1981 Volkswagen Rabbit alternator/battery

DIEGOPIZANA

MEMBER
1981 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
130,000 MILES

I just bought a new battery on the rabbit because the last one was old and the power had slowly started getting lower. I bought an optima battery because I was going to have a system put in. I put it in along with the new battery and the new battery started dropping power right away.
i thought it was the alternator so I had it replaced with a new one, but the battery still does the same and drops to completely dead in a matter of time even without the stereo plugged in. Ive taken the battery back to the place I got it several times and they say its a good battery but it still keeps killing my car. Id really apprietiate some help?

1 Reply

DR LOOT

MECHANIC
2,311 POSTS

It sounds like an existing problem, when you mention that you unplug your stereo, are you saying that you disconnect it completely from the battery? It sounds like you have a circuit in the vehicle that is taking a draw. The way to check that is to remove one of your battery cables, it doesn't matter which one take a test light and put one end on the battery cable and the other end of the battery with everything turned off and the doors closed. If the light stays on (the test light), then you have a circuit that is drawing power. Open up your door, make sure the interior light does not come on if it does take your finger and push the button in on the door and hold it or remove the light bulb, after you have done that, begin to remove your fuses, one by one and putting them back checking the test light as you remove the fuses, if the test light goes out when you remove a certain fuse, that's what your problem is, in that circuit