battery tests good alt. tests good
2006-09-25 01:27:48 · 5 answers · asked by Ron P 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
I hook up a headlight bulb about a 10 amp load between the battery negative post and negative battery terminal clamp. The headlight will go off when you disconect the effected circuit. I start with removing the big wire on the alternator. Lots of alternators charge but have bad diodes draining battery. Next remove and replace fuses one at a time watching the headlamp wired in. For smaller drains use smaller bulbs brake light tail light both filiments 3 amps tail one amp brake 2 amp side marker light Bulb .3 to 1/2 amp.
2006-09-25 01:37:19 · answer #1 · answered by John Paul 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You can approach this two ways. The hard way or the easy way. If it is in a circuit that keeps blowing a fuse, you can use a heavy piece of wire for the fuse, and wait for the short to smoke, and then jerk the wire out. I know this sounds crazy, but it is sometimes the only way you can find a short. The other way you can use a short finder to locate the problem. Go to Yahoo search bar and type in short finder, and you can get a line on this tool. It might take you a little while to locate a dealer that has one, but they are worth their weight in gold.
On the other hand, you may just be having a ground problem. Try this; the next time it happens to you, try jaring the dash on the top near the windshield on the drivers side and towards the middle of the dash. Neon's have a cheap way of grounding the dash and its componets. Everything in the dash works off one ground that just sits together and is not bolted. It is spring loaded and sometimes don't make good contact with the firewall. You may have to remove the top portion of the dash. It just pops on and off, and is held in with plastic clips. Once you get the top off you will soon locate the ground bracket that I'm talking about. You can get some electronic spray cleaner from the parts store and clean the conections with it. This will help for some time but it will come back. The solution would be to run a heavy gage wire from the outside of the firewall, through to the inside and find a place on the metal part of the dash to secure it to with a bolt, star washer, and a nut. Good Luck!
2006-09-25 01:46:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
At night or somewhere dark, disconnect the negative side of the battery cables, make sure nothing is on in your car. and your doors are shut. when you place the battery cable close to the post on the battery you will see a small spark if there is a short. Then lay the cable to the side and go into you fuse box under the dash or where ever it is on you neon, and one by one pull a fuse and check the battery cable again (remember to shut doors after you pull fuse before checking cable) when you pull a fuse and check the cable and have no spark, the fuse that you pulled controls the area where your short is. hope this helps!
2006-09-25 01:41:31 · answer #3 · answered by lil_wiggy270 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You have to disern between circuits what's not working properly! Therefore, figure out if it's lights, wipers, door locks or whatever and follow that circuit! Start at the fuse panel and trace the wires until you find something fried! You can also use an ohmeter do accomplish the same task. Can be pretty intimidating if you are not mechanically inclined. Might want to have your mechanic do the trace!
2006-09-25 01:57:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know this is not the answer you are looking for, but I would recommend taking it to a dealer.
You might try wiggling wires around (late in the evening or in the garage where it is darker) and trying to see if there are any sparks anywhere. Good luck!
2006-09-25 01:31:04 · answer #5 · answered by Hammer 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋