Re: Help! 4KQ Electrical Drain

[Achille Riviello <acriviel@mailhost.ecn.uoknor.edu>]

At 11:21 PM 10/9/96 -0500, Thomas Alexander wrote:
>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   
>

He-he, he-he.... good luck!  I have the same type of imtermittant power
drain problem in my 83 4000S.  Everything is fine one day, and the next day
I jump in the car, and nary even a click.  I've replaced batteries, checked
alternators, belts, unhooked stereos...everything.  About 4 years ago, I ran
up an enromous bill at the repair shop trying to find the problem, but to no
avail.  

I'd be quite interested in any information you get. 

Achille Riviello
acriviel@mailhost.ecn.uoknor.edu
83 4000s, 200+k miles,
96 A4Q, 256 miles,
HK USP45,
HK P7M13
"In a world of compromise, some don't"--HK