ok, ive searched these forums and found one similar problem but no fix posted! heres whats going on, i am trying to save this 91 ws6, bought it in a no start condition. changed ignition module, pick up, fuel injectors, starter, plugs.. now car starts, runs ok (needs timing) heres the problem, i start the car up, drive it around the block, not even 2 whole min. park, turn it off, try to start and the battery is dead. no click just dead. put a charger on it and it fires right up instantly, will stay running to, well for atleast ten min then i shut it off. so i assume the alternator is fine and the batt is dead, now the battery was the first thing i bought and replaced, so its new. took them both (batt and alt) to autozone and both passed the test! so now im stuck. all the grounds are good and tight, no breaks in the wires, im at a loss now, i am going to exchange the batt since its only a few weeks old tomorrow. but if problem persist i am out of ideas to check.

 

Since the battery and alternator have checked good, what you are describing though, sounds like your positive battery lead isn't making a good connection. Clean the connection and make sure it's tight or replace the cable end and that should help clear up the problem. May also be the connection on the starter that's causing the problem and not the one on the battery. someitmes it's making the connection and sometimes it's not...which is why you get 'nothing' sometimes.

 

So batt is new, and alt tests ok. You replaced starter - with a new one? If all these are ok, leaves battery cables and terminals, ignition switch, or vats + ecm and wiring.

Cables and terminals can look ok outside, but be rotten inside. When it's dead, get someone to crank it while you pull/wiggle on each connection. Might get lucky and get find a bad one, or it might get warm or hot.

Ignition switch, and the connector to it, can go intermittent.

How about the fusible links, what shape are they in?

Vats - no idea, don't have it but I assume you do, do a search for possible problems.

Make sure the alt is charging the batt when actually in the car.

edit - Ozz1967 - beat me to it!

 

battery terminals look new, like they were replaced recently, no corrosion what so ever, i re- grounded everything that looked suspect, it is not a vats problem, and the starter wires are tight rechecked them yesterday while under the car, remember, it fires right up the second a charger is put on. im exchanging the battery i bought today and will see if that helps.

 

Check voltage across the terminals when it gives you trouble? Then check it at the starter lug (where the big wires connect). Should be the same. Sounds like a wiring problem, maybe a bad ground. Is the copper ground lead going from the firewall to the pass side cylinder head in place and in good condition?

You're probably going to have to chase this with a volt meter. I doubt it's either the battery or the alternator.

 

well, i checked all the grounds, exchanged the battery this morning and all seems good now, ran it for 45 min, turned it off, it started right back up, turned it off again and it started again.. so for now all is good. ill see how it does the rest of the day.

 

I know for a fact, that on older batteries, the ones that tend to die when the first cold snap rolls around, test good, but are "weak" meaning they may not have enough juice to start the car when it's cold. But they run fine once charged and running for a bit. That may have been the case with yours. Tested good but was just "weak". Anyway, hope your problems stay away now.

 

thanks, so far so good, drove around town today, seems to be ok now. thanks to everyone for the replys.

 

ok. it almost died when i turned the headlights on, battery dropped almost all the way down.. all of this points to alt to me, but it tested ok??

 

ok well climbed under it and here is the condition of the starter wires, as you can see, one is spliced from black to orange, and the main one from the batt, is very green.. could the spliced wire or the corrosion be the draining issue?? ill clean the cable but what about the split wire? i can untape it and check it out but i dont even know what its for.. and how the hell do i check the grounds on the back of the block on the passenger side??? i cant see them from under or over top, drivers side ones seem good

 

bump please

 

The two smaller terminals connecting to the fusible links don't look good - those are the two main feeds for the whole car. Any green crud is a dead giveaway = corroded copper. Cut those two off and replace.

There also seems to be green crud on the main cable to the batt, I'd replace that too. I assume also the various ground cables are probably in the same condition.

 

I have a 92 firebird convertible and here'd my problem um i bought the car as my first car with my graduation money a couple months ago and it's been driven good put new spark plugs and wires in it then like yesterday my dash and parking light stopes working so I looked at the swich it has headlight then next to it parking but the parking don't work but the head lights do and when I hit on the breaks the dash flashes so idk can anyone help is so it would be great!!!!!

 

Can't any one help!!!

 

i will replace them tomorrow, thanks for the reply. these are actually the only corroded wires i can find, the ground to the fender and the neg ground on the bottom of the power steering pump looks good. cant see the ones on the back of pass side block, but drivers side block looks good to

 

to quote this guy.. Re: Wierd electrical issue please read..
I have a 92 firebird convertible and here'd my problem um i bought the car as my first car with my graduation money a couple months ago and it's been driven good put new spark plugs and wires in it then like yesterday my dash and parking light stopes working so I looked at the swich it has headlight then next to it parking but the parking don't work but the head lights do and when I hit on the breaks the dash flashes so idk can anyone help is so it would be great!!!!!
Last edited by jaypug92; Yesterday at 09:07 PM.


probably a short in the wiring.

 

If replacing the obvious bad ones doesn't fix it, take a harder look at the ones that look ok. I got bitten by this a few months back, problem turned out to be a fine looking neg battery terminal. Discovered this after I decided that finally replacing all of the 25 year old original cabling, was probably a good idea.

Put a bit of pressure on it, and the end of the terminal shattered like china, full of corrosion.

 

You can get a replacement main batt cable (from battery to starter) for like $10 at AZ of one of the others. Do it.

There should be a copper, non-insulated ground cable running from the rear of the passenger cylinder head to the fire wall, near the HVAC. If it's missing, bolt a replacement cable in it's place. You can bolt it to the rear of the head using one of the tapped accessory mounts and to the firewall using a large self-tapping screw (if you can't find the original mount point). Guage size doesn't have to be as large as the batt cable but close. If a suitable cable is in place on the driver's side, you're fine though.

Remove all of your other ground cables and clean the terminal ends and the mounting points. Reattach with a little grease or anti-corrosion. Should be one to the alternator bracket and one to the fender next to the batt.

There should be at least two smaller gage wires coming off the starter terminal where the batt cable connects. One should be the hot for the rad fan and the other to the fuse box. If you need to you can cut these back til you find good cable then solder a replacement cable in and heat shrink. If the cable past the ring terminal is good (still flexible and not corroded) you may be able to simply clean or replace the terminal. These cables are subject to a lot of heat though and may need to be spliced. Make sure you run any replacements through the metal tube to the starter to protect the new from exhaust.

Do not be tempted to crimp connect wires of this size.

 

ok i found where there is suppost to be a ground wire on the back of passenger side head and there is none! so when i run a new one where is it suppost to go??? does anyone have pics please

 

bump please

 

ok, cleaned all connections going to the starter and battery, also ran a new wire from the back of passenger side head to frame. charging the battery now, then i will throw the new alt on and see if its ok.