May 30, 2019
23
18
VetteCoins
395
Car
1970,1971 corvette
Province
AB
My gal's 96 vette LT1 is going through batteries every 3-4 months and we just do not know why it is being drained. Does anyone have an idea or experienced this themselves? It also does not start right away like on the first turn over but maybe the second or third at the most. This happens about 30% of the time - any ideas?
 
My gal's 96 vette LT1 is going through batteries every 3-4 months and we just do not know why it is being drained. Does anyone have an idea or experienced this themselves? It also does not start right away like on the first turn over but maybe the second or third at the most. This happens about 30% of the time - any ideas?

Little more info might help Oly. Does the car sit for extended periods without a battery maintainer connected? Is the battery regularly dying and needing a charge or a boost each time before it finally needs replacing? Or is it just crashing and burning every 4 months.The former may be an indication of a significant draw on the battery when the car is sleeping. The latter may indicate the battery is being overcharged when the car is running, thus cooking it prematurely. That's my 5 cents worth but I would venture that more knowledgeable members may chime in with additional thoughts.
 
Little more info might help Oly. Does the car sit for extended periods without a battery maintainer connected? Is the battery regularly dying and needing a charge or a boost each time before it finally needs replacing? Or is it just crashing and burning every 4 months.The former may be an indication of a significant draw on the battery when the car is sleeping. The latter may indicate the battery is being overcharged when the car is running, thus cooking it prematurely. That's my 5 cents worth but I would venture that more knowledgeable members may chime in with additional thoughts.
She does not drive it to much, no trickle charger on it. It just dies in 3-4 months everytime. I thought the computer might have been in water. Things work really weird in the car like you turn the heater on low and it comes on cold full blast. Little things but a few of them. We just bought number 4 battery today and I am thinking she should just disconnect if fully when not using it or get that terminal gadget that cuts the power all together when not using it. Lots of crazy things that seem not to work properly.
Thanks for the reply
 
The guys on here (and I agree) are pretty clear on the first step being check and clean your grounds. That in itself might clear up some (or all) of the gremlins she is experiencing. Personally I would get the alternator and the whole charging system checked. Sounds like there is a good chance you are over charging the battery. Overall, this one sounds like it will take some investigating and plenty of time to sort out. Keep us updated and keep asking questions as you troubleshoot and the guys will be there with plenty of advice.
 
She does not drive it to much, no trickle charger on it. It just dies in 3-4 months everytime. I thought the computer might have been in water. Things work really weird in the car like you turn the heater on low and it comes on cold full blast. Little things but a few of them. We just bought number 4 battery today and I am thinking she should just disconnect if fully when not using it or get that terminal gadget that cuts the power all together when not using it. Lots of crazy things that seem not to work properly.
Thanks for the reply


First thing she needs is a battery maintainer. These cars cannot sit for long periods without one. The amount time is always a lively debate here but 10 days to 2 weeks is a fairly decent average of what I’ve read.
If you’re drawing the battery low in these cars you may see computer issues as well. It’s really not a good idea. This is different than disconnecting the battery which is a very popular option as well. If you want to reset everything each time the car is driven.

The points made above are also very valid. A quick trip to the shop (decent one) will give you and answer to these questions in minutes. The electrical system machines are amazing these days as to what they can diagnose. Personally I would go to a Chevy Dealer for this as they know their cars... unless you know a guru somewhere.

Let us know what you find.. 👍
 
The guys on here (and I agree) are pretty clear on the first step being check and clean your grounds. That in itself might clear up some (or all) of the gremlins she is experiencing. Personally I would get the alternator and the whole charging system checked. Sounds like there is a good chance you are over charging the battery. Overall, this one sounds like it will take some investigating and plenty of time to sort out. Keep us updated and keep asking questions as you troubleshoot and the guys will be there with plenty of advice.
Alternator has been checked and is fine, but what is over charging?
 
Alternator has been checked and is fine, but what is over charging?
Over-charging, in its simplest terms, is when the alternator doesn't regulate itself and keeps the voltage to the battery to high for too long. The end result is some of the fluid in the battery boils off, the positive side becomes damaged and the battery becomes useless.
 
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