to firewall as well as the one already on the passenger side?

 

Hopefully I can get some help here as I have a bugger of an issue. This forum has been a God send for my daughters 3rd gen. Now my son is in need of a fresh idea on a 84 buick regal.

He aquired this car a few days ago and it is in great condition except it wont charge.

So, as usual when we buy a classic and a part has an issue, we replace the whole system. We replaced the battery, the alternator, both battery cables, the two prong key tail and the engine to fire wall ground wire. Still no charge, but with the car running the car supports the ignition, but not accessory power. At night headlights will work dimmly but will kill battery dead. A quick jump works fine.

So... with a freshly charged battery

CAR OFF
Battery = 11 volts
Alt post to batt negative = 11 volts

KEY ON CAR OFF
Battery light = on
Dash volt meter = 13 volts
Battery = 11 volts
Alt post to Batt neg = 13

CAR RUNNING.
Batt = 11 volts
Dash volt meter = 13 volts
Alt post to Batt neg = 13 volts

CAR ON BLACK BATTERY OFF
Battery = 11 volts
Alt post to Batt negative = 13
Dash volt meter = 16

So folks, what is going on?
Thanks

 

Inkjet are you sure your battery's OK, fully charged it should be 12.6ish volts

 

back pedaling. I had the heads changed on my 89 camaro. After everything was done. Started the car... ran it for several minutes. turned it off, and turned key forward F/P FAN C/H fUSE busts.

 

Back Pedaling. So I had the heads changed on my 89. and started the car for a minute or two. Then turned it off. The next time, F/P FAN C/H 20a fuse was busted. Today I checked my grounds to the motor. I noticed that the car when trying to start sputters, and gas flows through the carb. But as soon as you turn the key to on, the fuse busts. I disconnected the distributer harness, and brown/white wire... same outcome.

 

I have the same problem my battery dies/ drains over night. So what was wrong in your car san antonio3?

So were should I start and check?

 

ctoledo for now I have installed a battery switch on the neg cable, so I shut it off nightly. I'm going through the whole wiring system this winter to get to the bottom of this. It's a pain but still better than having a dead battery every morn'. You lose all your radio station pre-sets etc, but at
least the car is drivable for now

 

Yea I have to go through the system too if I can't get it fixed soon I'm going to do the same with the switch

 

Maybe related, but I've been getting code 53 xs voltage checked at 17v!!! at alternator, then it'll be normal for a while, also code 25 MAT sensor fault. I've had the Alternator checked at 3 different places, all ok. Bad ground somewhere maybe???

 

Yea or maybe a cut or burnt wire

 

If you havent already figured out the problem let me give you some suggestions.

When you say it drains overnight... When you drive your car does your voltage meter drain?

When you disconnect the + red cable to the battery does the car die. Ive seen cars that get a quick jump off the battery and stay on with pure alternator power.

If it does indeed do this then your alternator is not getting excited enough to start sending charge to your battery. Check the voltage to the brown and white wire thats connected to the alternator pigtail. This should be getting a 12v source with the key inserted and in the on postion with motor not running.

 

When I'm driving it the voltage meter doesn't drain.

The car stays running when I disconnect the + cable
Last time I check which was about 2 weeks ago, ill check it again this weekend if I have time and if its not raining due to hurricane irene

 

Ok, had time to check the car this weekend. I checked the wires and taped up and repaired any wires that looked messed up. I also checked the fuses under the dash and the ones further up next to the steering column. I also disconnected the positive cable from the battery and the car stays running.
I guess the alternator still works. Also, I uninstalled my radio, left the battery cables connected and the next day the car was dead.

Are there any other fuses that are around the car that I need to check?
Don't know what my next steps should be. What should I check?

 

Just got a new battery and car starts right away. I had it connected for 24hs and the battery wasn't dead that's a good sign . I noticed when I start the car the volt meter on the car is between 8 and 12 for he first 45sec to 1min after it stays around 12 and goes to about half way on the gauge . When I turn on the lights,push the brakes and put it in drive it looks like it drops to a little below 12v .

So is that normal or is something wrong ?

Oh and when i disconnect the + cable the car stays running so I don't think the alternater
is bad but I think I'm going to get it check also.

 

I officially cant figure out to write my own post. But I figured this reply thing out. I have an 88' 5.0 tpi. New alt new batt, not charging. I checked for voltage going to the altenator and its about one volt low. The thing that is bothering me the most is the day before this problem happened, I took her out for a spin after replacing the batt I had just bought orig (optima had 3 dead cells). That entire day she started right up and ran at 13-14 volts. The next day the batt voltage was too low to even start the car. I replaced the alt, charged my optima, and started it up. Voltage ran at 11 volts and slowly decreased. Since then battery just keeps dying. Someone please help!!

 

I solved the problem on my car by replacing both battery cables! I got stuck with a couple of friends at a gas station after filling up - the starter clicked and then the voltage dropped completley and only returned when the positive cable at the battery was touched. Upon closer inspection the copper has seen better days. Both cables replaced and the battery charges like a champ and doesn't drain!