1986 gmc 4x4

every 2 or 3 days my battery is dead, i had battery checked,alternater replaced checked all belts...any ideas?

Reply to
Kevin S.
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light Staying on in the Glove Box

Kev> every 2 or 3 days my battery is dead, i had battery checked,alternater

Reply to
Santa

Assuming that your battery is in good shape and is not dry you probably have a short.

I once had a battery go dead every couple of days and the alternator checked out just fine (after I charged the battery and started it up to make the test). Sears couldn't find anything wrong and they gave me another battery. What had happened was - I was tooooooo lazy to remove the charging wire when I changed the alternator and that little spark I saw WAS important. One diode from the *diode trio* was blown and that puppy would now charge unregulated until the battery was dry. When it cycled enough to finally boil the battery dry (and not take/hold a charge) I was able to find the problem. Until then, every couple of days or so, the battery was too low to start the car.

When I was a kid, my dad had a Chevy car with long side windows for the back seat (two door). I forget the model but it was a nice car and he was proud of it. Starting from the third year of ownership the battery would go dead periodically. What he finally found, after many fruitless searches, was that when he loaded his golf bag in the trunk it wore a wire that was under the rug and it shorted against a bare spot on the metal. THAT one drove him nuts for a whole summer :) Now and again he would slide some groceries over the spot and ... battery dead.

Not saying that is what is wrong with your truck. Just makes for a story to underline the fact that electrical problems are not simple to troubleshoot/solve.

-- Regards Gordie

Reply to
The Nolalu Barn Owl

Reply to
Kevin S.

Now that you know how to Check the Draw..

Put the meter in the Same way .. To the alternator..

Remove Wire from alt put one probe on the Alt terminal and the other on the wire you took off.. you should HAVE ZERO draw !!

you can also Do the Same thing at The fuse box..

Remove The fuse, then put the Probes on each side of the Fuse Holder.. you will be checking for anything going thru that circuit. another words, your Meter is taking Place of The FUSE ZERO again!

Kev> *Note*...I put a meter to the battery and negative cable in series as

Reply to
Santa

Remember The Clock in your RADIO is Still RUNNING unless you removed that fuse

Kev> *Note*...I put a meter to the battery and negative cable in series as

Reply to
Santa

disconnect the big red lead form the alternator

I'd wager the draw will drop to almost nothing (if your truck has a clock)

Reply to
TranSurgeon

"Kevin S." wrote in news:0SjNd.1811$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com:

Just a wondering if the battery goes dead while it is running if so your charging wire could broke. If it goes dead while sitting then check for shorts in anything that stays on when the key is out. Kev

Reply to
kev

To all concerned and offering advice...Thank You.

1)Battery does not go dead while running, only after sitting a few days... 2)I have 2.6 / 3.0 amp draw on battery while sitting, engine off, keys from ignition 3)disconnected following devices with no luck every fuse and flasher, cigaretter lighter, no bulb in glove box, dome light,alternator,choke,cd player,analog clock,
Reply to
Kevin S.

it is possible you have tWO items Drawing the battery down

you Disable one of them ( Problem#1) and figure it is not the problem, ( its actually drawing from the battery ) So you reconnect it (because problem #2 is still drawing from the battery.)

Now you disconnect problem #2 ( problem #1 is drawing from the Battery)

so u figure that is not the problem so u Reconnect it! and continue to other Circuits

pull all the fuses LEAVE them out for the next tests. Remove the wires from the alt.. If that aint it LEAVE them off and Go To the next Circuit..

you could have tWO circuits messing up..

You donnot need to use a meter to check for the Short.. do it visually

Remove the pos cable from the Battery

now hook up a Bulb Between the Battery pos post and the pos Cable you took off.. ( Go to a salvage Yard and cut out a Tail light socket.. or just hook up a 12 volt test light in this manner !!

As long as you have a DRAIN on the system the light will Glow. Once you disconnect the problem circuit it will go OUT !!!

Here is something ELSE For you

Even tho you did a LOAD test on the Battery, look at The SIDES of The BATTERY, If the Center of either side is Bulging out .. 9 times out of TEN. That battery has a WEAK CELL.. Take my word For it.. Many Years ago My Family owned one of those So called JUNK YARDS,1939 thu 1988 Way Before LOAD tester were available, and This is How We told that a Battery WAS BAD ..

And DOC if you donnot believe me THEN TRY it on a KNOWN Defective BATTERY !! you will see the BULDGE !!

Kev> To all concerned and offering advice...Thank You.

Reply to
Santa

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