| Author |
Message |
    
Joe Still (Joedisco)
| | Posted on Friday, December 06, 2002 - 05:16 pm: | 
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I hope some DiscoGenius can unriddle this one.
Bought a 95 Disco 12/01
Battery dies over 3 days and I replace battery. After 2 mos battery dies overnite and I have
alternator rebuilt. After 2 mos battery dies overnite. I have new battery checked and get it replaced as "bad battery". 2 mos later battery dies over a few days unless it sits on charger overnite.
I have a voltmeter attached to cig lighter that shows initial charge rate on startup of 13.8 v. After a few minutes rate is 13.2 v. Immediately on shut down its 12.2 v and settles to 12.1v After an hour or 2 it will be 11.5 volts+ and crank okay. Much longer and it will show 11.2 v and drop to "lo volt" when you hit the starter and not crank.
Battery cables well cleaned. Main chassis ground and drivers side engine grounds cleaned and tightened. Battery idiot light works on startup and goes off as it should (anyone know that if that bulb burns out your charging circuit is disrupted?).
I'll take any idea! I'm about to start replacing everything again including battery cables, alternator, battery. It jumps off easy everytime.
Help? |
Tommy (Tommy)
| | Posted on Friday, December 06, 2002 - 05:26 pm: |
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Just a thought.....check and make sure your starter is grounded.
I once made the mistake of failing to reattach the ground to the starter when I replaced it and my 96 Disco acted a lot like yours. It started fine but would loose charge over a few days. Sometimes just overnight. It is a thick cable attached to the top bolt of the starter.
Tommy |
Peter J Blatt (Peteb)
| | Posted on Friday, December 06, 2002 - 08:48 pm: |
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Get yourfelf a good multi meter and check the amp load between the batt + and the + batt cable when disconnected from batt, that's with all doors closed and nothing electrical on! the amp load should be almost undetictable, unless you're looking at a milliamp scale, mow that you see the offending power eating load, I'm guessing about 1/2 amp or less, this will cause your volt meter to slowly fall as you described, now undoo the + lead to alternator, rehook up batt and try test btwn the cable and alt, if load is still present, you've found the problem, if no load found, keep moving and good luck, PS just cause a alternator is rebuilt, doesn't mean it's good! I've had a few [new] rebuilt alternators that were bad from get go.
Peter |
Joe Still (Joedisco)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 10:02 am: |
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Peter, What would problem be if as you described above the amps are still presemt at alternator.
I've got a test light that lights up partially between + terminal and disconnected + cable. I asssume a little current is required to maintain memories of ECU, clock, radio etc. I guess I need something that measures amps cause I show like 11.5 volts btwn + batt and + cable as above. |
Pugsly (Pugsly)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 11:01 am: |
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I don't think it is the alternator or the battery (though whatever the problem is could be killing the battery). Some sort of current leak somewhere. |
Peter J Blatt (Peteb)
| | Posted on Sunday, December 08, 2002 - 03:46 pm: |
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cant use test light, must use an ampmeter, or a digital multi meter, a good car elec shop will test in the car for only a few dollars, and it is possible for it to be the alt. or as pugsly said it could be something else.
Peter |
bryan
| | Posted on Monday, December 09, 2002 - 10:39 am: |
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I'm betting on an open diode in the voltage regulator of the rebuilt alternator (happened to me once). |
Joe Still (Joedisco)
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 05:56 pm: |
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Haven't bought the ampmeter yet. Ever since I charged battery for two days it's held to no less than 11.6 v and will crank. Hasn't sat over 12 hrs. yet. |
98disco
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 10:17 pm: |
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Just a thought here but are you sure that the serpentine belt is routed correctly? I work on these trucks everyday, and I can tell you that if the belt has been routed incorrectly the alt will not charge at higher engine rpms. the belt slips. |
Joe Still (Joedisco)
| | Posted on Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 08:31 pm: |
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Belt is correct. Amp drain is 3.3 amps! That's a real attetnion getter! Good thing I've got a good battery!
Gonna pull fuses one by one and find the bastard! |
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