electrical problem

[superccs]

i have recently bought a 90 crx and i have had a problem with the battery
it wont keep its charge...

like each time i would start it it would be keinda slow cranking
then last night it just wouldnt
so i bump started it and it was fine
but now it has noooo juice

but get this after running around town i come back and turn off the car
then i try top start it and it starts fine
the next day i come out and not juice....and the lights werent left on
WTF?

so its on the charger right now

if theres juice after running it the alternator should be good right?
oh and the battery makes noise like kind of a steam noise

do i need a new battery or just a clue

thanks

[dfarres]

sounds like ur battery took a dump....
if ur alt was bad it wouldn't charge while u were driving.

[FourthGenHatch]

It probably lost it's ability to charge. Just buy a new one, it's like $40 at Walmart.

[crxlvr]

sounds like battery to me also, but id check your wiring going to it, make sure it isnt frayed or nothing, or you'll be buying a new batt every other week.

[superccs]

i rolled over to sears today and dude pulled out his unit and confermed total battery fuckage
so $70 later and some further testing and i am ready to roll

but get this


there is a power cord coming out of the front of the engine block?!?!?
it was just chillin there routed to the front of my bumper


now can anyone tell me WTF it is???

i t looks like a stadard 3 prong power cord and it goes directly into the engine block with a boot on it and everything just below the exhaust manifold


today there were 3 mechanics scratchin there heads after i noticed it


whatever
:sun:

[FourthGenHatch]

I've heard that some cars in like Alaska have plugs and you need to plug them in to keep the engines from turning to ice cubes overnight.

[crxlvr]

those kinda plugs are usually only on diesal cars and they are heaters so the block doesnt crack, i cant see any reason why your car would have it.

[superccs]

do i leave it on or get it checked out or what?


i got the car up in salt lake city UT do you think they had it installed up there?

[crxlvr]

try tracing the plug backwards until it connects to something, maybe it just got tangled in there from driving and isnt anything, but i dont know how cold SLC, UT gets but like i said if its a heater block, then those are only found on diesel engines from keeping the oil turing to sludge.

[EightOhOne]

its not that cold here to need a plugin for your block....just trace it back and take it out, i dunno?

[88CRX]

I need to know where this plugs into the block, its dam cold here and mine is unpluged.

[superccs]

ok well on my 90 crx dx it plugs directly into the front of the engine
sorta inbetween cyl 2, 3
its about an armlength down from the top of the valve covers also

hope that helps... lemme know if you need a cable for it you might be able to get mine, because for some reason i still have it...

[seth 90DX/ZC]

LOL! Thats exactly what that is... there are a few heater coils in the engine. Its not the first time I seen this, I remember that... Me ant my frends were all standing around a 6th gen hatch scratching our heads...