Problem with a 4.3

Alright, this damn truck has been screwing with for awhile now. The problem started with the battery dying about once or twice a week under normal driving conditions(drive it in the day, it'd be dead the next morning or the next day. I was able to start it with a jump real quick. Then it wouldn't start with a jump at all. I would put the key in and turn it to start and all the power would shut off, I get out and hook up the jumper cables to my battery ONLY and the lights would turn back on and the battery would register around 10-11volts. I do have a remote starter in this but the problem started when the system was disconnected and is currently dissconected so i know thats not the problem. The symptoms are very inconsistant. Some days i can get to jump others I can't. Sometimes it'll start right up after being run for awhile other times it won't. This problem is driving me nuts!!!!!! Any advice from anyone on what the hell is going on would greatly be appreaciated. Thanks- PEace

Have you tested your alternator to see if its operating within the range?
check to see if the fuses are ok and not fried?
Perhaps Get a new battery or a battery charger?

Do u run massive subs and amp? if you do you might need a cap
any good sound store will have them last time I looked it was around $300 canadian. That is the first thing the guy told me put these in (subs and amp) then put the cap in or fry your alt


something sounds like its sucking about 30 amp draw to make your battery die like that. try the power lock selinod.


good luck

Have your alternator tested when hot.

Alright, this damn truck has been screwing with for awhile now. The problem started with the battery dying about once or twice a week under normal driving conditions(drive it in the day, it'd be dead the next morning or the next day. I was able to start it with a jump real quick. Then it wouldn't start with a jump at all. I would put the key in and turn it to start and all the power would shut off, I get out and hook up the jumper cables to my battery ONLY and the lights would turn back on and the battery would register around 10-11volts. I do have a remote starter in this but the problem started when the system was disconnected and is currently dissconected so i know thats not the problem. The symptoms are very inconsistant. Some days i can get to jump others I can't. Sometimes it'll start right up after being run for awhile other times it won't. This problem is driving me nuts!!!!!! Any advice from anyone on what the hell is going on would greatly be appreaciated. Thanks- PEace

clean and tighten the battery cables, and check the positive cable where it connects to the starter.

I'm not running really massive subs. I only have two 12''s that are drawing off of a 600watt amp and i have a power cap. I put a brand new Optima Red Top in last october and AAA service tested the battery a few weeks ago when i had them jump it and he said the battery was fine. All the fuses are good too. Now what is this power-lock solnoid you speak of? Could it be broken and causing this problem? I'm almost positive its the alternator that is causing the problem but could it also be the ignition, or a combo of both? Thanks you guys know your shit. Peace

Did this start happening when you installed the stereo system?

Sounds like you amp is not turning off and has a major parasitic drain.

I know what parasitic oscillations are but what is a parasitic drain?

Current draw after the engine is turned off.

If there is current draw after the engine is off then there is a live circuit.

If you leave your headlights on after you turn your engine off, is that a parasitic drain?

I mean a draw on the battery other than the computer memory draw etc...

Are pulling some arrogant attitude on me or something?

No, I wanted to know where you were coming from with the word parasitic in terms of electric.

Parasitic in electrical or electronics is something that is unwanted (i.e. signal).

Quite honestly, I thought perhaps in this politically correct world that we live in, that someone had coined a new term.

That is all, no attitude, no pissing contests, so swearing, just the quest for an answer of terms for better communications.

How does parasitic mean anything against being politically correct?

Parasitic Drain Examples:

http://www.misterfixit.com/baddiode.htm
http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/arcv_pdf/4_02_e.pdf

just to answer way up on the list there when I suggested looking at the power locks as I had a truck once that did just that, dead battery in a matter of 7 hrs. Nobody @ Toytoa in Calgary could find it, then I took it to the Lethbridge and Juan that had been workin at this shop since '72 found it in like 10 min. The $3 selinoid was cooked and causing a 30 amp draw. bingo - so I am not sure how the blazer works as I have not had the door panels off. Just a guess.

Cya

:-)

I'm not running really massive subs. I only have two 12''s that are drawing off of a 600watt amp and i have a power cap. I put a brand new Optima Red Top in last october and AAA service tested the battery a few weeks ago when i had them jump it and he said the battery was fine. All the fuses are good too. Now what is this power-lock solnoid you speak of? Could it be broken and causing this problem? I'm almost positive its the alternator that is causing the problem but could it also be the ignition, or a combo of both? Thanks you guys know your shit. Peace


again, check your battery cables. inspect all points of connection. make sure that they are all clean and tight. ive seen bad connections on battery cables cause from freaky stuff.

ive had a loose battery cable on my 2000 Blazer do what you described, i got in it after work one night, the keyless entry worked, the dome lights came on, the dash lights lit up, then just as soon as i tried to start it, everything went off. dead, no power at all. both cables were loose at the battery.

How does parasitic mean anything against being politically correct?

Parasitic Drain Examples:

http://www.misterfixit.com/baddiode.htm
http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/arcv_pdf/4_02_e.pdf

My comment about being politically correct is that in today's world, words that meant something years ago have new meanings today. Sometimes referred to as a politically correct term or statement.

I went to your first link and could not find the word "parasitic" in the description given by the fellow talking about his alternator. Perhaps I missed it.

Parasitic, in electronics or electricity, simply means something that is unwanted. It is used in signal (ac) applications or where an AC signal is riding on a DC voltage. As an example, parasitic signals can be impressed upon the DC in an automobile from the alternator, that is what a noise suppressor does.

If you wish to call a short or a battery drain "parasitic" since it is unwanted, fine. Just so I understand your terminology.

In using these forums, the only way a person can tell you the problem is through communication. We cannot see the problem, hear the problem, smell the problem or feel the problem. All that we can go on is how well they describe it and the terms they use.

That is the root of my original question. The quest to understand.

I've had a similar problem with the yellow top battery. My dad built car batteries a long time ago, when I explained the problem to him he suggested a crack in one of the plates inside the battery. The thing about this situation is when the battery is cold the plates will shrink therefore reconnecting, when the battery is hot plates expand therefore disconnecting and not charging (at least that is the way I understood it, if someone can explain it better I'm listening). To test this theroy I hooked up a trickle charger charged the battery overnight and checked the voltage with a meter. I then drove the truck normally all day and hooked the meter up as soon as I got home. What I discovered was the voltage drops quickly at first then tapers off. Dad goes on to explain amps vs. cold crank amps ( he lost me there ) End result BATTERY.

Also you can measure current draw the same way. Hook up a meter and record voltage every 10 min.

How long have you had the red top?

I had the same problems. It was the aftermarket battery terminal crapping out. I would check the positive and negative battery terminals.

My connections were fine until I tried to start the car. Now the threads on my battery are not good. It's like they are stripped out because no terminal will completely tighten into it.

My comment about being politically correct is that in today's world, words that meant something years ago have new meanings today. Sometimes referred to as a politically correct term or statement.

I went to your first link and could not find the word "parasitic" in the description given by the fellow talking about his alternator. Perhaps I missed it.

Parasitic, in electronics or electricity, simply means something that is unwanted. It is used in signal (ac) applications or where an AC signal is riding on a DC voltage. As an example, parasitic signals can be impressed upon the DC in an automobile from the alternator, that is what a noise suppressor does.

If you wish to call a short or a battery drain "parasitic" since it is unwanted, fine. Just so I understand your terminology.

In using these forums, the only way a person can tell you the problem is through communication. We cannot see the problem, hear the problem, smell the problem or feel the problem. All that we can go on is how well they describe it and the terms they use.

That is the root of my original question. The quest to understand.

Ummm..... You are a mechanic and you don't know about parasitic current drain on an auto electrical system?

I was very clear about what I was talking about and I have never had anyone have problems with my terminology before.

Parasitic: [adj] of plants or persons; having the nature or habits of a parasite or leech; living off another; "a wealthy class parasitic upon the labor of the masses"; "parasitic vines that strangle the trees"; "bloodsucking blackmailer"; "his indolent leechlike existence"

Parasitic Battery Drain: http://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=parasitic+battery+drain

I really still don't get this bullshit politically correct crap from. My statement were not racist, sexist or bigoted in any way shape or form.

I don't want to get into this too much but I have worked on these a little. Sometimes on these altinators you will have one of the "sensing" wires break at the connector. Not the big one from the battery but the little on on the side. I just fixed one today that the guy would be able to drive it for a while then it would then die. (do not think this is your problem but something to look at). These wires will break inside the insulation so you can't just see it.

Another is the VATS system or Passkey if you have a newer s-10. Does you security light come on at all other when trying to start? If so, I'd look into that. Ignition switches are also known to go bad but since you say if you jump it, it will start I'd say not that. I'd seen plenty of battery cables being bad on GM vehicles. Infact, just changed them on my '01 Silverado. They rotted from the inside out. Also, sometimes the altinator can have a spot where if it stops on it, can drain.

Ummm..... You are a mechanic and you don't know about parasitic current drain on an auto electrical system?

When I learned about battery drain, 35 years ago, it was referred to as "constant current load on the battery", the load that is there at all times even when the ignition is off. In automobiles before computers there was nothing there that required current to flow even when the ignition was off.

I was very clear about what I was talking about and I have never had anyone have problems with my terminology before.

I never said that you were not clear, I asked you to clarify the use of the word parasitic, which you have done.


Parasitic: [adj] of plants or persons; having the nature or habits of a parasite or leech; living off another; "a wealthy class parasitic upon the labor of the masses"; "parasitic vines that strangle the trees"; "bloodsucking blackmailer"; "his indolent leechlike existence"

Thanks for the Webster's definition, although I really didn't need it. I was asking for the grammatical use of the word, not the definition.


Parasitic Battery Drain: http://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=parasitic+battery+drain (http://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=parasitic+battery+drain)

As I said previously, you have clarified the use of the word and I see where you have obtained it, thank you.

I really still don't get this bullshit politically correct crap from. My statement were not racist, sexist or bigoted in any way shape or form.

I find it hard to believe that you have never heard the term "politically correct" before, especially from someone as well read as you. It does not imply that what you said was rascist, sexist or bigoted. I understand that in talking in terms of electronics that the use of the word "parasitic" is something "unwanted" at ALL times. I further stated previously that it was used in signal applications and not DC. For you see, when the ignition is on, the drain is still there, current is still flowing to the component or system that is using it, and then it is a "wanted" current flow. Therefore it is a misnomer in terms of electronics but apparently is a term used in the automotive field. I have never heard it used that way before and as I said, "excessive battery drain" is what I am used to seeing.

As I stated in a previous post, I only wanted to understand the use of the word, a simple answer would have sufficed and not an attack as if we were prepubescent school children arguing over the rules of a game.

There was no attack upon your ego, your abilities, your knowledge, however, you seem to wish to elevate it to that. I will not be your fodder for this game or for anyones game in this forum, in that manner.

Where's the love?

I had the same problems. It was the aftermarket battery terminal crapping out. I would check the positive and negative battery terminals.

My connections were fine until I tried to start the car. Now the threads on my battery are not good. It's like they are stripped out because no terminal will completely tighten into it.


Thanks, man. This is the only thing that makes any sense. I have an aftermarket positve battery terminal that allows you to hookup the power wire for your amplifier. Only prolem now is the only place I can get another terminal like this from is crutchfield. Thanks-Peace

I had the same problem with my GTP, exactly. The problem was the yellow top battery I had, very new, developed a short in it. When the battery was shorting out it put a big draw on my alternator, I have about 2000watts of amps to power, and quickly killed it. Some times it would jump start other times not, got a new battery 7under warranty and replaced the alternator, works great now.

I find it hard to believe that you have never heard the term "politically correct" before, especially from someone as well read as you. It does not imply that what you said was rascist, sexist or bigoted. I understand that in talking in terms of electronics that the use of the word "parasitic" is something "unwanted" at ALL times. I further stated previously that it was used in signal applications and not DC. For you see, when the ignition is on, the drain is still there, current is still flowing to the component or system that is using it, and then it is a "wanted" current flow. Therefore it is a misnomer in terms of electronics but apparently is a term used in the automotive field. I have never heard it used that way before and as I said, "excessive battery drain" is what I am used to seeing.

As I stated in a previous post, I only wanted to understand the use of the word, a simple answer would have sufficed and not an attack as if we were prepubescent school children arguing over the rules of a game.

There was no attack upon your ego, your abilities, your knowledge, however, you seem to wish to elevate it to that. I will not be your fodder for this game or for anyones game in this forum, in that manner.

Let's bury the hachet and move on....

We are arguing over nothing and sound like kids.

I had the same problem with my GTP, exactly. The problem was the yellow top battery I had, very new, developed a short in it. When the battery was shorting out it put a big draw on my alternator, I have about 2000watts of amps to power, and quickly killed it. Some times it would jump start other times not, got a new battery 7under warranty and replaced the alternator, works great now.


Would anyone recomend getting another Red Top to replace this one? I mean if there are people out there having this problem and its gonna cost $150 to replace the alternator should i take the risk of it blowing again? Also if I take the battery to say, AutoZone where I bought it; can they test it for a short? I think this may be the problem because i cleaned(didn't really remove anything) the terminals and contacts and then jumped it and let it idle for a half hour, after shut-down i tried to restart it about a hour later and all i got was a sluggish response from the starter, then clicking, and then no power. Thanks-Peace

Autozone checks all your electrical components for free-They would almost definetely find your problem.
Alternators shouldn't be that expensive. At Autozone they're like $60 remanufactured- and even cheaper new on ebay. They are easy to install yourself too.

If you got your battery at autozone, I would check your warranty, because I think they guarantee them.

Anyways, you say you cleaned your connections but didn't remove anything. Did you try to tighten your postive terminal in? I got my battery from autozone, and the terminals are pesky if not tightened properly.

ALSO: This fall my electrical would all work fine, but the starter would just click and not start. But sometimes the jimmy would start no problem.

It was a bad connection from my selonoid to the starter. Huge sparks would spray under my hood.

It just took a few turns of the wrench and it's been working fine for a month and a half now. I bet you have a bad connection somewhere in there.

My starter connections are already corroded from one winter. It was not smart designing putting these starter components so close to the wheel well. They are a huge pain to replace as the engine needs to be lifted to get at it.

I retightend the terminals so they were tight and the only thing that it did was make my subs louder. No sparks or anything from under the hood either. The battery is almost exactley a year old too.

hahahaha- I didn't know sub amplifiers worked like that. I should horse my terminals even harder for the extra dB!

Yeah that'll be the rage! (guy at auto store)"uh why is this you're third battery in two months?", Kid"I was trying to bump out all the extra juice i could".
The result of my subs being louder just tells me i had a shitty contection to the terminal. -Peace

Well, just had the battery tested and its kaput! Got a brand new one for free though so thats good. Any chance that my Alternator isn't gone too? Also, if I connect this new battery and my alternator is bad will it screw up the battery? Sorry about all the (probobly)stupid questions, but I am not one for working on electrical systems as to bad prior experiances. I.E. installing new cables on a friends car and then getting knocked out for like a 1/2 hour due to electrical shock. Thanks-PEace

Yes, test the voltage on the battery while the truck is running and see if it is around 14.2-14.4 volts.

Take the alternator in and get it load tested.

HOw did you manage to shock yourself? -Just curious

Oh well that is quite an interesting story that involves hillbilly friends and lots of beer. I was over at my friends farm and we were just havin a good time when he decided that it was the perfect time to run new cables from the alternator, starter, and battery. Well, while i was running the positive to the starter he had allready connected the negative of the battery to the frame and also connected my end of cable to the positive side of the battery(of course without telling me). Next thing I know its like POOF!! I wake up awhile later and my friends are like DUDE! WE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!!! funny story now, not so funny at the time. -Peace

Just took the alternator and got it tested; its good putting out 15v. So hopefully this problem was just the battery and nothing. About to put it back together and find out. -Peace

HURAH!! it works. I can't believe the only problem was the battery! And the retard at a local chevy dealer was like "its yer remote start, those damn things aren't designed to work with these cars; go get it taken out." -Peace

Make sure you charge the new battery up to completely full.

They only come at about 70-80% charged.

HURAH!! it works. I can't believe the only problem was the battery! And the retard at a local chevy dealer was like "its yer remote start, those damn things aren't designed to work with these cars; go get it taken out." -Peace
You could just emagine how my life is being an owner of a shop that specializes in remote starters. I hate dealer that lays blame on anything aftermarket without correctly addressing the problems. You people would be very surprised how many things show up with bad batteries, altinators or even bad wires to the altinator. Had one the other day which was a 1 ton dually with a diesel. The truck wouldn't charge. Had newer batteries and a brand new altinator. The guy would drive around for awhile then hook it to a charger. Everyone said it was the remote starter. I looked at it and had it fixed within 10 minutes. It was the little plastic plug on the side of the altinator. When these things get some miles on them, the wire inside the connector breaks right at the connector. You can't see it because it is under the insulation. GM tech said he "checked" it but it was fine. The problem is that most people jam a test probe where the wire goes into the plug which is exactly were it breaks. So, when you do it that way, you complete the broken circuit. If he had tested the wire about 4" away from the plug, he would have found it. :lol2:

Oh, I totaly believe that. This tech at my local chevy dealer wouldn't even look at my blazer. I told him i had the remote start for a year and no problems whatsoever. I even had to get AAA to flatbed it home from the dealer because it wouldn't start when I went to leave. And because I didn't buy it at this dealer, they were like "not our problem." -Peace

Mikado14
If you have ever read any GM repair manuals you will find the word "parasitic drain in a lot of places.
When dealing with voltage drops and stuff like that.
Thank a amp meter and place it in line with the pos cable and read what the milli amp draw is. If it over a set amount then its called a parasitic drain.
Fireplug

Mikado14
If you have ever read any GM repair manuals you will find the word "parasitic drain in a lot of places.
When dealing with voltage drops and stuff like that.
Thank a amp meter and place it in line with the pos cable and read what the milli amp draw is. If it over a set amount then its called a parasitic drain.
Fireplug

Thank you.

Thanks Fireplug, unfortunately I haven't read any GM manuals. Only Mitchells and have never run across it. All I wanted was a clarification to it's usage and apparently some have taken a question I posed in a personal light. It was never intended that way and I apologize for raising a question in a forum designed for questions to receive an explanation, again, I apologize and am totally admonished for apparently asking a stupid question.

Oh stop acting all wounded....

You said I was not saying it politically correct so what the hell was I supposed to get from that.

I give you a truthful answer and an apology for raising a ruckus and you still find it necessary to berate and belittle. Cobra1 was right.

I give you a truthful answer and an apology for raising a ruckus and you still find it necessary to berate and belittle. Cobra1 was right.

No, you put on a wounded show like I somehow took things out of control when I was just sticking up for myself and my explanations for my terminology.

Your apology is literally soaked with sarcasm and I easily caught it.

Oh, and now you are going to side with a prick that physically threatened me? Good, you can be on the ignore list just lke him.

I don't appreciate being called a liar. If you think it was sarcastic, then you believe that, but it wasn't. I was raised to admit mistakes and take responsibility for them and if wrong, admit it. You are only showing your cynicism as well as your self control in resorting to the language that you use, and I appreciate your putting me on the ignore list.

PBking82, PM me if you need help, I will be no longer wasting my time with this thread or the people that carry on like over-sensitive children.

What the hell is going on? Isn't a parasite a tapeworm? -Peace

This is better than a soap opera!!!!!!!!!!!! :banghead:

no problem m8.
If we never ask questions about things we will never learn new things.
Fireplug

PBking82
Lets get back to this guys problem.
Do you have a GOOD dvom digital volt ohm meter?
If you do remove the battery cables and install 1 lead from the dvom to the battery pos side and the other lead to the pos cable PLEASE make sure the dvom is set to AMPS with the highest setting or you will blow the dvom fuse then make sure the underhood light is disconnected and the ign key is off and everything else is turned to the off position.
Now connect the neg cable back on to the battery.
If you did this the correct way all the batter drain will read on the dvom. It should start out with a high reading and then go to a low milliamp reading.
Let the dvom stay this way for about 10 minutes.
If the reading is high after that time is up then you have a amp draw on the battery. At this point you can start testing things by turning them on 1 at a time and check for a change in the dvom reading.
I cant remember what year this was in but in the VCM,PCM there is a battery shut down system to help stop this type of problem.
Good luck
Fireplug

Good to hear that your problem is fixed, and it is one of the better things about the yellow and red top batteries is the warranty. Pay enough for the things to start with I guess they should have.

I don't appreciate being called a liar. If you think it was sarcastic, then you believe that, but it wasn't. I was raised to admit mistakes and take responsibility for them and if wrong, admit it. You are only showing your cynicism as well as your self control in resorting to the language that you use, and I appreciate your putting me on the ignore list.

good to know im on that list as well. :lol2:

recon he took offense when i told him to stop hiding behind his keyboard and come down here and tell me that crap to my face. oh well, it doesnt take much of a man to sit behind the keyboard and talk to people that way, when he knows no one can touch him.

he cant post without using a smartass attitude, calling people names, using profanity, or telling people they should run out and buy a long list of parts, rather than diagnosing the problem first.