NewDriverOlderRide Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 Ok...Now that I got your attention.... This about my 1993 Subaru Loyale S/W pushbutton 4WD. The only akward things I noticed before this started was everyonce in awhile upon starting the car, the RPM's would drop from 1000 to about 200 really fast about 10 times, and then it would be alright. And the other thing is that sometimes the charge and oil light would be dimly lit while the car is idling, if you rev it they would go away... Here's the story. So my car battery is dead.......I figure, no problem....I jump it and it starts right up and dies? WTH?! The battery was corroded, even though it was only 1 year old...So i figures it has a bad cell, So I go to Sears and get a new batt. I Installed it, try to start the car and it started and dies.....STILL. I let it sit overnight.... So I jump the car, it starts, I rev it for a while, disconnect jumper box, and it dies. so. I do it again, and it keeps running, then I tried to adjust the clock and the car dies shortly after i pressed the Hour button? ....so I jump it AGAIN and goto turn AC on and car immediatly stalls:mad: ....I check and replace bad fuses...jump the car again toggle AC on and off, everytime AC is on the car dies (it just sputters out real bad even if I hold the pedal down)? The battery is apparently not taking the charge(if there is one?) I need to fix this ASAP! Any Ideas? BTW the car hasnt had any electrical mods or radios etc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 [And the other thing is that sometimes the charge and oil light would be dimly lit while the car is idling, if you rev it they would go away... Sounds to me like the alternator. In this thread, I describe something very similar - this happened a couple weeks ago. The feedback I got was that it was the diodes ... It it is the alternator, what you describe would make sense that the car would start when you JUMP it, and then die quickly one you dieconnect. It means the battery hasn't been getting a charge for awhile. Back in June, I lost my belts more than an hour away from home, I still got home on only battery power (no lights, blower, or stereo). If the battery has been dead for awhile, you might try a trickle-charger overnight and then start it without jumping it. But that's only a fix if the alternator is good. 2 really fast things you can do: Take your nrw battery back & have it tested. You said you had it replaced already, but it's remotely possible that a) it's not a good one, or the connections are bad and you're not getting battery juice to the system. Did you try scrubbing out the connections? My connector to the battery is axtually 2-part connector - something i've not seen before - there are 2 places to clean & make sure the connections are tight - right at the terminal. There is also a good-sized lug on the engine block under the spare you can get to - make sure that's tight & clean. Take you starter out and have it tested. It's fast, it's free, and $60 bucks and an hour later you can put it in yourself. In my Chilton's manual, I saw a way to rebuild these things - but that's more skill than I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewDriverOlderRide Posted September 25, 2006 Author Share Posted September 25, 2006 Thanks Davalos.... Another important bit of info....After I bought the NEW battery, when I installed it.....the lights and electronics worked, the car started on its own...I then shut it off and went to sleep....What could be draining the battery? The door is shut completely, I have NO radio. Ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Engine running drains the battery - your alternator isn't keeping up. The alternator provides power to the running engine, and charges the battery. Really the battery is only there to start the car. Once it's running the system is self-sustaining, unless the alternator is dead. Then it will run till the battery drains and die. The voltage regulator in the alternator is probably shorted and draining the battery when the engine is off as well. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockva Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Thanks Davalos.... Another important bit of info....After I bought the NEW battery, when I installed it.....the lights and electronics worked, the car started on its own...I then shut it off and went to sleep....What could be draining the battery? The door is shut completely, I have NO radio. Ideas? This absolutely sounds like the alternator is dead, and is "back draining" the battery when it is off. Someone once told me that isf the diodes in the voltage regulator die, it is sort of like producing a short across the terminals, which will kill the battery over time, such as overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Do you have a Pep-Boy's, NAPA, Murray's, whatever place around you that will test your alternator for free? I was surprised how simple it was, and how detailied the report they gave to me. The place where I got it sold me a Bosch 60Amp for like $55 bucks, plus core. I was done in an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 yah just rip the alternator out and get a ride to a parts store to have it tested. thats the easy way, it only takes about ten minutes to pull the thing. just make sure you disconnect the battery, ALWAYS ground cable first, then positive cable, before you start removing the alternator. if you unbolt it before unhooking the battery, you're liable to short the hot wire out on the back and make a big spark and scare yourself half to death.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 yah just rip the alternator out and get a ride to a parts store to have it tested. thats the easy way, it only takes about ten minutes to pull the thing. just make sure you disconnect the battery, ALWAYS ground cable first, then positive cable, before you start removing the alternator. if you unbolt it before unhooking the battery, you're liable to short the hot wire out on the back and make a big spark and scare yourself half to death.... Yeah, and then you'll join the club of DORKS like me who spent like 3 months looking for cheap fusible links because he couldn't stomach the thought of spending $16 bucks for the black one (which is the one that fries) at the dealer. It was a matter or principal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewDriverOlderRide Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Thank You!!!!!!!!! New Alternator Fixed It! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Yeah - This board Rules. Like I said - very similar thing happend to me a couple weeks ago, and then the folks chimed-in, they were right on the button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewDriverOlderRide Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Maybe I spoke to soon? My mom said that after she went to start it this morning, it didn't have enough juice to start the car....but the battery wasnt completely dead. The car was only drove for about 10 min. after the new alt was put in. Then she had to jump it again to get home from work today. Ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 The car was only drove for about 10 min. after the new alt was put in. That's your problem - you only gave the battery a surface charge. Hook a charger up to it overnight. If it continues to drain then the battery could have been damaged by running it dead too many times. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalos Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 You can have your battery tested at the same place that tested the alternator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.