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Did you check voltage on the battery while engine running (idling) what jonnyghost and The Highlander mentioned ? I still wait for you to reply what voltage you get....
 
jonnyghost said:
Well, if it has an aftermarket radio then I can say about 85% of electrical drains I've diagnosed where from bad installation. But I wouldn't get to worried yet. Chances are it IS either the bat or alt.
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Yes it happen even factory installed radio/ stereo. Rob tiny electrical from battery when the vehicle sit overnight. Many things happen to modern cars. Real pain in the ass, vast diagnostic time.
 
sonocativo said:
That's where I said electrical problems only grow.... if its not the simple stuff ( battery/alt/radio ) then it starts getting expensive, especially when theres a short in a wire somewhere and you cant find it.

I had a car before and they did a test, said there was a short somewhere in the harness, they replaced the entire harness and it was still there....lol
Talk about thousands of dollars for something worthless. I loved the car but I didn't love it that much after that.... That's another reason I hate FORDS...
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Electrical is pretty easy for me. Depend how skill on people. Few of coworkers asked me for help with troubleshooting for electrical. I never forget that one coworker took 3 hours and still can't find the bad wire(s) strobe light for the RGN trailer. He replaced new switch, strobe light, etc. He used fancy power probe (more like test light with volt meter and power test.) So he gave up and asked me. I used my DMM and I found problem in 15 minutes. Two grounds (AUX and marker light) were open, so I repaired them.

I remembered almost four years ago. My wife got new VW Rabbit 2008 from dealer and I found it out that the power wiper at the rear were not work and send it to dealer under the warranty. I paid nothing and don't want to do myself since the VW's parts are damn expensive. One tech can't find anything wrong with it and he keeps guess it was bad motor, bad wires, bad etc. and ordered the new parts then replaced and still problem. I wasted almost 1 week to get it fixed. So he gave up and send it to other dealership and one tech found 5 minutes and it was bad relay and replaced and solved a problem. At least, I paid zero and no complain.

He was very bad tech. Always CHECK fuse and relay FIRST. It's easy way to find and save a lot time than spend a lot time for check thru wiring harness.

Rule number one for electrical. NEVER diagnostic without the diagram for factory. But aftermarket? That's suck BIG TIME since 99% of customers do not have diagram for aftermarket. Most techs HATE aftermarket electrical.
 
deafsmogtech said:
Yes it happen even factory installed radio/ stereo. Rob tiny electrical from battery when the vehicle sit overnight. Many things happen to modern cars. Real pain in the ass, vast diagnostic time.
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I believe newer Chrysler is worse for computer glitch and electrical issue. I seem many techs keep overwrite/update/reprogrammer thru scan tool like almost everyday for each newer Chrysler which bad.
 
My friend and I that used to build trucks for off roading had some fun on occasion rewiring each others trucks. Couple of the best where when he wired my horn up to my blinker and when I wired his headlights to a washer fluid bottle I hid under his seat. When he turned on his lights it sprayed him in the back of the neck from a hose that came out under the head rest!
 
This made me think of a something that my father told me about in the late '50s or very early 60's. He sold cars and one day a guy he knew that was with the state highway department was in waiting for work to be done on a state owned car that had one of the very early phones in it. He had left it set up to blow the horn when a call came in incase he was close but not in the car. Those two decided to call the car! The horn started honking and the mechanics could not find the source! They finally disconnected the horn rather than listen to it while they tried to find it. Dad and his friend did finally hang up and tell the guys in the back what was going on and the horn was reconnected.

jonnyghost said:
My friend and I that used to build trucks for off roading had some fun on occasion rewiring each others trucks. Couple of the best where when he wired my horn up to my blinker and when I wired his headlights to a washer fluid bottle I hid under his seat. When he turned on his lights it sprayed him in the back of the neck from a hose that came out under the head rest!
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Checked voltage with car running, getting 14.4 volts to the battery, so altenator is charging. Battery seems to be holding a charge now. I cleaned the posts and clamps also used battery contact protector (red spray) so no more corrosion on the posts or cables or any oxidation. Looks like the van is going to be parted out/scrapped.
 
sonocativo said:
Checked voltage with car running, getting 14.4 volts to the battery, so altenator is charging. Battery seems to be holding a charge now. I cleaned the posts and clamps also used battery contact protector (red spray) so no more corrosion on the posts or cables or any oxidation. Looks like the van is going to be parted out/scrapped.
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14.4 volts indicates the alternator is good. Did you check it with full load? Full loaded is turn headlights on, beam up, and turn HVAC blower full speed and watch voltmeter when the engine idling for about 1 or 2 minutes and rise the engine speed to about 1,500 rpm for 1 minute to see if 14 volt is holding or varied then the alternator is healthy.....
 
Only other thing you could test other than the load test deafsmogtech suggested would be a drain test. Basically just hook the bat back up and check the volts then go back and check again in a few hours. But it was probably just the corrosion, personally I'd run it hard :lol:
 
jonnyghost said:
Only other thing you could test other than the load test deafsmogtech suggested would be a drain test. Basically just hook the bat back up and check the volts then go back and check again in a few hours. But it was probably just the corrosion, personally I'd run it hard :lol:
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Yes, you are right unless if sonocativo experiences his battery keep low or dead then you would pinpoint battery drain problem. How do you test draw (current) drain?
 
If you did want a black car, come to Florida and check out black cars! Sometimes it feels like too super hot that you could just put a foil on black car and cook food!! LoL :-D

I had seen it myself somewhere where 2 cars are exactly the same and year, just difference was the price on black car being cheaper knowing not many people want to own a black car thats too hot in the summer time.

Not so sure if that still happens since I'm happy with my current car that's white and cool enough for Florida and glad not to be car shopping so much! :P
 
sunsetlover said:
If you did want a black car, come to Florida and check out black cars! Sometimes it feels like too super hot that you could just put a foil on black car and cook food!! LoL :-D

I had seen it myself somewhere where 2 cars are exactly the same and year, just difference was the price on black car being cheaper knowing not many people want to own a black car thats too hot in the summer time.

Not so sure if that still happens since I'm happy with my current car that's white and cool enough for Florida and glad not to be car shopping so much! :P
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I agree with that, I owned a black car, was always hotter inside compaired to my blue, red and silver cars. Black absorbs heat since it doesn't reflect the light spectrum like colors/white does... scientific proof, I studied that in school as well.
Just I think black cars look cooler ( meaning, more aggressive)
 
deafsmogtech said:
Yes, you are right unless if sonocativo experiences his battery keep low or dead then you would pinpoint battery drain problem. How do you test draw (current) drain?
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Well if the battery holds a charge when it's not in the car but it goes dead in the car with the key off then you can get a fuse adapter to use with your ammeter to check current in the fuse box. Also look for aftermarket stuff that may have bypassed the fuse box.
 
jonnyghost said:
Well if the battery holds a charge when it's not in the car but it goes dead in the car with the key off then you can get a fuse adapter to use with your ammeter to check current in the fuse box. Also look for aftermarket stuff that may have bypassed the fuse box.
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Which Analog or Digital ammeter do you use?
 
I just use the amp setting on my multi-tester. Just a cheap one from walmart. Switch in the I or amps position and putting the leads in series with the circuit where you want to measure current. Just don't exceed the amperage of the internal fuse or you'll blow it.
 
jonnyghost said:
I just use the amp setting on my multi-tester. Just a cheap one from walmart. Switch in the I or amps position and putting the leads in series with the circuit where you want to measure current. Just don't exceed the amperage of the internal fuse or you'll blow it.
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Cheap DVOM meter from Walmart? Lol. Ur meter is digital. Awesome story. My Fluke 88 meter blow fuses several times cuz I didn't pay attention on test cables where they connect to positive/ negative terminals while test draw. One fuse cost $9.50 each. Ouch. I bought fuse pack ( Fluke brand) from Fry's Electronics, much cheaper than buy one fuse from SnapOn dealer. My simple tools for battery drain diagnosis is Fluke 88, parasitic draw tester and nose tipped plier. Simple. But it is always frustrate to trace electrical situations...
 
deafsmogtech said:
Cheap DVOM meter from Walmart? Lol. Ur meter is digital. Awesome story. My Fluke 88 meter blow fuses several times cuz I didn't pay attention on test cables where they connect to positive/ negative terminals while test draw. One fuse cost $9.50 each. Ouch. I bought fuse pack ( Fluke brand) from Fry's Electronics, much cheaper than buy one fuse from SnapOn dealer. My simple tools for battery drain diagnosis is Fluke 88, parasitic draw tester and nose tipped plier. Simple. But it is always frustrate to trace electrical situations...
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Fluke rules!

I own Fluke 88 automotive meter too. My father own Fluke 87 (not sure what number of it) and it's over 15 years old and works great. He used it for repair tv tube, VCR, radio, etc. Now he still use it for CCTV system.
 
Yup, Fluke are very good testers. Very well built testers. Mine is Klein which is also good one too. Those from Harbor Freight is good but only good for very light use or duty.
 
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