crotext

Someone had a post in here about the battery lead in a 5000 QT being spliced in the front passenger foot compartment. Before I tear the mats out, is it inside or underneath the floor boards? No consistent charge to the battery is the problem but system checks positive otherwise and battery is new.

AndrewsQuattros

Does it have an electric antenna? It can be that the antenna went up and the motor didnt switch off and shorted out and now is taking all the juice from the battery. This happened on my brothers 4000S
-Andrew

-84 5000S
-85 5000S

DaveN

before you tear the rest of the car apart. I have had oxide build up inside the battery clamps (looks almost the same but dull) which I clean out with sandpaper. Clean the posts off while you are at it. The 5K uses it's battery hard, it is the most sensitive to dirty clamps I have ever owned.

crotext

Post and clamps are clean with a new battery. Also have removed the electric antenna with some timely motivation given by the auto car wash.
Still haven't learned where the main cable splice/connection is I referred to. Thanks!

JKD

You might take a look at the exciter (light gauge, red in color) wire that runs from your alternator to the instrument cluster. Sometimes the wire is fried and the alternator never charges the battery back up while driving.

The splice you've mentioned is located on the front passenger side near the firewall. For a better description and photo check out the following webpage: http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/elec.html#chg

Good Luck.

crotext

Hey, that was the source I was looking for. I seen it but forgot where it was and forgot to mark it. Thanks for jogging my frail memory. Now I can go wire tracking. I've been wanting an excuse to explore that deep dark corner of the car anyway. Thanks a bunch for the helpful post.

ralphmans

Before you tear things apart, check the voltage at the jump post in the engine compartment. Keep the rpm's at about 2000. Turn on a few accesories, lights, etc. Go to the battery and measure the voltage there. I had about a 1 -2 volt drop from the engine compartment to the battery. The longer the car was on, the lower the voltage was at the battery. It was the wire crimp in the passenger footwell. It was getting extremely warm while the car was running, but nothing was getting to the battery. Good luck

crotext

Thanks for the follow up ralphmans. Yours was the post I was referring to at top. I saw it and couldn't find it again. I got good pictures from the other post here and will check it all maybe tomorrow and let you know what I find.