battery draw down

[oldone]

I have a 1986 fiero and it keeps drawing the battery down. I bought a new battery and pulled the car out of the garage and let it run for a few minutes and 5 minutes later the new battery wouldn`t start the car. any ideas?

[scottb]

It sounds to me like the alternator is putting out. I would check the wiring coming off of the alternator before having it tested. Thats my best guess.

Scott

[TopNotch]

Feel the headlight motors. If one of them is warm and/or vibrating, disconnect it.

[GTRS Fiero]

Listen for the fuel pump, also.

[MikeMac]

Check this thread out:
www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/000277.html

Is the alternator charging when running the car?

[MaxwellSpy]

I had the same issue. It was the alternator.

[Slyp]

I would think that if you recharged the battery and put it in the car and did not start it. You could also get a meter and disconnect the battery and measure the positive cable to ground,  I would not expect it to be short.   If there is a short something should get very warm if it is drawing current.  Another thing you could try is take out fuses. 

[Fierofool]

In the thread MikeMac linked above, ThaDriver has a good method.  I remember Don Hulse using it.

He used an old bulb socket with gator clips on the ends of the wires, clipped between the cable and terminal.  The wires were long enough to place the bulb where he could see it through the rear window.  It will dim when you pull the correct fuse.  He had a faint glow, but I think he said it was from the radio memory.  You have to be sure your trunk courtesy lights fuse is pulled first.