DeTomaso Mailing List: May 1997, Message #82
     



From: pantera@pobox.com (David Doddek)

Subject: Re: Dead Battery?

Date: Sat, 3 May 1997 00:23:05 -0500



>I've been having a recurring problem with the "P" not starting.

>

>It will jump and push start fine. But the battery seems to die faster and

>faster. It used to be dead after sitting for two days. Now it dies when I

>try to drive home from work. I got home tonight and shut the car off and

>tried to restart it, the car just went whirrrrrrrrr....(nothing).

>

>This is especially perplexing when the ampmeter showed that everything was

fine.

>

>I've cleaned the battery terminals and the main ground terminal which was

>super-corroded.

>

>I noticed that there was a lot of white powder on the metal retaining

>bracket where it touches the leading edge of the battery top. Is the

>battery leaking? It is one of those crummy Die-Hards that's less than a

>year old.

>

>The stereo and CD Changer are hard-wired straight to the battery. Maybe

>that's draining it.

>

>I still have the flickering "GEN" light when braking over rough roads.

>

>This is getting annoying. I'm getting a multimeter tomorrow and a new

>battery. I've also ordered one of those portable jump-start batteries to

>carry around.

>

>Any thoughts gang?

>

>Nobbie

>#3766

>

>

>

I have had this problem before.  I found it to be a shorted alternator

rotor.  It was wiered having the amp guage read ok but have the bat go dead

after running for a few days.  Mine never did go dead while sitting still

though.  IT could also be the regulator shorting.



David Doddek     pantera@pobox.com    www.pobox.com/~pantera    217-422-3722

69 EFI Fairlane, 89 T-bird SC, 74 Twin turbo NOS EFI Pantera (I like to go fast)