1990 80q battery problem

[Cody Forbes]

Million and a half reasons that I can think of. Start with the trunk light.
Easiest way to check is lock a friend in the trunk (with his permission
usually helps co-operation with your test, heh) and ask if the light goes
out. Go away for a few hours and tell your friend you'll bring him some food
and water tomorrow. No seriously though check to see if the trunk light is
going out for sure.

You seem to have a draw on the battery, and a test to see how large that
draw is usually can help diagosis. Disconect your battery positive and
connect a multimeter between the positive terminal and the positive cable,
with the multi meter set on amps. something in the area of 1amp, maybe a tad
more is aceptable (power being drawn by ECU, radio, and clock to save
settings), but much more then that means you have another something draining
your battery. If its over 10amps I would start looking at your alternator,
you may have gotten a defective unit, or you may have a short in the
positive between the alternator and the battery.

On my first 5ktq I had a simmilar problem happen to me twice. Firt time it
was the alternator, second time it was the A/C relay. The A/C relay had gone
bad and was stuck on and backfeeding juice through the whole system. The
windows would work even after taking they key out of the ignition adn
opening the door, and even the A/C would work fine with no keys (among other
things, sunroof, headlights, rest of interior gadgetry). Check for simmilar
things. I'm not sure if your car has the digital climate control like my
5ks, but if it does watch for the little red light on the panel to stay on
24/7.

-Cody Forbes
2x 86 5ktq
'87 5ktq (my 2nd 5ktq on EFI as of earlier today)
'88 80 4cyl


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jason" <jasonn at metrocast.net>
To: <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2003 1:28 AM
Subject: 1990 80q battery problem


> Alright, I replaced the alternator in my 80q about a week ago.  Along with
> it, I put in a new battery and battery cables.  Car ran fine for three
days
> and then mysteriously the battery dies overnight.  So I tried two other
> batteries for the next two nights.  Same problem.  I start the car with a
> full battery one day and then 24 hours later the battery is dead.  Lights
> are off, radio is off, doors are closed, trunk closed, etc.  Anyone have
any
> idea why this is happening.....?
>
>
>