Battery Drain/no start

[jesshasasho]

I thought I had all my charging problems fixed. Now this odd new one popped up.

Before I get started, let me just say I have replaced my battery 3 times so I know it is not a bad battery problem. I also just changed my alternator and tested it yesterday and it is working just fine, as well as replaced both + and - batt. cables last month.

The problem is that my battery keeps dying overnight. I had to jump it every time to start it, so I took the battery out of my t-bird and it worked for a day, then did the same thing, but the CA and CCA were too low with that battery, so I got a brand new battery. 900 CA, 750 CCA, and it worked for exactly one day. Back to jumping it every time I start it. There is a door ajar light on my dash that just stays on all the time but no interior lights stay on, I have seen people having that problem and it is not that. I jumped it and pulled codes last night, and I got 327 (EGR feedback signal is/was low - EVR or PFE) and 551 (Problem in Intake Manifold Runner Control (IMRC) solenoid/circuit - Solenoids), neither of which I can make heads or tails of.

Any help????

Thanks! Jess

 

[SHO-NUF93]

If you took care of the alternator and battery, it is most likely a short...there is something staying on. As I was told when I made a similar inquiry: you can eliminate things by pulling fuses a few at a time, and see if the car goes down.

Ultimately, you may want to just drop it at a reputable electrical shop. While it can cost, you will probably know what's wrong by the time it's over with.

Did you have the amp output of your alternator checked since you replaced that? I suspected a bad battery, then a drain, only to be told there was no significant drain. I then tested my alternator, and it was putting out 16 amps instead of 90...I have yet to replace it, though.

 

[jesshasasho]

Sounds likely. I have tested everything with a volt gauge and there are enough volts coming from the battery but the readout is very sporadic while driving. There doesn't seem to be a drain, however, when the car is off. The battery gets drained during starting. The volt gauge read LO (under 7) while starting then went back up to 11.5-12.5 while driving, changing sporadically. Not soon after testing all this, the volts started dropping rapidly and then the car died on the side of the road and had to be jumped to get home. Once at home I let it run for a long time and revved the engine and ran everything in the car (heat, lights, radio, etc) and the volts did not drop but went very sporadically again between 11-12.

Very odd...Thinking of pulling the new Alt and having it tested...

 

[shovermont]

i am having a similar problem. new alt new battery but somehow i dont know why power is not getting to the battery, cables are all good. blah friggan sho's. post here if you figure your ordeal out. and goodluck

 

[Racer X]

You might have a bad alternator, regardless if it is new or not.

To test for vehicle off drain, pull a fuse, and insert an ammeter (or a DMM set to Amps) in it's place, and measure the current. Any circuit drawing more than 500mA (.5A) should be suspect.

 

[jesshasasho]

Did you have the amp output of your alternator checked since you replaced that? I suspected a bad battery, then a drain, only to be told there was no significant drain. I then tested my alternator, and it was putting out 16 amps instead of 90...I have yet to replace it, though.

Thanks everybody for the replies. I have not had the amp output of my alternator checked, though it's looking more and more like that may be the problem.

What is a simple DIY way to check the amp output of my alternator?

 

[projectSHO89]

Your alternator is dead. It should be putting out 13.4-14.2 volts.

Have the replacement tested at the store before you leave.

Steve

 

[jesshasasho]

Charging problem solved!
The alternator was not charging the battery, but not for the reason you'd think.
In a desperate effort to get more accurate results, I decided to clip the positive side of my voltmeter to the alternator output rather than the battery, and when I bumped it, pieces of the main wire literally started to crumble off.
After a closer look, the wire was a tiny bit loose and so corroded it was un-salvageable.
I replaced that wire (goes from the alternator to the starter), and it's been starting, charging, and running at 14.0 Volts +/- .2V with no problems.
Thanks everybody for the help and replies.