Help! 4KQ Electrical Drain

["Thomas Alexander" <Thomas_Alexander@SFA.UFL.EDU>]

Today after my wife arrived home, I needed to leave immediately.  So I jumped
in the car, started it, and drove about 30 ft. before realizing I forgot
something.  After returning to the car 2 minutes later.... nothing.  The car
wouldn't even turn over.  The idiot lights had faded out but were gradually
coming back up.  The volt reading got up to about 12 but everything started
all over again when I hit the ignition switch.  I jumped the car and
everything seemed fine for the first ten minutes except for a seatbelt light
that wouldn't go off.  Then I began experiencing a hiccup every 2-3 minutes
while the car was moving.  Althought all the gauges seemed to indicate that
the volts were ok, the car exhibited the same dead symptoms mentioned at the
beginning.  

I'll take the car in tomorrow to get checked, but since I haven't found a
great mechanic, I'd at least like to give him/her some direction.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thomas Alexander
'86 4000CS Quattro
'89 Ford T-Bird SC