I would check that the connections are on taught. What you are describing is the alternator is probably not properly charging the battery.
Sometimes when a battery in a car goes bad, it also takes the alternator with it. There are times when the alternator goes first and damages the battery because it overcharges the battery and then goes shorted from overheating. Some vehicles have an external voltage control or management module. This should also be changed along with the alternator.
A professional mechanic always runs a test on the alternator when replacing the battery. If the alternator is defective, you may have to replace the battery again if the battery was damaged.
I'm 99.9% certain it's a broken earth strap. You can usually check easily with a heavy duty jump lead placed between some good (unpainted) contacts points on the engine block and car chassis, re-making the connection, unless it's further back the chain right at the battery (but unlikely).
"Cleo Frank" wrote in news:UEZ3k.4573$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews3.bellsouth.net:
Most cars have TWO fuse boxes;one under the hood that holds the high current fuses for engine stuff,and one under the dash for the rest of the car. the main fusebox is usually close to the battery.
The main fuse is actually a fusible link;a metal strap designed to melt as a specific current.
see your owner's manual,or get a service manual from an auto store or online.
"DaveM" wrote in news:quednYuQp977-83VnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
you can get a good ECU from a junkyard,for a fraction of wehat a dealer would charge. you MUST match the part numbers for your specific model and engine.
When you hook up the battery backwards (the OP did) it doesn't cause the "earth strap" to break. It burns out the fusible links or blows fuses and maybe even cooks some electronic components.
So far in my life I've had a total of 3 car batteries that simply went open circuit, presumably from a failed internal connection. In all cases simply replacing the battery (and verifying the charging system) was all that was needed. Fortunately I got the polarity right the first time. The other 2 got changed at Sears but worked anyway. Also in all cases everything operated normally until it died when trying to start. "Normally" included no dim lights, sluggish starter motor, etc.
I knew a guy who did that to a company truck - just long enough to fry one or two diodes - from that moment on the charging indicator would glow dimly all the time but otherwise it ran OK.
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2c guess/question, has the starter motor stuck up? my 92 mazda van just occassionally has the starter motor latch up (no noise), So I tap the side with a hammer via a 3' rod (well, it is buried weel underneath) and all is hnky dory.
Sounds good. It would be a good idea to check the voltage with a meter when running and not running so you know if it's just the battery or something else, but that would indicate the battery.
If you are lucky, you have just blown the fusible links on the battery lines. More likely you have blown some fuses too. Worst case you've blown the alternator, ECU, and a bunch of sensors with the reverse polarity as well.
--scott
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"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
Yeah, I did it to on my Toyota Celica GT about 20 years ago. In a dimly lit parking garage at K-Mart late one night when I needed a battery. No damage other than blowing the fuse that controlled my the motors on my flip-up headlights (although headlights still worked, just pointed straight down). Flipped it around and the car was A-OK. Did make some sparks as I recall and I did feel exceedingly stupid for not being more careful.
Regarding your original problem, as others have suggested, a bad ground (-) connection at the battery or where the battery cable is bolted to the car's frame would cause the symptoms you described... intermittent non-starting, dim instruments. Or a ground fault elsewhere. Ground faults are a bastard to diagnose, they could be caused by a wire's insulation having rubbed off, a poor connection, a broken solder joint, corrosion inside a wire's insulation which can't be seen. I have worked extensively on older cars' electrical systems, and it takes some serious patience AND LOTS OF TIME generally. I'm not saying that it definitely won't be a quick fix, just mentally set yourself up for the long haul. That's why people in the know shudder when you start talking about an intermittent ground fault problem... and that's why it's generaly at least a few hundred bucks when you bring your car to an auto electric specialist.
As far as hooking up the battery backwards, you can get a pretty good indication of whether it's electronics or wiring by doing some simple tests. Honk the horn. Turn on the headlights. These are generally both NOT wired through the ignition module or ECC and should work if the battery is good and the wiring is intact. If they DO work, that means any fusible link or main fuse is fine, and that your problem is most likely with your ECC or, hopefully, a fuse which controls the ECC. You can often buy salvaged ECC's from online junkyards, you need to be EXTREMELEY SPECIFIC with the model number... pull yours out and job down the exact model number. Different models and/or years of the same car have different engines or features that the ECC controls, so they are very specific to the particular year and model of vehicle.
Yep, the infamous "fusible link" looks just like any other wire BUT it's a selected length and gage (you DON'T want to replace it with any other gage of wire!).
And, don't just casually replace the three inches that burned up. You gotta replace the whole eight inches, or it will die again, soon. DAMHIKT.
:Background: 1990 Mazda Protege, very well maintained, very clean :under hood. Last night it started as usual. I drove it to the dumpster :at the edge of my property to dump some trash, stopped the car, :and cut engine. When I tried to start it back up, I got the usual :click of a dead battery; digital clock very dim etc. : :Went to NAPA today and bought topnotch battery (the same :kind that came in car when new). I did accidentally install :it backwards (neg lead to pos post and pos lead to neg post), :got some sparks, but the battery is now securely connected. :The lead clamps are pretty clean and don't appear damaged. :But no power whatever, clock dead, nothing. : :Ideas? :
See message #3246 (and onwards) here
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Bloke did something similar - he connected a battery charger in reverse. Your car is probably similarly afflicted - ie. blown 100A fuse.
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