*UPDATE* No more current drain, but truck won't start

[morganater]

Heres my problem. MY truck isnt holding a charge whatsoever. I have a full MSD ignition with 6al and a distributor. I drove the truck all summer with no problems, and installed a CD deck with no problems. I also installed a tachometer to the ignition 12v+ power wire, and that worked with no problems. I parked the truck for about a month in 10-40 degree weather, and when i went to jump it it had some juice, but not quite enough to start it, so I had to jump it. I drove it around for a bit, and then parked it, but the next morning the battery was completely dead. I maybe thought the battery went to crap just sitting there, or it was just old, so i replaced it with a new battery, and trickle charged it up to full. Installed that, drove around a while, then left it overnight and the next day the battery was completely dead again. I dont see where any NEW current draws could come from, because this problem didn't arise until i started the truck up after a month of storage. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is wrong? this is really frustrating.

[jor]

It does sound like something is drawing current. Disconnect the ground wire and run a 12v test light between the cable and the battery post. If it lights up brightly, something is staying on that shouldn't. If it's a very dim light it could be your stereo (memory) and shouldn't be a problem. Good luck.
jor

[FORDification]

If you ran it for a while and it didn't charge up, I guess I'd start off by getting the alternator checked out. Most parts stores will check it for free, and it only takes a few minutes to remove. Of course, you can do a preliminary output test yourself if you have a multi-tester, by reading the output of the alternator at the BAT terminal. However, you'd have to take it in to a shop to have them put it to a load test.

To expand upon what jor mentioned, make sure your dome light or underhood light is disconnected before trying this test. And make sure you put the shifter lever ALL the way into Park...if it's been left halfway between Park and Reverse, the backup lights could be coming on and causing a drain.

[willowbilly3]

Also try unplugging the voltage regulator. I have seen them keep the fields energized and run a battery down.

[morganater]

My thing is that it only will do this if i leave it overnight, or not driven for a period of like 6 hours or more. This tells me its a slow drain. I drove it around and started it like 6 sperate times in a couple hours one afternoon, then parked it only to find it dead again the next morning. I will try the current draw test, even though i know it will tell me i have a draw. It shouldn't be the alternator IMO, or maybe it is just getting old? I don't know how to replace an alt either

[FORDification]

Well, you gotta start your automotive education somewhere, right? This is a good time to do something simple, to get your feet wet...er...I mean, get your hands dirty.

Replacing one is easy...it's simply a matter of disconnecting the battery, removing a couple wires on the back of the unit, and then removing a couple bolts. If you think you might forget how to reconnect the wires when you reinstall it, just mark them before removal.

[willowbilly3]

From my experience it is ten times more likely to be the regulator than the altertnator. If you had a voltmeter you can full field the alternator to test it by disconnecting the plog from the regulator and jump across the connector on the A and F terminals with a wire. It should be the yellow and orange wires in the connector. This wil put the alternator in full charge mode so don't rev the engine or drive it that way as it is capable of making enough voltage to fry something and boil the battery. It won't hurt anything idling for a minute or two. Also even if you don't have a voltmeter you should be able to hear if it kicks the alternator in because the drag will pull the engine down a little and the alternator will emit a slight whine.

[magnethead]

Like Jor said, check it with the ignition off, then with the engine running. To be more accurate, standard voltages are 12.?, 13.6, and 14.4, with the 13.6 meaning a slightly weak or overloaded alternator, 14.4 in standard operation, and 12.? sitting.

[flyboy2610]

It's also possible you have a bad battery that is not holding a charge.
Charge it up and verify with a voltmeter that it is fully charged.
Disconnect both battery cables and tuck them away where they won't touch the terminals.
Leave the truck over night and check it in the morning with the voltmeter. If it's not still fully charged you have a bad cell or two in the battery and all you can do is replace it.

[magnethead]

It's also possible you have a bad battery that is not holding a charge.
Charge it up and verify with a voltmeter that it is fully charged.
Disconnect both battery cables and tuck them away where they won't touch the terminals.
Leave the truck over night and check it in the morning with the voltmeter. If it's not still fully charged you have a bad cell or two in the battery and all you can do is replace it.

He's already had it happen with 2 different batteries...I would rule that out...

[willowbilly3]

Like Jor said, check it with the ignition off, then with the engine running. To be more accurate, standard voltages are 12.?, 13.6, and 14.4, with the 13.6 meaning a slightly weak or overloaded alternator, 14.4 in standard operation, and 12.? sitting.

Standard voltages?? Hmm. Well most fully charged, healthy batterys do have around 12.6 or so. The best way to determine if your charging system is adequate, with a volt meter, is to see what you have with everything off. Then start the engine and turn everything on that you can and at idle it should show 1 volt more than it did before you started. This from an Interstate Batterys clinic I attended. I have had lots of them that were less, like .8, but still seemed to carry on.

[flyboy2610]

He's already had it happen with 2 different batteries...I would rule that out...

I have purchased batteries with bad cells right off the shelf.
I wouldn't rule it out.

[willowbilly3]

Especially if you buy a Neverstart from Wally world.

[morganater]

Well, you gotta start your automotive education somewhere, right? This is a good time to do something simple, to get your feet wet...er...I mean, get your hands dirty.

im not that bad of a noobie. I put on an intake manifold and carb and oil pan on my 429 and had no problems until my timing chain broke. I guess im not knowledgable in certain areas of expertise.

Back to the topic, I am leaning towards the voltage regulator. What does it mean when the amp light flashes? It has only done this once while driving throughout this whole ordeal. I am thinking I can drive long enough w/o having the battery being charged at all; and this is becuase the voltage regulator isn't allowing any charge from alt.

[morganater]

Ok, this problem really gets frustrating and pissed me off today . I replaced the voltage regulator with the one out of my 68, and Hooked up the battery to a charger, let ir charge for a bit and started the truck up. Idled fine, so i let it idle for 15 minutes or so. The truck's lights and dome light had a really fluctuating brightness between 600-900 RPM. Then after a short while, the lights started FLICKERING (including the dash lights and headlights). I then shut off the truck to try and start it again for the 3rd time on the small charge in the battery from being dead, and the batt. was dead again. There's no cliffs near my house.......