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1971 Old Cutlass battery Keeps Dying
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Ton80Out
New User
Jan 10, 2009, 12:03 PM
Post #1 of 3
(3247 views)
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1971 Old Cutlass battery Keeps Dying
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Hi All, . I drive this car 2-3x/week lately. This started a week ago but the car is always dependable. Thsi never happened before. The battery was dead so I charged it. Car ran all day, dead again in 24 hours. Recharged, runs, dies. So I bought a new battery Jan5th09. Drove on the 7th. Dead on the 9th. I charged battery again yesterday. It was 12.14v resting. Started right up High idle 13.74-14.45v, warm idle 13.40v. I went out today and it's dead again. Never had this problem before. Replaced Voltage Regulaor a few years ago due to corroded terminal. I am thining of just buying anothe regulator and seeing what happens. Thanks for your idea. Dave
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 10, 2009, 12:28 PM
Post #2 of 3
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Re: 1971 Old Cutlass battery Keeps Dying
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Ya - That regulator on firewall or the connector could do this. If you unplug and plug it back in will it click or something right in front of you? Don't think it should. I'd also check hot wire to alternator - even though the dash warning says "GEN" it's an alternator!
Try hard not to let battery discharge at all or too many times as that's a battery killer. Battery Maintainers with float mode are a great thing for low use vehicles - frequently under $20 bucks,
T
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Jan 10, 2009, 1:10 PM
Post #3 of 3
(3244 views)
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Re: 1971 Old Cutlass battery Keeps Dying
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The charging voltage sounds fine; What kind of amperage is it putting out? Should be around 55-60 in that vintage. You can check for an electrical drain by connecting a test light between the negative battery post and the cable (cable disconnected from battery). If it lights brightly, you have a drain. Or, you can disconnect the battery tonight and see if it's okay in the morning. Not real common, but the old, point style, regulators could stick and cause an electrical drain. If the test light does light, disconnect the plug on the regulator. If the light goes out, that's more than likely the problem. You can do this test with multiple items. i.e. Alternator. Just be sure nothing is turned on when you do it, doors closed, hood light disconnected, key out of ignition, ect. Good luck.
Loren
SW Washington
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