Joel's_84_944

Man I am getting tired of this... I just replaced my Alternator and Battery because they both tested bad. I replaced my door handle that broke. Then I try and go for a short drive to see if everything is ok, and since it is hot outside I turn on the A/C. All of a sudden my battery light comes on, so I turn off the A/C. I try my lights and they won't come up, then my antenna comes down and will not raise. I park it a my church and it dies. does anyone have an idea of whats is going on?. Do you think I tightened the belt too tight? how can I determine when the belt is just right?. I need this car running badly, I am starting a new job next sunday night so I need my lights...everything working on this car.

testarossa_td

Check your grounds....and while at that church you might want to get a priest

Joel's_84_944

do you happen to know where I can get a diagram or drawing of where the grounds are on the car?

testarossa_td

No I don't-though there might be one in the workshop manuals(I don't have mine on me)You might do a search on ground points.....

Here was a post(may help some), you might also search under iceshark.
https://rennlist.com/forums/showpost...1&postcount=25

bearone

the main ground from the batt on the 951 is a stud on the upper/rear part of the engine but i'm not sure if it's the same on the older ones.

who tested the alt/batt, does the alt lite come on when the key is on?
if the lite is out, the batt won't charge.

87951

Joel's_84_944

Bearone,

I have a 84 944, so is the main ground the same as in and 951?. The alternator and battery was tested at Advanced auto parts, I was with the guys while he tested them both. The battery had 2 dead cells, the alternator made a shredding noise while it was spinning on the test bench, and it came up faulty also. The alternator was original on the car. They last but when they go, they go in a big way.

bearone

you can check it out, just follow the neg batt cable on yours and see if it goes to the stud on the back of the engine.

if/when you get a batt make sure the water is up and give it a topping charge.
i got a batt 14 months ago, didn't do the above and just changed it out for $2.

the batt had sat on the carquest shelf for 9 months and i didn't check the water for a couple of months and the batt never was fully charged, and the alt won't bring it all the way up.

i had to charge it every 10 days and it's a daily driver.

87951

Joel's_84_944

Thanks,

I'll try that out when I get the car home today. I'll be working on it till I know it is ready.

Thanks again

jpk

On the '84, the main ground for the battery is right in the battery tray on the firewall. The primary engine ground is a bare copper cable, about 4 guage, which runs from the firewall near the vent fan to the bell housing. Main positive cable runs straight down to the big lug on the starter.
The main lead from the alternator (10 guage wire) also runs straight back to the big lug on the starter.

A second engine ground wire won't hurt. I was able to get a nut on the back side of the main battery ground bolt, then I ran the other end to one of the bolts on the lift ring at the back of the head.

Check the connections and make sure they're all clean (shiny) and tight. It wouldn't hurt to clean things up with a bit of fine sand paper or emory cloth, then give it a shot of spray white grease once it's back together to keep it from coroding again.

Other main ground locations (usually 4-5 lighter guage brown ground wires coming together under a bolt):
Driver's side frame rail behind the headlight
Under the dash behind the guage cluster (it's up pretty high)
back near the driver's side taillight (inside)

Make sure the wire connection on the back of the alternator is tight. Also, just because an alternator is new (or rebuilt) doesn't guarantee that it works - I once went through a couple of rebuilt starters for an old Honda before I got a good one.

testarossa_td