New battery and altenator. Battery has gone completely dead twice in a week. Car wasn't used during the week. Has to be an electrical short to ground. There is a procedure using the battery and a test light to trace down the short. Can someone remember it for me? Thanks, Ed
electrical short
- Thread starter ejw 71
- Start date
Ed, I would suspect the alternator, since it is new. The early one wire alternators were bad about draining batteries. If there is a problem with the regulator in your new alternator it could do that. Charge battery and leave the battery terminal wire off the alternator and see if the battery is still up the following morning. Im not too sharp with electrical systems, so maybe others will have better suggestions. Good luck...........
test light
Put the test light across the neg. terminal . If there is a draw on the battery the light will be on. Start removing the fuses and bulbs until the light go out. That where the short is. I would check the regulator first . If you have a one wire , the diode could still be bad. Good luck.
Put the test light across the neg. terminal . If there is a draw on the battery the light will be on. Start removing the fuses and bulbs until the light go out. That where the short is. I would check the regulator first . If you have a one wire , the diode could still be bad. Good luck.
Ed, Are you sure the alternator is wired correctly in your 59?? Have you had success with the charging system as it is wired now?? Just curious. The alternators with build in regulators are simple to wire in to the older cars, but maybe a thorough inspection might help. 
This may be of some help!
http://www.inliners.org/tech/tech6.html
http://www.inliners.org/tech/tech6.html
Short
Ed
if you have every thing off if you touch pos cable to bat and you get a amall spark something is still drawing power,if you have spark, eliminate wires by pulling plugs one at a time under dash. You will find prob eventually,
when you do youll have no spark when you touch cable to bat
Ed
if you have every thing off if you touch pos cable to bat and you get a amall spark something is still drawing power,if you have spark, eliminate wires by pulling plugs one at a time under dash. You will find prob eventually,
when you do youll have no spark when you touch cable to bat
58er, Man, That is old school..... Time consuming but works every time. Just used that technique to straighten out my car. Many problems, but all fixed now.