Brand new battery yesterday, today dead flat wtf (VL auto 1986)

[evBenji]

Hi so my VL carked it right outside supercheap auto yesterday

so got it a new $120 battery (57 correct version) and started great was driving fine last night

this morning i jump in and everything is dead. No power to the dash, immobilizer not flashing, ignition wont turn on

zero sign of life

so i put the old battery in (which is a 58), and this time at least the ignition turns and there is power to the dash but wont start etc just like yesterday when before all this happened

this car is cursed lately. soon gonna put a sign on it 'PLEASE TAKE' lol

why would this happen?

thanks for any help

[Deltak]

I think you have a short somewhere or possibly a light is left on when you are away from the car. I would get someone with a multimeter to see if you have a current drain with everything turned off.

Also new batteries are being made using cadmium in the lead. This means that they have a greater capacity, however are a proper b* to fully charge. Suggest you put the batteries on charge and go talk to an electrician.

[evBenji]

Hey thanks for reply

yeah this being the 2nd replacement battery after getting a second hand replacement it seems it has to be a drain.

but where is the question

for this case study will list fault or symptoms ive experienced over the past year or so

# Has a tip top immobiliser installed, this has been great no prob for years

# i found an awesome stereo at a wreckers got it for 23 bucks, when i installed it the VL wiring was odd and had to shift one of the teeth in the loom to allow the power and earth to match the stereo plug loom

# Once whilst the engine was running i touched the distributor lead and got electrocuted (was live)

# yesterday when putting the battery back in the sparks were quite large and loud on the terminals, the stereo was not even connected

# also when putting it on using a shitty shifter the bolt on the terminal broke and could not secure to the battery positive properly

# in trying to find a drain a few months ago there is a liitle wire connection on the right of the steering wheel column on the ignition block there are 2 options to attach this plug, a north or a south???? ive moved it and cant remember which one it belongs to.

# theres no interior light installed so cant be the door lamps stayin on

# all the spark plug leads are recently brand new

# for years ive had a fake LED light inside the dash board, and this all started happening when i disconnected the LED strangely

# may also have started happening when i fed through the speaker wires behind the air con and may have slipped off a few cigarette lighter plugs and possibly air conn connections (but ive never used the air con so not fussed)

just areas to target and history of my mishaps as your prob spot on with the first reply

[Zarconia]

Dead alternator.

[calais24/7]

alternator is fkd, take it to a battery shop and they can check for you, it takes 2 minutes and they will diagnose it, a brand new battery wont go flat over night, unless you leave your highbeams on, and your sterior pumping

[evBenji]

yeah its crazy hey

the battery on charge now overnight at mechanics

worst part is having to take the battery back n forth on the bus grrr but yeah taking car back and we'll hopefully find the where the issue is coming from

its probably the original alternator from 1986 so whats taht, 27 years old??

now am dreading what he cost of a new one will be

just got past payin for a new brake master cylinder, rego and now battery... so much pain, and more comin

[Zarconia]

You can get the old one reconditioned for about 100 bucks, new one around 300 for a decent one

[VR38]

sounds like you also need to give all your electrical connections some TLC, especially the battery ones.

[evBenji]

yeah so it was the alternator

its not recharging the battery, only taking battery power and not putting back in. What a leach!!

So its looking like i myself might have to put the new alternator in

any tips or quick steps on what to do?

[Zarconia]

yeah so it was the alternator

its not recharging the battery, only taking battery power and not putting back in. What a leach!!

So its looking like i myself might have to put the new alternator in

any tips or quick steps on what to do?

Take the leads of the battery first, unbolt the old one take the plug off, new one one reversal of removal. Really simple

[evBenji]

dont i have to remove a belt at all??

also need to check if i have the right type of alternator for 1986 VL 6 cylinder sedan 3.0 litre

anyone know off top of their head

[Zarconia]

yeah, still going from my vs which doesn't have a belt but this should help

how to replace a vl commodore altenator belt

[evBenji]

thanks man should help, i think mines a hitachi

s1 /s2 means?

[Zarconia]

Series model of the car, S1= Series 1 etc.

[304runner]

Yeah as mentioned above, id say there is something draining it like a boot light or something or the alternator is rooted, and there could be the unlikely chance it dropped a cell....

[calais24/7]

he just said aleternator is fkd lol, there not to hard to change mate. Even go to a wreckers and get a second hand one with a warrenty

[evBenji]

Alternator has been changed over from hitachi to a bosch

didnt hav an adaptor plug but i just cut and joined the wiring as they are the same on both. Brown and cream

running well and is even a little more gutzy in accelloration

it does tend to heat up more now however. The temp guage never used to go past the second bar but now it seems to sit on the third bar and rises to the fourth at times

can this be altered

[magnetvh]

Get the car started and disconnect battery. If it dies your alternator is cactus. If it still runs there's nothin wrong with the alternator. Put new terminals on battery ( since u broke it) and check all wiring around the steering column. Also c if ur glovebox light and boot light arnt stayin on. That drained my battery 6 times b4 i found my glove box light switch was stuffd

[magnetvh]

Whoops just read the rest of the thread and u fixd it. My bad.

[evBenji]

Hehe yeah mate

just more wondering now why the temperature is higher now with the new bosch alt