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Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs

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Offline TrakJD

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Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« on: February 22, 2008, 08:49:04 AM »
Ive searched and tried many different methods..... 

Pulled fuses until the light dims....  Nothing worked.  Unless Im doing it wrong.
Checked the Fusible link wire, it blew a long time ago, replaced it with heavy duty wire.  And the alternator cords looks fine.  Checked for the corroded wires.

Could any open end wires contribute to this "draining"?

Ive recharged my battery so many times to find the problem.  Alternator is fine.  Had it tested twice at different places to make sure its definitely working.  Its a rebuilt unit.  I even borrowed my friend's alternator.  Still the same result.  So I know the alternator is ok.  I also tested the battery cord to alternator, on the battery charger, it says that the alternator is no good, so Im assuming its the wire somewhere between the battery to alternator?  Could a loose pulley be a factor?  Old belt?

When the battery is fully charged, its at 14.2V  As the track is being run.  Its at 12.53V with no accessories being on.  With the head light on it goes down to 12.20 then slowly goes down to 11.9 that's when the tracker starts to act like its wanting to die.  and the Tachometer acts weird. 

Am I overlooking something? 
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big_kountry21

Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2008, 08:56:03 AM »
dude i've got a 96 trak and i'm dealing with the same crap.......  i've been un hooking my battery.
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Offline TrakJD

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Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2008, 11:10:02 AM »
Yeah, my battery is unhooked right now.  It drains faster when its being warmed up and all.  By the time im done warming up, its dies.
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Offline Chief

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Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2008, 11:23:26 AM »
Maybe the belt is too slack, and slipping on the alt? Check the slack, maybe tighten it up?
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Offline Uncivilized

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Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2008, 03:12:13 PM »
To check to make sure the battery is not the problem(causing an excessive load), Start and run the truck and unhook the positive lead from the battery, and place it in a safe spot so it won't touch anything. Your truck will stay running so long as the alternator is good. Try your lights, and other acc's, then report back what happens.
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big_kountry21

Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2008, 03:46:03 PM »
yeah thats a good idea.
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Offline TrakJD

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Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2008, 11:18:42 AM »
Quote from: Uncivilized on February 22, 2008, 03:12:13 PM
To check to make sure the battery is not the problem(causing an excessive load), Start and run the truck and unhook the positive lead from the battery, and place it in a safe spot so it won't touch anything. Your truck will stay running so long as the alternator is good. Try your lights, and other acc's, then report back what happens.

I just tried that method.  It dies everytime I pull the positive off.  Would that pinpoint the problem?  I also noticed that the seatbelt fastener light came on once in awhile when I turned the headlight on.  sound like a wire is touching a wire somewhere....  when I moved the seatbelt holster, it went away.  Ill be checking that later when I get home from work.
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big_kountry21

Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2008, 02:12:51 PM »
your alternator may be testing ok but what about your regulator.
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Offline Uncivilized

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Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2008, 02:50:22 PM »
Quote from: TrakJD on February 23, 2008, 11:18:42 AM
Quote from: Uncivilized on February 22, 2008, 03:12:13 PM
To check to make sure the battery is not the problem(causing an excessive load), Start and run the truck and unhook the positive lead from the battery, and place it in a safe spot so it won't touch anything. Your truck will stay running so long as the alternator is good. Try your lights, and other acc's, then report back what happens.

I just tried that method.  It dies everytime I pull the positive off.  Would that pinpoint the problem?  I also noticed that the seatbelt fastener light came on once in awhile when I turned the headlight on.  sound like a wire is touching a wire somewhere....  when I moved the seatbelt holster, it went away.  Ill be checking that later when I get home from work.
If the truck dies, that means there is something wrong with your alternator wiring, or maybe a bad ground from the block to the chassis(or just another wiring problem). The regulator sugestion is good too, but you said you tried another alternator right? That points to whatever is between the alternator and the battery.
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Offline Rhinoman

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Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2008, 03:55:36 PM »
Quote from: Uncivilized on February 22, 2008, 03:12:13 PM
To check to make sure the battery is not the problem(causing an excessive load), Start and run the truck and unhook the positive lead from the battery,

Never do that, that causes an effect known as load dump. The regulator takes a while to adjust to the battery being disconnected. In that time you can get 80V+ out of the alternator which can take out the EFI, stereos and other electrical equipment. In theory all automotive electrics should be designed to handle this but in practice there is a lot of stuff that isn't.
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94tracker

Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2008, 07:09:06 PM »
"So I know the alternator is ok.  I also tested the battery cord to alternator, on the battery charger, it says that the alternator is no good, so Im assuming its the wire somewhere between the battery to alternator? "


OK Have you fixed this cord yet? This problem as described, since you eliminated the alternator and battery, is no connection between the battery and the alternator so fix the wire! Then check all your ground connections. Anywhere there  is a wire screwed to the body that is a ground also check for grounds to the motor.
Note not all vehicles will run with the battery disconnected. Due to possible damage to electronics I would not do it.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2008, 07:11:25 PM by 94tracker »
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hillbilly2

Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2008, 07:33:35 PM »
Unhooking the battery is a bad idea, for the reasons the earlier poster posted and also if the several of the diodes are blown in the alternator, you could send AC voltage thru the ECM frying it. Yes alternators put out AC voltage, but is changed to pulsating DC voltage thu six rectifiers. As each one of these goes bad the output is reduced significantly. Replace the heavy wire with the proper size fusible link, unless you want to be on the traffic reports as a CarBQ! It blew for a reason. If you have a short that kills the battery that fast when running, your going to smell smoke! Check all grounds for a bad connection. If your lights and guages are acting weird that is usually a sign of a bad ground somewhere.
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Offline TrakJD

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Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2008, 10:14:02 PM »
Allright guys.  I didn't realize that unhooking the positive cord was a bad idea. 
Ill replace the cord from battery to alternator.  And update you guys.  Thanks for the advices and all.  :)
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Offline Armour

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Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2008, 10:50:46 PM »
If you have the alternator tested and it is ok. And the truck isn't charging when it is running. I would definitly chech the power wire to the back of the alternator. I must have battery voltage and it is what energizes the alternator to make it work.
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tracker8v4x4

Re: Need HELP!!!! Battery Draining as Tracker Runs
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2008, 08:58:31 AM »
i would try taking a dmm put one lead on the alternator and one end on that battery and set it to voltage that will give u the voltage drop there should be no more that .1volt per connection
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