Battery is draining

[71datsuns]

Hey, So I've got a 71 521 1.6L. A little while back, my battery was shorted out due to some nasty battery cables. They were frayed and were very worn. So I fixed them up and completely rebuilt some new ones. They look great. After charging the battery and throwing it back in, truck started fine. I thought cool, fixed. After a month or so, the battery went dead again. I was like shit. Maybe the old cables really did a number on the battery. So I bought a new one and thought it was fixed again. After a little while. Maybe 2 months we had that little winter storm and I didnt drive it for the time it was cruddy out. After the thaw I tried starting it and bam. Dead again. WTF. I thought okay, maybe the alternator is bad. So I brought the battery back, exchanged for a new one and bought a new alternator. Threw all the stuff in and thought, "okay, new battery cables, new alternator, new battery. Should be fine." Well after driving it and everything being fine, come to find out I need new brakes, bad like. Bad enough to not drive it. So I parked it and drove another vehicle for a week exactly (i work long hours so I have no time to work on it throughout the week). The weekend after came and I tried starting it up, with new battery, new alternator and new battery cables and literally, nothing. Wouldnt even make a noise. So I ask. What the heck could this be? I know electrical problems are the worst. Hardest to trace. But anyone have any ideas? It would be greatly appreciated. Here are some photos of the battery cables. 

 

As you can see in the photos. New lugs, connectors, heat shrink tubing. The red goes to starter and green to fuse. Black grounds on engine block (a metal tab thats connected to the engine block) and fender of truck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JoeCool]

My guess is the starter is going bad. Will it start if you tap on the starter solenoid with a hammer?

[MicroMachinery]

Do you have a volt meter?

[datzenmike]

Replacing thing sin the hope of fixing a problem is expensive and time consuming.

 

Buy a $5 test lamp. They have an alligator clip on one end and a pointy prob and 12 voly bulb on the other. Connect a charged battery and the positive cable. Connect the test lamp between the other battery post and ground. If there is a current draw on the battery it has to pass through the test lamp and it will light.

 

Now remove each fuse one at a time. When the light goes out that is the circuit that the draw is on.

 

Does your horn work???? Many times the horn button sticks and the owner removes the wires to the horns... BUT the horn relay is still energized and drawing a very small amount of current even when the key is off. Takes several days to kill the battery.

[ggzilla]

I think what mike meant is after charging the battery, hook it up EXCEPT don't connect the NEG cable. With key off, connect the test light from NEG post to NEG battery cable. The light should not glow, not even dimly.

 

If it glows, something is draining the battery. Common items are clock, radio or alarm.

[71datsuns]

Replacing thing sin the hope of fixing a problem is expensive and time consuming.

 

Buy a $5 test lamp. They have an alligator clip on one end and a pointy prob and 12 voly bulb on the other. Connect a charged battery and the positive cable. Connect the test lamp between the other battery post and ground. If there is a current draw on the battery it has to pass through the test lamp and it will light.

 

Now remove each fuse one at a time. When the light goes out that is the circuit that the draw is on.

 

Does your horn work???? Many times the horn button sticks and the owner removes the wires to the horns... BUT the horn relay is still energized and drawing a very small amount of current even when the key is off. Takes several days to kill the battery.

 

Wholly crap you nailed it. I pulled my horn connectors about 4 or 5 months ago cause it stuck on. Pulled the fuse for the horn relay and would you look at that, test light went off. Thank you for that!! Really appreciate it!