1984 Trans Am Battery Problems

[ranwhite23]

This is a pretty much stock car as of now. I bought it when in Iraq and just got home. Tried to start it and the battery was shot so I replaced it. The car started but then the distributor went and I replaced. Got the car started, but it seems to die after a night or two of not running. I think something is pulling a charge when the car is off but I am not sure what. I unhooked my amp main power and remote (amp for my subs), but it still died. I was wondering if neone else has this problem and what I might do to fix it. Thanks,

-Randy

[pro_am]

A good way to test and see if something is pulling current is to make sure everything is off in the car and have the ground connected to the battery and just put the positive up to it and if it sparks at all then something is drawing current, if it doesn't then you should be okay. If it does then goes the long process of finding what is drawing current. Sorry this probably isn't much help.
Jake

[83T/A98Blazer]

Do you have an amp meter? If you unhook the battery and put the amp meter in line with the battery ground it will tell you if something is pulling amps. I have an 83 and there have been a couple lights that have given me problems in the past. There is a light in the compartment in the center console, in between the front seats. That light has stayed on for me before. Also the light in the rear compartment right under the hatch. That switch gets hit and the light stays on. I have heard stories that on these older cars the computer may get "zapped" during a jump start and then it will draw constant current after that. If you hook up an amp meter and have a draw, you can then start pulling fuses until the draw goes away and it will point you in the right direction.

[CreepingDeath94]

The alternator can also draw power if there is a specific internal issue. Your best bet when dealing with any kind of electrical like this to at least borrow a meter to check for draw...it will save you more time and money than just throwing parts at what everyone thinks it may be. A good place to start is to definitely remove those center console and rear hatch area light bulbs for now. If that alone allows the battery to hold charge, you have at least found part of the problem. After that, I would get a meter and remove fuses and unplug the computer while watching the draw off the battery. The ecm/computer is going to draw some, but if it is over like .5 amp draw, its too much...GM should be lower than .5 even, but older Fords had as much as that so I wouldn't consider it to be a huge issue unless its over that number. Anyway, let us know as you work through it whats going on and what you find.