First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List
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Sounds like you have it licked.
If you are not familiar wit using the ammeter function of your volt
meter, don't try it since you might fry it (or blow the internal fuse
if it has one). Instead, follow Gerrit's diagram but instead buy an
inexpensive test light and see if it lights up with everything turned
off and the door closed just like you would expect when you leave the
car for the night. If the light lights up then you have something
consuming battery and you can follow his tips to try to narrow it
down. There should be no current draw when the car is off unless you
have an electric clock or a stereo that draws some current to
maintain it's memory or something.
Hugo
At 07:55 PM 8/2/2008, you wrote:
First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List
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Michael, Thomas and Gerrit, thanks for the additional tips. Today
bought a voltmeter and used it on the battery. It read between 9
and 10. I took the alternator to Autozone and had it tested: as
probably everyone reading this string knew, it was bad. I bought a
new one (keeping the old one for future training purposes),
installed it and recharged the battery. My son and I drove the car
for about an hour. The battery gauge in the car initally read 11,
but after 15-20 minutes it rose to 13 and stayed there for the rest
of our trip. When the car idles the gauge drops to 11 and
oscillates with the turn signal, but returns to 13 when we're
driving 55 at around 2100 rpm. I don't think the battery was fully
charged before we left. Gerrit, I haven't had a chance to follow
your recommendations yet. I'm not sure I'm using the voltmeter
right. The directions weren't clear. Does it sound like I still
have a problem with the charging
system? Again, thanks for all the help you've been to me. I
appreciate you pros being patient with a novice like me. David
----- Original Message ---- From: Gerrit Dijkstra | RGP
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: First Generation Firebird-L
<[email protected]>; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent:
Saturday, August 2, 2008 3:40:40 AM Subject: Re: [FGF] 68 won't
start First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List
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Hey David, You probably have an electrical leak somewhere, maybe
you can check the electrical circuit a bit by measuring amperes
from the battery and do the following. Open the hood, ignition
contact off., connect a amperemeter to the battery like this:
--------| | + | -------+ Ampere meter between cable and
battery +------ > electrical circuit | Bat | | - | ------>
to chassis (no modification) |-------| A number biger than zero
will prpbably appear on you meter, this is the amount of current
flowing (away) while you're not driving the car. You now go to the
fusebox at the driver's site foot and remove one fuse. Let someone
else check the meter at the same time to see weather the number
decreases. Put the removed fuse back and remove another one. Go
through this one by one. See if the number on the meter changes a
lot, if so - you are a bit closer to discovering the faulty circuit
(maybe regulator?, horn relay? - check the diagram) If the number
stays high all the time, the leak is somewhere between the fusebox
and battery. Gerrit http://www.rgp.nl/bird (
http://www.rgp.nl/bird/misc/wiring_int.swf -- not complete, but
parts of the electrical layout) Thomas R. wrote: > First Generation
Firebird-L Mailing List >
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> David, > > Your alt should read 13.5 - 14 at idle and
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