My 7 eats batteries
 

Ok, last week I dropped a red top Optima battery *109dollars* into my 7, crank the key over, and HAHA! She starts! :) (I almost cried) so I let it run for a bit, half more then half a tank in there. So I know I have gas. So I go threw to make sure everything works, idiot gauge is busted, but I knew that. So it idles perfectly right, all is going good. I cut it off after a few minutes and don't come back to if for another week. (Week Two -->) I go back try to turn it on. But right before that I pop the sunroof so i can oil the tracks. Once it's open I oil down the tracks real well, then after that I go to turn it on, to wash it. Yah, won't start. The starter spins and is trying to start the engine, but it won't crank. I know it's not flooding. trust me, it's not flooding. But it wouldn't start. So I check the gauge and its at 12 when the key is on 'ON' but when I try to crank it drops to about 6. So after about 5mins of cussing I try to put the sunroof down so I can just push it out of the garage to wash it anyways, and yah it won't do down. no juice! So I rip the battery out take it back where I bought it (Advance Auto parts) and they test it, comes back fine. They ask me if I want an another red top, I say no and buy a yellow. (only payed the difference). So that's sitting in the car right now, but it's not contected.

So here's my question, is it possible something else could be sucking away at the battery when its just sitting there? I didn't think so really, I mean there is the alarm system, but shit son, it doesn't even work?! Then there is the amp, which has a D.I.Y. install job (kinda shady) so I disconnected that from the termials connectors. But before I connect this battery I want to know if it's possible for something else to be kill the battery. BTW, it did this to the battery I bought it with. But that was back in Dec. when it died and the car hadn't been started in over 6 months. (I did a hugh overhaul on most stuff, so no it's not the engine, grounding maybe??) Anyway, good input wanted. Thanks. Oh and sorry for making this so damn long :(

sorry i can't help but mine does the same thing i bought a new battery and put it in and let it run to charge the battery up i turn it off and about 5 to 7 days later i go to start it up and it dont have enough power to crank it i was thinking the alternator was the problem so i bought a new fd alternator from silverrotor i didnt get it yet but ill keep you's updated and see if thats the problem

disconnect the battery, and put it in the trunk. why leave it connected? do you know how many cars do that in our painting class? even some dont last a week cus the baterries die out.

It has a new alt. in it, ACDelco... um, I don't want to have to disconnect the battery everytime I'm not using it. And I know this isn't just another problem 7s have, because my TII friends aren't having this problem.

ive never heard of anyone doing that. That would be a royal pain in the ass.

you must have a parasitic drain on the battery when the ignition is off.

if you have access to an ammeter you can measure the current draw when off, if it's anything significant you know you have a drain.

primary suspect on these things is stereo equipment, if you or the previous owner installed any amps or a head unit, or any electronic devices to manage boost or a turbo timer, piggy back ems, or anything like that, the wiring might not have been done right... check it out.

gotcha, I think the problem might have been the amp, or the head unit (coming out next weekend) Thanks! BTW where can I get a ammeter?

multi meter. go get one at radio shack.

oh I have one, just no idea how to use it, I've killed like 4 trying to use them... I think the one I have now might be dead too :(

You probably killed them because one setting is for use to check circuits without power and one is for use to check circuits with power. If you check a circuit with power on the wrong setting it will burn it up.

alright, I'll find someone to show my how to use the thing. Thanks again everyone

Most radio shack ammeters only go to like 10 amps, so if the load you are measuring is more than that, you'll pop a fuse or maybe even nuke it if it's a crappy one. A clamp type might be more appropriate. They can get spendy though.

http://www.inotek.com/Catalog/wavetek2et.html

well those sure bet the hell out of my 20 dollar collection of pepboy meters :(

hey man just take your amp out. i had the same problem. also i connected a wire from the b+ terminal on the alt to the pos(+) on the battery. that has seem to fix my problem. try that out. it might work out for you.

Shady amp installs always lead to dead batteries in my experience.

boo yaka!

you could always just get one of those key things that you turn the key nad it disconnects the battery.

Sounds like there's a drain on the battery to me. This may sound dumb, but you might check to see if the ignition is completely turned off. My key will come out of the ignition even if the car is on, and my dad didn't know this and left it on and pulled the key out, next day dead battery.

thanks everyone, parastie I'll look into that, because my key does come out whenever it wants... btw is that something that can be fixed?

also pop the backs off of all your meters and change the fuses you blew checking resistances with the power on, then you'll have a whole collection of like-new meters! if all else fails with the battery thing, install a wing nut in place of the regular nut on the neg batt post & disconnect it every time the car's gonna sit, takes about 10 seconds (I think the fuses are 250 volt, 2 milliamp rating for most meters)

alright thanks! I think I'll ebay my "like new" meters

make sure you have a good ground to the battery (by the shock tower).

If you're getting current draw over 10A, you've got bigger problems!

We just fixed a local FC that had a BAD ALTERNATOR.
The damn thing was drawing 3.6A sitting there!
It was killing battery overnight - it sounds like your problem.

Get a DMM and check current draw over the circuits.
Isolate the alternator first.

Here is what I do.
Pull all main fuses under the hood - the 80/100A will be stuck - leave it there.
Measure current through + terminal, while - terminal is connected to battery.
This has to read UNDER 0.5A - if it's over this, you've got a problem.

If you read under 0.5A, probe the rest of the fuse terminals with battery connected.
Anything over 0.5A is BAD.


-Ted

Get the solar battery dash mount thing :D

my battery was drained from just sitting there, then i took off the moster cables for my amps, and it doesnt drain my battery anymore, everytime i connect the moster cables onto the batter, it sparks, i figure thats bad so no my car is musicless.

eric.