got the new battery, car ran fine, but headlights, wipers etc went out...

it actually took about a day for it to be drained and not start, but thanks i will look over your posts in more detail in a little while.

im just not real good with cars, obviously so your patience is appreciated. Ill probably see what the shop charges to take a look and diagnose the problem on monday even if i dont have enough cash for the complete fix, ill know what it is.
 
10.If everything is normal, you will read less than 35 milliamps, or .035 amps. If the current drain is higher than that, you need to find out what is draining your batteries: You can start by pulling fuses until the load goes away. If that doesn't reduce the draw, you need to look for a wire that is corroded or frayed.

this caught my eye because the car sat for a while and some mice got into it, when i first had it fixed i had a problem with my dome lights, but that was it

i could only turn on the left or right side of the dome light one at a time, if the left is on and i try to put on the right, it turns the other side off, wondering if that is where the issue started, but it ran fine for about 4 or 5 months and the dome light issue was the only problem, none of this other stuff and the battery didnt drain.

but it is a good possibility some sort of wire got chewed
 
its a good possibility...this fix is gonna suck, period..if you have no patience or time, then send it off...if you got time, do it right and learn along the way.

you keep saying you don't know anything about cars. Being broke is a great reason to start.

seriously...if you don't understand current draw...google it, read and read some more till you get it...

I learned about cars the same way...I had no money to take it to a shop, and had a smart buddy. my buddy told me he will tell me everything I wanna know, but he won't lift a finger to do it.

I spent many nights working on my 70 Pontiac tempest, with him next to me drinking beer while I worked on the car alone. But I did learn.
 
i appreciate your responses. Going to call the shop on monday and see what hell charge to diagnose the issue. Then i will go from there.
 
sounds similar to mine

01V6 114k driving in heavy traffic on hot day. battery light comes on, goes on and off for the next 20 miles, then on steady, then abs light comes on and advance track light. So I pull over and park in the street. Leave it for about 2 hours, come back and drive it home, another quarter mile, battery light comes on, stays on, get the car up on the ramps and the engine dies, no more battery to turn the starter. Battery is ford 2 years old. Alternator original. So I pull the battery and put in on a slow charger for 6 hours and pull the alternator. The alternator is really dirty, so I clean it good with simple green, inside and out. Take the battery and alternator to autozone, both check out as good. Put them back in the car, opened the truck fuse box, moved every fuse in and out, tightened all ground wires. Started the car, ok, runs normal, no battery light. :eek:
 
tireman said:
01V6 114k driving in heavy traffic on hot day. battery light comes on, goes on and off for the next 20 miles, then on steady, then abs light comes on and advance track light. So I pull over and park in the street. Leave it for about 2 hours, come back and drive it home, another quarter mile, battery light comes on, stays on, get the car up on the ramps and the engine dies, no more battery to turn the starter. Battery is ford 2 years old. Alternator original. So I pull the battery and put in on a slow charger for 6 hours and pull the alternator. The alternator is really dirty, so I clean it good with simple green, inside and out. Take the battery and alternator to autozone, both check out as good. Put them back in the car, opened the truck fuse box, moved every fuse in and out, tightened all ground wires. Started the car, ok, runs normal, no battery light. :eek:
Click to expand...

The brushes in the alternator maybe wearing out. If so, it'll come back in a few days. If you make it a week or two, then it was a loose connection somewhere that you corrected when you replaced the alternator. Here's hoping that's what it was.
 
Outkast said:
I hear ya, but I assure you, unless its packed with C-4 or mounted underneth, a coil can in no way, kill your headlights....ever

smart asses or not, with all do respect to GCwimmer, and quikls...Joe is the smartest dude on here...even if he is reading it from a book, he seems to always have an answer..(except to my no start issue :p )

anyway...somthing is draining your battery. there is a way to see with a digital multi meter...someone else will chime in I'm sure but....you connect it btween the bat and somthing else, and pull your fuses on at a time until the draw stops. maybe you can even use a test light, I really don't remember.

you definaly have a drain...yes you killed the battery, but if it is a decent one, it will still be ok if you charge it back up soon. don't let it keep going dead, that is not good for them.

without being there, its really hard to diagnose problems over the internet, like Joegr said, it may be time to give in an take it to a shop.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is a process that has been documented by Ford. Since my dad is a GM for a dealership, I had him get me the instructions for how to do the procedure as per Ford, and I can say that you need more than a DMM and start pulling fuses.

First off, do you have any of the automatic systems turned on like the head lights or easy entry for the seat? After over 3/12 hours of checking fuses I traced my problem to the module for the easy entry system. Turned it off and that was that.
 
Alternator lifespan in miles?

anyone know what the lifespan is of these alternators? changing out a V6 is easy work, maybe i'll go ahead and order a new one........
 
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