Battery keeps draining

First time poster, and new addition to AF as of last week.


The battery is suddenly draining on my 1996 Cherokee (4.0 Inline Six). I have recently had problems with the electric fan functioning erratically. I was searching the net last week for some help, came across the AF website, found a solution, implemented it(replaced relay), and it worked! The next day, the battery was dead! I jumped it and drove it around to recharge the battery. That did the trick...until the next day when my lovely wife tried to go to the grocery store. Dead again! I replaced the battery. That worked for about 4 days. Now, I am dead again! These two things I know for sure:

1. The battery terminals are not corroded.

2. The drive belt, although showing its age, is turning all appropriate devices.

My suspicions are that either the alternator is bad, or I have some kind of short draining the battery. But, I do not notice any other odd symptoms like dimming lights or AC pulling motor down excessively when I do get the jeep started.

What I have noticed twice though...once when I jumped it and the other time when I replaced the battery...is that when I started it, it ran really rough until I gave it some gas.

Can anyone out there point this wanna-be do-it-myself-er in the right direction? Thanks in advance!

Hello,

Check an alternator. It looks the one is the problem.

Use multimeter (Voltmeter). If the alternator is ok, the Vmeter will show 14,1 or higher. ( engine is running ).

Push the pedal till the metal.

Hey kbarron!!!

have you figured any thing out on this problem??

Once you get the jeep started, disconnect the battery, if it dies, then the alternator is bad...