Troubles= New Battery Dead

[skeeterman]

After doing the Intake Manifold gasket replacement, etc. I have found a new problem...my new battery is dead. I drove the 1996 Tahoe about five miles after the gasket repairs and let it set overnight. Next day the Tahoe wouldn't start. The battery was 12 years old...A Duralast Gold I bought from Auto Zone in year 2000. Figured it was DOA, so I went to Auto Zone and bought another Duralast Gold... Installed it and the Tahoe started right up...saw no problem. Yesterday when I went to start the Tahoe...no start..dead battery.
Here's what I did...removed the neg. cable from battery and but a voltage test light from NEG post to Neg. cable....light came on meaning I have a short somewhere in the electrical system. Went to the fuse box on the driver side fender and started pulling fuses. When I pulled the 50 amp (BAT) fuse the test light went out... Put it back in and pulled the 50 amp (Lighting) fuse right next to the BAT fuse. The test light went out also.
Here's what I have done. When I put the 50 amp Lighting fuse back in with the BAT fuse out, the test light will not light up. The test light only lights up when both BAT and LIGHTING fuses are inserted in.

I started the Tahoe and within two (2) minutes the alternator was so hot that I couldn't keep my hand on it for no longer than 3 seconds. The alternator is 5 years also.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[j cAT]

did you charge the new battery before installing ? what is the alternator out put with the battery fully charged ?

if the battery is low it is possible the alternator will get that hot.



IT IS ALSO QUITE POSSIBLE THE ALTERNATOR HAS A SHORTED DIODE WHICH IN DISCHARGING THE BATTERY.

SEE IF THE ALTERNATOR IS THE SHORT TO GROUND.

THIS MAY HAVE KILLED THE 12YR OLD BATTERY.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by skeeterman

After doing the Intake Manifold gasket replacement, etc. I have found a new problem...my new battery is dead. I drove the 1996 Tahoe about five miles after the gasket repairs and let it set overnight. Next day the Tahoe wouldn't start. The battery was 12 years old...A Duralast Gold I bought from Auto Zone in year 2000. Figured it was DOA, so I went to Auto Zone and bought another Duralast Gold... Installed it and the Tahoe started right up...saw no problem. Yesterday when I went to start the Tahoe...no start..dead battery.
Here's what I did...removed the neg. cable from battery and but a voltage test light from NEG post to Neg. cable....light came on meaning I have a short somewhere in the electrical system. Went to the fuse box on the driver side fender and started pulling fuses. When I pulled the 50 amp (BAT) fuse the test light went out... Put it back in and pulled the 50 amp (Lighting) fuse right next to the BAT fuse. The test light went out also.
Here's what I have done. When I put the 50 amp Lighting fuse back in with the BAT fuse out, the test light will not light up. The test light only lights up when both BAT and LIGHTING fuses are inserted in.

I started the Tahoe and within two (2) minutes the alternator was so hot that I couldn't keep my hand on it for no longer than 3 seconds. The alternator is 5 years also.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Test light is not a good test.
If battery is gong down overnight.
You need to run a amp draw test.
.250 amp draw is good.
Not over .450 amp

Remeber to let it sit 20-30 minutes after hooking up amp meter to let computers and other stuff to power down.