another issue, seems never ending.....

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dru34

dru34

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(73 scamp with 318 swap from duster)Hey guys I got an issue. Bought new battery hooked it up have power all lights come one and everything, then as soon as I turn the key to crank the engine everything dies and the battery drains.

However I hooked the battery to my wife's battery(as to jump it off) it then cranks and has power again, but once I pull off the jumper cables and cut it off I cant start it again.:evil:

Any help would be great I'm dumb founded when it comes the electrical issues.
 
Be very careful that you don't start an electrical fire!!!

Sounds like you have a very bad short circuit. If you have an ammeter (not the one in your dash gauges) then disconnect your positive battery cable, recharge the battery, hook up the positive cable to the battery thru the ammeter and have a second person in the car. Have the second person turn the key to the run position (not cranking the starter) and see the amperage going thru the wiring. It shouldn't be that much (less than 10 amps). If it is more than that, then there may be a short circuit somewhere. I would first look at the bulkhead connector on the firewall to see if there are melted parts and wires touching each other.

The problem could be one of many things. Another prime suspect is the built in ammeter in your dash. I strongly recommend making the MAD electrical mod (http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml).

The really disturbing thing in your problem statement is that the battery is draining. This will only happen with a load of either accessories/running systems or a short circuit. Since you seem to be surprised by this, it leads me to believe it is the latter or you would have turned off the systems causing the battery drain.

If you are not good with electrical fault finding, then have a mechanic investigate it for you. The worst thing that can happen if you don't track this down fast is your car burning to the ground!

Whenever a short circuit is suspected, be ready to immediately disconnect one of the battery cables!
 
It sounds like a bad battery to me. New doesn't always mean good.
It could be a fault in one of your battery cables too.
 
Check you battery terminals & cables. Are you certain there is agood connection? The ends need to be tight & clean - not just on. If you can jiggle or twist them at all they are too loose. When you try to start it does it make a click & then absolutely nothing? No electrical power? At that point check it with a voltmeter or install it correctly in another car & see if it will start that one. If it's ok go back & fix the cables & terminals.
Good luck & let us know how you make out.
 
Whoa! Too many wires hanging out, ready to short out. What is the red wire over your master cylinder? Replace your battery cables. The replacement battery cable ends were only intended to be used as a temporary fix. Tell me you don't have wires touching the exhaust manifolds!

Tape over all exposed wires that are just dangling.

Time for new wire harnesses? Maybe post a want ad on FABO for what you need. Your harnesses look like they've been monkeyed with too many times.
 
That mess at the battery alone is enough to cause me a heart attack!!!
 
67Dart273 said:
That mess at the battery alone is enough to cause me a heart attack!!!
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HaHa I know, guy i bought it from did a a sloppy job. I just bought all new battery cables and connectors , also that red wire looks like it is suppose to be connected to a fusible link cable that runs to the bulk fuse box, odviously it's not connected.
 
To add insult to injury, it appears that the neg clamp is on upside down. Those posts are tapered, and that just can't have much surface area.
 
Fix that disaster at the battery.....and report back......very easy to make your own cables. A vise, a map gas torch, a bit of solder and some shrink tubing is all it takes. I personally like using lugs on each end of the cable and

View attachment cable clamp.jpg

these for battery clamps.....
 
I'll bet ya anything the problem is those temp connections on the battery.
 
68gtxman said:
Whoa! Too many wires hanging out, ready to short out. What is the red wire over your master cylinder? Replace your battery cables. The replacement battery cable ends were only intended to be used as a temporary fix. Tell me you don't have wires touching the exhaust manifolds!

Tape over all exposed wires that are just dangling.

Time for new wire harnesses? Maybe post a want ad on FABO for what you need. Your harnesses look like they've been monkeyed with too many times.
Click to expand...


Holy spaghetti, Batman.... :(
 
I don't even consider the battery mess to be "up to" the standards of a "temporary connection." The term "temporary connection" suggests that something actually functions.

That is a huge mess.
 
dru34 said:
Sorry, temp connections?
Click to expand...

Those type of battery terminals are called temporary (temp) in my book.
The fact that you have power and then as soon as you put a load on it you don't have power is almost ALWAYS a bad connection.

Those type of terminals have limited surface area for the power to flow through and when you go to crank it they just burn off the spots where they contact each other and all the sudden you have zero power.
 
TrailBeast said:
Those type of battery terminals are called temporary (temp) in my book.
The fact that you have power and then as soon as you put a load on it you don't have power is almost ALWAYS a bad connection.

Those type of terminals have limited surface area for the power to flow through and when you go to crank it they just burn off the spots where they contact each other and all the sudden you have zero power.
Click to expand...

I gotcha thanks man I got all new stuff to replace it and as soon as this rain stops I'm gonna get to it, thanks for all the help so far guys.
 
If it has lights when you hook up the battery but only cranks with a jump and runs, then it should have enough current to continue running after you disconnect the jumpers assuming you do not have every electrical component on the car energized. That red wire on the clamp is just begging me to ask the question...Did you charge that battery in reverse?
 
TrailBeast said:
limited surface area for the power to flow through and when you go to crank it they just burn off the spots where they contact each other and all the sudden you have zero power.
Click to expand...

Plus as I mentioned, the left one in the photo appears to be upside down!!!
 
67Dart273 said:
Plus as I mentioned, the left one in the photo appears to be upside down!!!
Click to expand...

Yep it was upside down however I got new brass clamps to clean things up a bit, also what is the red and black(not the 4 gauge one odviously) cables coming from to neg that are grounded? And are they needed?
 
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