Battery not being charged? HELP! Pls!

[02mingreyconv]

Well, I suspected I had a bad battery, so I bought a brand new one (Optima, yellow top). Well, it was not a bad battery.. I managed to drive 20 miles on the Optima and the car died with an empty battery. I suspect that my alternator is shot. What bothered me was that the 'battery' indicator in the instrument cluster never came on, which would have indicated that the battery is not being charged.

I didn't think to check that the bulb that lights up the light might actually be done... Can someone help me and verify that when you turn the key to the on position and all lights light up in the instrument cluster that the battery light comes on at this time? Mine doesn't....

Thanks in advance.

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[Ear Rak]

do this.


before you turn the car on, hold the trip meter reset button (the black thing on the cluster. hold while turning the car on, and keep holding till it does a gage test. then once that happens, let go, hit it again for the bulb test on the cluster.

 

[1BADSNAKE]

Well, I suspected I had a bad battery, so I bought a brand new one (Optima, yellow top). Well, it was not a bad battery.. I managed to drive 20 miles on the Optima and the car died with an empty battery. I suspect that my alternator is shot. What bothered me was that the 'battery' indicator in the instrument cluster never came on, which would have indicated that the battery is not being charged.

I didn't think to check that the bulb that lights up the light might actually be done... Can someone help me and verify that when you turn the key to the on position and all lights light up in the instrument cluster that the battery light comes on at this time? Mine doesn't....

Thanks in advance.

Sound like the alternator is shot. What happen was the 20 miles u drove the alternator ran of the battery and drained it. Happened in my 67. Jump your car and then unplug the positive. If engine keeps running its the battery. If the car dies when unplug the battery its the alternator. that how i usually find out if its the battery or alternator.But your case seem like the alternator.
Your alternator is not holding its charge,so therefore u drained the new optima. As far as your cluster i would replace the alternator and go from there!

 

[02mingreyconv]

Sound like the alternator is shot. What happen was the 20 miles u drove the alternator ran of the battery and drained it. Happened in my 67. Jump your car and then unplug the positive. If engine keeps running its the battery. If the car dies when unplug the battery its the alternator. that how i usually find out if its the battery or alternator.But your case seem like the alternator.
Your alternator is not holding its charge,so therefore u drained the new optima. As far as your cluster i would replace the alternator and go from there!

Dude, thanks so mucj for your help! I did the instrument cluster test.. the battery indicator did not light up. I pulled the positive lead from the battery and the car died. Now what are the odds that both my battery indicator light AND my alternator dies at the same time. Well, I decided to start taking the alternator off the car. When I took the small electrical connector off the alternator it felt awfully loose. Well, the wires were cut in the plastic boot. Someone had used shrink tuubing on them to put it back together and both wires had let go. I quickly tied em up and started the car, pulled the positive lead again and the car kept running!! 5 minutes later I have them secured, taped up and hid away in the protective tubing. I guess I have to start adding tons of stereo equipment that drain alot of power in order to justify the Optima now...

Thanks once again for your advice! This is what makes this forum so good!

 

[sonic02gt]

Dude, thanks so mucj for your help! I did the instrument cluster test.. the battery indicator did not light up. I pulled the positive lead from the battery and the car died. Now what are the odds that both my battery indicator light AND my alternator dies at the same time. Well, I decided to start taking the alternator off the car. When I took the small electrical connector off the alternator it felt awfully loose. Well, the wires were cut in the plastic boot. Someone had used shrink tuubing on them to put it back together and both wires had let go. I quickly tied em up and started the car, pulled the positive lead again and the car kept running!! 5 minutes later I have them secured, taped up and hid away in the protective tubing. I guess I have to start adding tons of stereo equipment that drain alot of power in order to justify the Optima now...

Thanks once again for your advice! This is what makes this forum so good!

awsome that you got it fixed:headbang:

 

[1BADSNAKE]

Dude, thanks so mucj for your help! I did the instrument cluster test.. the battery indicator did not light up. I pulled the positive lead from the battery and the car died. Now what are the odds that both my battery indicator light AND my alternator dies at the same time. Well, I decided to start taking the alternator off the car. When I took the small electrical connector off the alternator it felt awfully loose. Well, the wires were cut in the plastic boot. Someone had used shrink tuubing on them to put it back together and both wires had let go. I quickly tied em up and started the car, pulled the positive lead again and the car kept running!! 5 minutes later I have them secured, taped up and hid away in the protective tubing. I guess I have to start adding tons of stereo equipment that drain alot of power in order to justify the Optima now...

Thanks once again for your advice! This is what makes this forum so good!

Anytime buddy! Im glad u got it to work. So no problems with the cluster im assuming huh! By the way i saw a mineral grey gt vert at discount tire in bloomingdale. Possibly it was u? I was there past tuesday gettin some tires for the rear!

 

[02mingreyconv]

Anytime buddy! Im glad u got it to work. So no problems with the cluster im assuming huh! By the way i saw a mineral grey gt vert at discount tire in bloomingdale. Possibly it was u? I was there past tuesday gettin some tires for the rear!

Nope, wasn't me. The car has been 'down' for a couple of weeks. First with a locked up AC compressor and then this non-charging problem. And today I will go talk to Hans to see if he can work on it for a bit. I should have bought a Cobra back in the days instead of a GT that has to constantly be improved.... I think I have more $$ into this POS than the average Cobra guy has (including car cost & upgraded SC) LOL. But it is all fun and you learn a shitload as you go. Now I need to find someone who is willing to buy my KB so that I can get a bigger one..