13 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHParasitic Draw
Reported or suspected cause
ignition switch
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
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Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
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Reported cause
Just asking because my parasitic draw was caused by a bad ignition switch .
Leading evidence: 'ignition switch' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'ignition switch' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check /' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Disconnect cable and the one still connected and record
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
After you record the voltage, put the voltmeter to Ohms and measure between the disconnected cable and the one still connected and record that value.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
For the cost of a brand new or even a remanufactured one @ $115, replacement is a better choice than a repaired vr imo.
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Suspected cause · Original poster
I will give this a try, I suspect the battery will die within a few days.
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Suspected cause
If the alternator is warm it is probably a bad diode, which means you need a new or rebuilt alternator.
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13 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Outcome without a verified action link
It has an aftermarket radio, but I have pulled that fuse and it makes no difference.
I believe I have a parasitic draw, the car will die after a few days with out being driven. It has an aftermarket radio, but I have pulled that fuse and it makes no difference. I have felt the alternator, does not seem to be warm, the ambient temp is 30 so it may be too cold for this to mean anything. I do have a voltage regulator that I bought a few couple ago when my voltage was erratic, thinking that could be my problem, but a new battery seemed to fix it. The voltage would fluctuate wildly.
Currently, the mulitmeter reads about 15v for the battery, which seems crazy, but I leave it hooked up to a trickle charger.
The car has been turned off for a few days, but still connected to the charger, does that affect the below readings?
With the multimeter set to 20m, I get a reading of .2 when I put it in series with the negative battery lead. With the multimeter at 200m, I get a reading of .02.
Are these values indicative of a parasitic draw? I saw numbers around .30 amps is normal.
The remote key unlock does not work, when I replaced the door lock mechanism they key stopped working and It has not been worth the stealership to pay them to reprogram the keys. So I disconnected the alarm horn and the car is pretty much never locked, so the alarm is never set.
In general the voltage meter on the dash holds around 14v when driving.
Any other tests I should run? Should I install the voltage regulator on the alternator and see if that fixes the issue?
Appreciate the suggestions.
When you say the voltage would fluctuate wildly, did you mean you observed the voltmeter in the dash fluctuating? If so what were the readings it showed? What do you mean when you say the voltmeter in the dash, "in general holds around 14 when driving? It sounds like the battery isn't getting charged and I suspect there is either a failure in the alternator or in the alternator/starter cable. But tell me about the readings you got on the dash voltmeter.
The vtage meter would bounce around all the time. The new battery seems to have fixed .ost of it. But at idle, it will currently bounce between ~13.5 and 13.75. When I am driving it is consistently ~14v.
If the alternator is bad, is that the voltage regulator? Should I pull the alternator to check the voltage on the wiring?
Thanks for the thoughts
QUOTE=996-CAB;19912400]When you say the voltage would fluctuate wildly, did you mean you observed the voltmeter in the dash fluctuating? If so what were the readings it showed? What do you mean when you say the voltmeter in the dash, "in general holds around 14 when driving? It sounds like the battery isn't getting charged and I suspect there is either a failure in the alternator or in the alternator/starter cable. But tell me about the readings you got on the dash voltmeter.[/QUOTE]
Do all of your systems work? Anything not working or working intermittently?
Just asking because my parasitic draw was caused by a bad ignition switch . . . sometimes caused lights/AC/wipers to not work. Sometimes the key was hard getting in and out. And my parasitic draw was caused by the ignition switch not turning the car systems off when it should have been.
Maybe you've already considered this, just a thought.
Well, sounds like you had a bad battery and the new one fixed 'most' of your problems'. Thats great....
If voltage is fluctuating constantly at idle, very well could be the VR/worn brushes. A bad battery loads up/wears the alternator. If plates are shorted in bad battery its stresses the alternator/voltage regulator also.
So, imho, would not bother with just changing out the $35 voltage regulator/brushes assembly on a 20+ yo alternator. It might be the 'bad part' now, but soon your alternator bearings/windings/brush pads/etc, will be shot from normal wear. By the time an internal VR goes bad its time for the whole alternator to be gone thru and rebuilt as needed,,, or better yet, replaced.
For the cost of a brand new or even a remanufactured one @ $115, replacement is a better choice than a repaired vr imo. Some have a hard time getting the alternator out. Probably don't want to do it twice. Have been reports of alternator fires in track 996 when alternator bearings seize up at high speed.
a 20 year old alternator thats probably got worked hard in its long life owes you nothing at this point....
Probably already know this, but just in case you haven't thought about it...
While belts off and in there, do a belt change, and feel out the water pump and all pulley bearings for smooth operation. At this point in a 996 life, probably need all pulleys and tensor changed out if original oem. Might also be a good time to replace the troublesome Y cable if original, and check/clean all grounds/connections... Also, while in there, if still original or over 6 years old, a new water pump & tstat is better than a great idea.
If you just piece meal your 20yo drive belt accessories a piece at a time, you'll be taking that belt off and on many many times...
jmo
Your voltage at idle and running is perfect. But it doesn't seem as though you have any problems, so why discuss replacing the alternator/VR? Why do you think you have a draw??? Look up what an acceptable voltage is for a 996 not running is. Test with the neg battery cable off and to the neg post of battery. Is that where you were seeing .3amps? That seems high, but every car is different. And testing it after being on a charger is giving you false information. Test voltage after it sits for a few days and monitor that. Don't go looking for troubles....
Everything works, except for the alarm. Which works, but I unplugged the horn so it does not go off 7 seconds after I unlock the car. I generally keep the car unlocked in a garage.
The reason I thought there could be a draw is that the battery dies after several days to a week if it is not hooked to a trickly charger.
Some internet searching this board and others, led me to test the draw on the batter, which seems to fall in the normal range. Why else would my batter be dying if the "normal" load on the battery is within range? I pulled the fuse on the aftermarket radio, that did not seem to make a difference.
The battery is newer, what could be killing it over the course of several days?
The battery should not die in a few days so you must have a drain somewhere.
The volt gauge needle vibrating at idle suggests that an alternator diode may be bad. That can cause a drain when the car is shut off.
One way to check this is to let the car cool off completely overnight. Then check the alternator to see if it is warmer than the rest of the engine area. Touch it with your hand everywhere that is reachable. If the alternator is warm it is probably a bad diode, which means you need a new or rebuilt alternator. A new voltage regulator will not fix a bad diode.
Electrical engineer here. Something doesn't add up, so let's try another way to isolate the issue. The next time you put the car away for a week, disconnect the battery. Doesn't matter which terminal. Do not connect it to the trickle charger and record the voltage. Leave the trickle charger off the battery. After you record the voltage, put the voltmeter to Ohms and measure between the disconnected cable and the one still connected and record that value. I'm not sure measuring resistance by this method will diagnose the issue, because of the circuitry in the car, but it may. A week later, before you try and start the car, record the voltage, connect the terminal you disconnected and start the car. If the car doesn't start, it's a bad battery with an internal short. If it does start the car, the drain you are measuring is not 0.2mA.
