Georgia Fiero Club Forum

All Things Fiero => Tech Tips, Tech Questions => Topic started by: oldone on July 07, 2017, 03:36:18 am

Title: battery draw down
Post by: oldone on July 07, 2017, 03:36:18 am

I have a 1986 fiero and it keeps drawing the battery down. I bought a new battery and pulled the car out of the garage and let it run for a few minutes and 5 minutes later the new battery wouldn`t start the car. any ideas?

Title: Re: battery draw down
Post by: scottb on July 07, 2017, 06:48:12 am

It sounds to me like the alternator is putting out. I would check the wiring coming off of the alternator before having it tested. Thats my best guess.

Scott

Title: Re: battery draw down
Post by: TopNotch on July 07, 2017, 07:56:05 am

Feel the headlight motors. If one of them is warm and/or vibrating, disconnect it.

Title: Re: battery draw down
Post by: GTRS Fiero on July 07, 2017, 05:21:37 pm

Listen for the fuel pump, also.

Title: Re: battery draw down
Post by: MikeMac on July 09, 2017, 06:26:40 pm

Check this thread out:
www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/000277.html

Is the alternator charging when running the car?

Title: Re: battery draw down
Post by: MaxwellSpy on July 13, 2017, 11:53:23 am

I had the same issue. It was the alternator.

Title: Re: battery draw down
Post by: Slyp on July 13, 2017, 01:20:17 pm

I would think that if you recharged the battery and put it in the car and did not start it. You could also get a meter and disconnect the battery and measure the positive cable to ground,  I would not expect it to be short.   If there is a short something should get very warm if it is drawing current.  Another thing you could try is take out fuses. 

Title: Re: battery draw down
Post by: Fierofool on July 13, 2017, 01:50:02 pm

In the thread MikeMac linked above, ThaDriver has a good method.  I remember Don Hulse using it.

He used an old bulb socket with gator clips on the ends of the wires, clipped between the cable and terminal.  The wires were long enough to place the bulb where he could see it through the rear window.  It will dim when you pull the correct fuse.  He had a faint glow, but I think he said it was from the radio memory.  You have to be sure your trunk courtesy lights fuse is pulled first.