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11-25-2010, 12:04 AM
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#1 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: knoxville, tn
Posts: 155
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Truck is always dead?
The problem I'm having is that something keeps draining the battery. After it sits for a day-ish it's dead, won't hit a lick. Battery checks out good so no dead cell or anything. I'm not leaving anything on so I'm lost and out of options. I was wondering if maybe there's something on these ol beasts thats bad about causing this problem. Thanks for any help.
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11-25-2010, 12:10 AM
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#2 |
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Old Skool Club
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas"
Posts: 10,880
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Re: Truck is always dead?
When it is dark, disconnect the battery cable. When you re-connect it, there should be no arcing. If it throws a spark, something is drawing current. At this point, you might want to remove fuses, one at a time. Each time, you can reconnect the cable to see if it sparks. When it does, you know what's drawing current.
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Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was. |
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11-25-2010, 12:27 AM
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#3 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: knoxville, tn
Posts: 155
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Re: Truck is always dead?
Even though checking with a test light the fuses don't seem to be drawing current? I have been disconnecting the + to keep it from dieing and noticed tonight that it did arc when I hook up the one little wire that goes to it. The wire comes off the bat and goes into a block thing that has a wire that goes into passenger side firewall and another that goes into the harness that goes across radiator support. Thanks
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11-25-2010, 12:35 AM
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#4 |
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Sierra Grande Club
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Mexico USA
Posts: 2,433
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Re: Truck is always dead?
Unhook the cable at the battery terminal and put your test light between the battery and cable. If you have any drain it will glow, then start removing the fuzes to isolate the drain.
s/t
__________________
1971 GMC Sierra Grande, 1/2 ton short wide, original 4 bolt 010 020 block & heads. (matching #'s). 383 stroker, SMI q jet 750 cfm, Lunati Voodoo 60102 cam, Scorpion roller rockers, Spin Tech pro street mufflers with X pipe. 
Last edited by Sport/Truck; 11-25-2010 at 12:36 AM. |
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11-25-2010, 12:46 AM
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#5 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: knoxville, tn
Posts: 155
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Re: Truck is always dead?
Also after doing some searching I've rounded up some possibilities and questions. I receltly did some motor work, top end, and one thing I did was installed a hei dis. Is there any thing I need to do to the voltage regulator or or starter because of the points to HEI swap? The voltage reg is a yearish old and the starter few months. Thanks again
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11-25-2010, 01:00 AM
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#6 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Turlock California 95380
Posts: 2,075
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Re: Truck is always dead?
The starter should not be affected by the HEI swap, I dont think the voltage regulator would either. How did you wire your HEI ?
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72 C20 Longbed 05 1500 Z71 Last edited by sleepertruck72; 11-25-2010 at 01:01 AM. |
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11-25-2010, 01:05 AM
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#7 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Elgin Mn
Posts: 112
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Re: Truck is always dead?
Alternator diodes can drain a battery when they go bad....Try disconnecting the alt for the night. There are tests but this is the easiest.
__________________
In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, brave hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him , for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. I am a revolutionary...so my son can be a farmer...so his son can be a poet. If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, so my child may have peace... 72 short step w/ 388 /4l80e/ and 3.08 gears. |
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11-25-2010, 01:12 AM
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#8 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: knoxville, tn
Posts: 155
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Re: Truck is always dead?
I wired the hei with the stock hot wire for the points. And, disconnect the alt to what extent? The 2 wire plug and both wires that are screwed on? Also, I just did what s/t said and it did light up but other powered stuff did to?
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11-25-2010, 01:47 AM
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#9 |
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Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 23,090
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Re: Truck is always dead?
You shouldn't use that wire. It only has 8 or 9 volts going to it, the HEI needs a full 12. Most people run a wire from the fuse block to the HEI. Just make sure that it only has power in the run position.
Check this out... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ad.php?t=17403
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Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride  American Born, Country by the Grace of God  1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications! Last edited by 67ChevyRedneck; 11-25-2010 at 01:50 AM. |
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11-25-2010, 01:54 AM
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#10 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Eugene, Or.
Posts: 322
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Re: Truck is always dead?
i had the same problem with mine, make sure the negative cable is tightly hooked onto the block or frame
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........................ __ ............._______|__\____ ............|_({})______({})] ................(O)..........(O) |
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11-25-2010, 02:15 AM
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#11 | |
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Big Red - Now its a SWB!
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Oroville, Ca
Posts: 1,624
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Re: Truck is always dead?
Quote:
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68 3/4 ton  (Project)-350 Small Block, .030 over, 10:1 comp, 3998993 heads, C3BX edelbrock intake, comp cams XE268, Holley 670 SA, long tube headers, dual flow 40's, E-fan, Alum rad, currently under the knife getting shortened and bagged  build thread41 3/4 ton (wife's)-flatbed, fully restored to original01 Tahoe LT 4WD (my daily driver)-Magnaflow Muffler, Rollin on 22's 02 Ford Mustang Convertable (Wife's Car)-Flowmaster 50, Clear corners, Intake, sittin on 18's |
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11-25-2010, 09:32 AM
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#12 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: knoxville, tn
Posts: 155
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Re: Truck is always dead?
The battery negative is tight. Hopefully today I can mess with it but still not sure. Hopefully something simple, but it never is.
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11-25-2010, 10:16 AM
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#13 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Mid NE USA
Posts: 2,222
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Re: Truck is always dead?
The bestway to find the problem is to do what Sport/Truck suggested. I had this same problem on My Jeep, it turned out to be the memory wire on my CD deck it was pulling.119ma compared to about .004ma as it should have been. It is the wire that hooks to a positive source that keeps the radio station/clock memory.
Ron
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Member #111 68 C-10  Daily Driver70 4x4 Project76 Jeep CJ-5 Help Support the Board: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/payments.php He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors. Thomas Jefferson |
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11-25-2010, 10:18 AM
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#14 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Francisco, CA USA
Posts: 2,454
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Re: Truck is always dead?
Definitely disconnect the alternator. Try the red wire on the stud and the plug-in connector separately. Also, does your horn work normally? If not, disconnect the horn relay.
Ray
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Live more responsibly. Eat lower on the food chain. Eat vegetarians. Last edited by raycow; 11-25-2010 at 10:18 AM. |
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11-25-2010, 10:54 AM
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#15 | |
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Sierra Grande Club
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Mexico USA
Posts: 2,433
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Re: Truck is always dead?
Quote:
As mentioned by llowlife the alternator can cause a drain when the diode goes bad. Use your test light and see if it gets dimmer once you unhook the Alt. With everything coming on as you say I'm wondering if your switch isn't cutting off power like it should? s/t
__________________
1971 GMC Sierra Grande, 1/2 ton short wide, original 4 bolt 010 020 block & heads. (matching #'s). 383 stroker, SMI q jet 750 cfm, Lunati Voodoo 60102 cam, Scorpion roller rockers, Spin Tech pro street mufflers with X pipe.
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11-25-2010, 11:35 AM
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#16 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Spanaway
Posts: 8,451
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Re: Truck is always dead?
Quote:
Another thing to try is to pull all the fuses before you let it sit over night, then in the morning put all the fuses back in and see if it fires up. then next night pull all but one fuse, then each night add one more additional fuse back into the fuse block ect, in theory your eliminating each circut one at a time.
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Mike. Swamp Rat build thread : http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=595019 72 3/4T 4X4 4" BDS Lift 33" BFG's |
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11-25-2010, 12:22 PM
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#17 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: knoxville, tn
Posts: 155
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Re: Truck is always dead?
good thinkin. but i think i figured it out. ill know in a couple days after it sits but im pretty sure it was the horn button wire. the wire had frayed and was grounding on the column. thanks for the info and ideas though. good for future reference bc you never know what youll run into on a 67 model pickup. thanks for the info on the power to my hei as well.
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11-25-2010, 04:47 PM
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#18 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Elgin Mn
Posts: 112
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Re: Truck is always dead?
Hope you found it....heres the first thing we did when a vehicle came in that had your symptoms....remove the cigarette lighter........worked more often than you would think
__________________
In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, brave hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him , for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. I am a revolutionary...so my son can be a farmer...so his son can be a poet. If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, so my child may have peace... 72 short step w/ 388 /4l80e/ and 3.08 gears. |
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