The Ford Barn

dan · 03-23-2011, 08:51 AM

So, yesterday it rained (lightly) on the way home from work. (Yes, I can hear the shudders and groans from the "My A never gets wet" crew) By the time I got home the car had dried and I parked it in the garage as usual. This morning, it started a little hard, like the battery was weak. On the way in, I noticed that the ammeter showed constant charging (I have an alternator) and when I parked the car it was showing a slight discharge. I pulled the fuse at the starter and disconnected the fuse that runs the accessories (turn signals, etc) but am still showing a discharge. When I checked, the top of the battery did get a little wet on the way in (rain again this morning) but I dried it off and still no joy.

Since I'm parked in the garage at work and have only a limited set of hand tools, I'm not going to be able to diagnose/correct this until I get home. But in order to get home, I have to be able to start the car this afternoon :-) I'm guessing the only way to stop this dead is to disconnect the battery. Should I just take the clamp off the positive terminal, or pull both?

On another note, the odometer just turned 89,600 which means that I have put just about 2,500 miles on the car in the last eight months.

I drive it to work every day, but I wish I got to drive it more. For those of you who've had your car a long time, do you ever get tired of driving it?

31Tudor · 03-23-2011, 08:55 AM

Dan, you would only need to pull off one of the battery cables to disconect the battery.

Cool Hand Lurker · 03-23-2011, 09:31 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

If you pulled the main fuse at the starter there should be no current running through the ammeter. If you have a test light, connect it between ground and one of the terminals on the terminal box. It should not light with the fuse removed. Then if the ammeter still shows discharge there is probably something wrong with the ammeter, maybe just a bent needle.

03-23-2011, 08:51 AM	#1
dan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: McPherson, KS Posts: 219	Quick fix for electrical discharge So, yesterday it rained (lightly) on the way home from work. (Yes, I can hear the shudders and groans from the "My A never gets wet" crew) By the time I got home the car had dried and I parked it in the garage as usual. This morning, it started a little hard, like the battery was weak. On the way in, I noticed that the ammeter showed constant charging (I have an alternator) and when I parked the car it was showing a slight discharge. I pulled the fuse at the starter and disconnected the fuse that runs the accessories (turn signals, etc) but am still showing a discharge. When I checked, the top of the battery did get a little wet on the way in (rain again this morning) but I dried it off and still no joy. Since I'm parked in the garage at work and have only a limited set of hand tools, I'm not going to be able to diagnose/correct this until I get home. But in order to get home, I have to be able to start the car this afternoon :-) I'm guessing the only way to stop this dead is to disconnect the battery. Should I just take the clamp off the positive terminal, or pull both? On another note, the odometer just turned 89,600 which means that I have put just about 2,500 miles on the car in the last eight months. I drive it to work every day, but I wish I got to drive it more. For those of you who've had your car a long time, do you ever get tired of driving it?

03-23-2011, 08:55 AM	#2
31Tudor Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 611	Re: Quick fix for electrical discharge Dan, you would only need to pull off one of the battery cables to disconect the battery.

03-23-2011, 09:31 AM	#3
Cool Hand Lurker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Minn Posts: 1,583	Re: Quick fix for electrical discharge Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) If you pulled the main fuse at the starter there should be no current running through the ammeter. If you have a test light, connect it between ground and one of the terminals on the terminal box. It should not light with the fuse removed. Then if the ammeter still shows discharge there is probably something wrong with the ammeter, maybe just a bent needle.