What would cause this??

[wheels]

First let me say, WTF.

Heres the story. I drive my truck about once a week. Went out to start it the other day, and surprise battery is totally dead. OK, I jump it, idle for a bit, then take off on a cruise. About 5 mins later slowing to a stop at a light, and it dies. Starts up, shuts down, starts up, i have to keep on the gas to keep it running. Bucking like crazy, i pull over, wait a few minutes starts fine, head home, and make it fine. I let it idle for a bit, shut it down and it starts back up. So I remove the battery ground and walk away. Go out tonight, battery is totally dead, nothing. So take out the battery and alternator to get them tested. Alternator is fine, battery is not. Free replacement, good for me. Come home install both and ...absolutely no power whatsoever. Hook up jumper cables just in case and NOTHING. No lights, radio, nothing. So the question is.

What would cause there to be no power anywhere, with a new battery, when it was running days earlier and no changes except the battery being new.

 

[oboym]

Re: What would cause this??

check the back of the alternator and see if you hooked the wires up.

 

[wheels]

Re: What would cause this??

check the back of the alternator and see if you hooked the wires up.

Yeah, they are all hooked back up.

 

[wheels]

Re: What would cause this??

When hooking the battery ground back to the battery, if you touch the bolt to the battery, it should spark just a little bit correct? I dont get shit.

 

[WyoSyclone]

Re: What would cause this??

If there is no current flow, whatsoever, it could be 1.) a new, bad battery 2.) cables that are corroded so bad that they will not pass current 3.) main ground wire coming loose/disconnected at the other end - not the battery end.

 

[SY2932]

Re: What would cause this??

3.) main ground wire coming loose/disconnected at the other end - not the battery end.

I'll take what's behind door number three Monte . Yes, you should see a *little* sparkage when you connect the cables. If you don't, you prolly have a ground issue.

 

[The Devils Own Chariot]

Re: What would cause this??

Its very possible your battery cables are F'ed up. Ohlm out the resistance between the hot and gound wire just to make sure its not some bogus huge number or even open. If Im full of crap let me know.

 

[wheels]

Re: What would cause this??

Yeah I'm convinced its a bad ground cable. Anyone want make it easier for me let me know where the "other" end of the ground cable is?

 

[kentuc]

Re: What would cause this??

You may have burned a fuse link while jumping it. The truck could have been running on the alternater. The alternater can`t keep the truck running at idle. Get out the test light and start checking.

 

[cloneman315]

Re: What would cause this??

make sure that the wire from the alt to the postitive batterey cable isnt broke or burnt open

 

[pinellas50]

Re: What would cause this??

They did test the new battery before letting you walk out the door with it, right?

 

[T-Bone]

Re: What would cause this??

Do you have an alarm system on the truck? If you do, it will most likely need reset before you get power to anything. Some of the better ones are quite common for that feature to prevent theft.

 

[Flyin Ryan]

Re: What would cause this??

Yeah I'm convinced its a bad ground cable. Anyone want make it easier for me let me know where the "other" end of the ground cable is?

It goes to a bolt in the back of your pass side head. It's a bitch to get to with out removing the stock upper intake... even then it blows