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1990 Lincoln Continental Battery Drains in a few hours

Tiny
POPADOC
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
Electrical problem
1990 Lincoln Continental 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 153k miles

As the title says the new battery gets drained in matter of just a few hours. Alternator is putting around 14.0 to the battery running. Have done the test light test(remove negative cable from battery, hook one end of test light to it and touch the negative terminal with the other) got a big bright light there. Removed fuses 1 by 1 and never had the light go off. Done the night time thing making sure no lights where on or the auto lamp thing wasn't screwing up. Any suggestions?

Thanks
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Monday, September 15th, 2008 AT 2:17 PM

11 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Get an analog voltmeter remove the negative battery cable, attach the Black lead to the battery post, Red lead to cable end, then pull fuses one at a time, make sure there are no accessories or lights in the on position, Key off! Close the door after each fuse and check meter, when you pull the fuse for the bad curcuit, the meter will drop to 1 volt or so. Check all fuses, even under the hood. If meter does not drop, remove the battery connection from the alternator, if it drops now, the diodes are bad in the alternator. Put the fuse back in were it goes as you go so you don't forget which fuse goes were!
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Monday, September 15th, 2008 AT 4:58 PM
Tiny
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Thanks for the reply. I done all this as you said but nothing happened. I done the fuses 1 by 1 and the fuses in the power distribution box under the hood, removed the battery hook up to the alternator but the voltage never changed. I'm stumped and don't know where to look next. Thanks
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Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 AT 4:00 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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You did have the doors closed? ALL switches in the off position? The brake lights are out?
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Thursday, September 18th, 2008 AT 3:52 PM
Tiny
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Yes, I had someone in the car with the doors closed pulling fuses and all switches was off.
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Thursday, September 18th, 2008 AT 6:07 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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Where all accessories working OK? Any fuses blown latley? And, try unpluging sensors one at a time and check the gauge, 02 especially. If check engine light was on pull the codes, may point to the problem.
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Friday, September 19th, 2008 AT 2:31 PM
Tiny
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Well all the accessories is off. I have unplugged all the sensors I can get to, and unplugged all the other things I can get to. Only thing blown on the car is headlight bulbs, hi and lo on 1 side and low beam on the other side but when I use the headlight flashe but bulbs work. I have re-done the fuse pulling and the only thing that makes the meter lose around 1 volt is the fuse under the hood in the power distribution box for the fuse box. Don't have access to a scanner so couldn't perform that. I'm a little confused when it comes to under the dash, I'm not to sure if theres anything there that has to do with the air bag system, I don't have a good schematic so I only unplugged the blower motor.
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Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 AT 3:20 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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With alternator disconnected it still drains?
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Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 AT 3:29 PM
Tiny
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When I disconnect the alt. The meter never changes. Maybe I'm doing something wrong with the meter.
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Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 AT 4:12 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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Explain how you have it attached?
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Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 AT 4:55 PM
Tiny
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Well I have the black wire on the negative post and the red wire to the negative cable as you instructed. Maybe the confusion I have is on how much the voltage will drop if I uncover the problem. Because nothing I have done has made it drop more than 1 volt. As a update the radiator fan will not work now.
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Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 AT 6:13 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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I would take the alternator to the parts store and have it tested. They will do it free.
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Friday, October 3rd, 2008 AT 2:58 PM

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