red88stang

hey guys,
having a bit of trouble with an 88 mustang i just got 5.0 5spd, the battery will last about a day. After a day or so the car wont start.
I had the battery tested and it was good according to autozone and i replaced the starter because it seemed to barely start sometimes even with a charged batt. I havent found any lights that could stay on, theres no stereo, no alarm, any ideas and what could be causing this?

Milton

does the battary die after sitting for a period of time, i.e over night or will it sometimes just not start after say like turn off the car go in store, come out and its dead. I would imagine that it would be the alternator putting out less or equal juice at low rpms and not charging the battery. however another issue could be a short of some sort causing the car to draw power from the batter 24/7.

green87

ok, i had this similiar problem. first, of course check all, and i mean all your cables and grounds, ensure there is no corrosion. if everything checks out, what was the last repair you made to the car? anything requiring the dash being taken out? i replaced the heater core in my 87 and unknowingly ripped the circuit board on the back of the instrument cluster. there is a 500 or 510 ohm resistor on that curcuit board that actually tells ur alt to turn on and charge. if that is messed up there wont be any battery or charge light that will come on. good luck though. thats what was wrong with mine

red88stang

it wont start only after a longer period of time like it will start the next day only if i had it running lets say 8pm and start it the next morning but i i try it in the afternoon it wont start. The cable look ok, no corrosion. The hasnt been any work done to it that i know, but i just got the car maybe 2 months ago

green87

have you gotten the battery and alt tested?

red88stang

yes, it tested good at autozone twice

mstngsule68

if batt and alt test good. then theres a short somewhere thats drawing current.

zebo87

definetely a short or ground. although sounds more like a ground, sort of like a slow trickle discharge.

red88stang

would i see a spark by touching the positive or negative cable to the battery post if there was a current draw?