1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Battery Drain

2012 OLDSMOBILE
Avatar
ILLWILL
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
ok ive had this problem last year but it seem to go away now its back. i go to start the car in the morning and i get nothing ..everythings dead i check the battery and theres like 4 volts running through it. then i charge it for like a half an hour with a battery charger or get my pops to jump it "takes about 5 mins to jump" and it starts and ill drive it all day with no problems. then the next day depending on how long i drove it is how long i have till it wount start again because after changing the ground cable on the battery and various testing i notice theres a very slow drain on the battery that i cant seem to fix. usually if i drive it all day to work it will start at night for me to get home from work but it seems now that the drain is going a little quicker and the starter does hesitate after it turns over once " i get
like a one second pause then it turns over this happens usually after its charged or when the batteries dead but when the batteries dead its followed by a ticking sound then nothing. so what i did is removed my stereo and tested and still getting a drain and i did the same with the alarm. now my
question is can a bad starter cause the drain because im getting very frustrated and dont have alot of money to fix it and need to get to work everyday and this is my only transportation so any help would be very appreciated thanks.
Feb 26, 2006 at 5:14 PM
Advertisement
Avatar
MVANNESSJR
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 223 POSTS
Sounds like a fun one, I absolutely HATE electrical problems. :x

Check alternator output with and without a load, it should be putting out 13.6V or higher. This is important!

The next thing to check is the battery cables have a tight connection to the battery.

Then comes the fun part! With a voltage tester and someone to help you begin the process of elimination. Connect the voltage tester to the battery with the vehicle off and monitor the output from the battery. Start pulling fuses one by one from the fuse blocks on the vehicle. If the drain doesn't stop put the fuse back in and move to the next fuse. The idea is to find the component that is responsible for the drain.

I highly doubt that the starter is responsible for your problem.
Feb 26, 2006 at 11:17 PM

Suggested Repair

Check alternator output with and without a load; it should be 13.6 volts or higher. Confirm the battery cables are tight, then isolate the parasitic drain by monitoring battery voltage with the vehicle off and pulling fuses one at a time. A bad starter is unlikely to be the cause.

Conversation Summary

The owner of a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass reports the battery drops to about 4 volts overnight, then starts after a short charge or jump and runs normally while driving. A slow drain continues after the ground cable was replaced and the stereo and alarm were disconnected; the starter sometimes hesitates. The expert recommends checking alternator output, cable connections, and pulling fuses to find the draining circuit, and doubts the starter is responsible.

Add a reply
Join 2CarPros for free, one of the most advanced car repair communities on the internet. From first-time drivers to seasoned mechanics, everyone is welcome to reply, share details, and get better answers. You can add a temporary image or video first; uploads are limited to 20 MB.

Frequently Asked Problems for This Vehicle