Ok... so I have a new battery... 1-2 months old. I left for another state for 7 days. I get back... try to start my car... so dead the keyless entry won't even unlock the car. I get in... only a few dash lights visible... and VERY dim. Turn the key... all lights go off and the alternator is just clicking. So we hook it to me dad's car... won't jump. Then we revved my dad's car some and i got my starter to turn over and the car started. Drove great (we were testing the Pert shampoo mod, don't know if it helped or not, but car was driving good). Anyway.. so that was last night... but today... car dead again. Can't here the starter, but alternator still clicking... and dash lights are not as dim this time.

What to do?

Drew

 

you need to charge the batt good, then test, you need to check for a key off draw, and you need to check your charging system

 

Uhh... more specific?

 

More specifically, the clicking you are hearing is not the alternator. It's the solenoid. If you have a big thumping amp, disconnect it, cause that's the problem. You first have to fully charge the battery and test it under load to see if there is any battery problems. If you don't have a load cell, use the starter as a load. As someone cranks it over, the voltage across the battery should be over 11 volts.

Once the engine starts, the voltage across the battery should be around 14 volts. If all that is ok and you don't have a BTA, then you need to check for a current draw when ALL is turned off. Do this by using a meter set to current (amps). Take off one of the battery terminals and put the meter in between the battery and the terminal you took off. If you show a current draw of more than about .02 amps, you need to find out why. Do this with the meter in place and remove one fuse at a time until the current drops. The circuit the fuse is on would then have to be diagnosed.

You may also have a bad ground connection. Check the cables at the battery and the ground point at the fender and the engine. Be sure they are clean tight and not fraid.

Dave

 

replace the alt or take it out and have tested...you might that the diode or diiodes are shorted, allowing the battery to drain straight to ground. yes, it will still charge while the engine is running just not at it's peak.. oops!

 

what good will tasting the alt do??

 

Sometimes, if you taste it hard enough you can tell if it's been smoked, barbequed or fried.