DEAD BATTERY!!

[blade]

HI GUYS i just bought a 87 tercel 4wd to replace the 84 it was totaled.I bought a new battery for the 87 and it is always dieing i changed the terminals and cheacked all of the fues's and nothing i need some help asap plz help.

[Neu]

Take the battery back and get a new one. They have a warranty. Some batteries are bad...

[splatterdog]

I would also look for parasitic draw. Do the batt terminals spark at all when removed or installed? That would be a dead giveaway on a terc(this means nothing on newer more electrical dependent cars).

If the battery checks out you will need an amp meter to thoroughly test for it. 25-35 milliamps or less is what you need. Newer cadillacs allow as much as 50 to keep all their computers memory going but all we have is a dash clock and stereo memory if it's not stock. If there is a parasite and it's not drawing too much a 12 volt bulb can suffice as a tester. Can't exactly remember the old school spec, if you can call it that, but with a bulb hooked in series at either terminal it should be very dim to no light. If it's too much draw you will smoke the bulb like a fuse.

If it lights, pull fuses one at a time until the light goes out. Alternator could be leaking as well and should be disconnected if fuse pulling doesn't find it.

[Petros]

are you sure the alternator is working? If it does not charge it might appear the battery is bad. But even new batteries can go bad fairly fast, I had to replace several new batteries within the first month of ownership in the last few years.

Turn on the lights at night against a wall, then start the engine and rev it. If the lights get brighter than the charging circuit is working. Or use a volt-olm meter. This can be used to see if you are leaking a charge when the engine is off.

good luck.

[blade]

the battery and alternator are good they have been tested . no the terminals do not spark. i have ben told that the stereo could be causing it but i don't know.

[Neu]

Rip the stereo deck out and wait a few days. Best way to test right there, also very easy if you have a ....crap i'm blanking on the word, oh, the right harness. If you have the right harness it should just unclip and it's super easy.

[blade]

ok i removed the stereo and it looks to be good the car still starts thanks alot another problem solved by tercel4wd.com good work.

[Neu]

Just rewire the deck, a wire or two probably got messed up. Or get a new stereo deck.

[blade]

ya i bought a $200 stereo to replace it and i was wondering do i have to cenect the dash dimmer switch up to the new one or can i even cenect it

[splatterdog]

Tape it off, or maybe use it for rigging up a light for the junk pocket beneath the deck

[blade]

thanks for the idea and how might i do that?