I am new here on the list,and I hope you don't mind me answering a question.
I have owned my 76 Spit since 1980 and among other problems I have many
times played with the alternator, on three occasions it has been the
Rectifier pack that has caused the slow drain of the battery.---Try
disconnecting the plug on the alternator, some times upon light
disconnection and reconnection , a snap of an arc can be heard(if there is
enough of a drain). but my favorite is lightly connecting(touching) the
battery cable to the battery post and watching for the arc, as I eliminate
one suspect at a time.BTW these drains would take over a week on a healthy
battery and of course these drains would not be noticed if the car was a
daily driver.
I will go back to the sideline for now, but I have some questions of my own
for the list regarding Spit Six conversions that I will post in a different
thread.
Brooks
76 Spit FM43496UO
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ree Gurley" <reegurley@mindspring.com>
To: "Spitfire List" <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2002 10:42 AM
Subject: Fw: Squawking Engine
> I wrote:
> > Addressed Challenge #1: Battery Completely Dead After Sitting A Day.
> > Fritzy switch to the trunk/boot light - disconnected light for now.
>
> Doug responded:
> > If the battery dies after only one day of running such a small light, it
> > must be almost gone.
>
> Quite likely, though in retrospect, it was more like a day-and-a-half or
two
> days. Anyway, the trunk/boot light is apparently NOT the main culprit;
this
> morning the battery is again half-dead even though the trunk/boot light
was
> off. Because the fully charged battery will maintain 12.5 V indefinitely
> while sitting on the work-bench, but will lose voltage while installed in
> the car, it is apparent I'll have to do some organized trouble-shooting.
> I'm all for getting a new battery - I'm getting low specific gravity
> readings on the present one (though my SG tester itself is suspect) -
plus
> I want to switch to side-terminals anyway), but feel I should first find
out
> where the juice is disappearing to before putting in a new battery.
>
> On checking the water-pump, I stupidly neglected to turn it by hand &
check
> for roughness when I had the belts off. Thanks for the reminder, Doug;
I'll
> do that during my next attack on the Spit.
>
> Ree G. in Silver Spring,MD - 78 Spit 73070U O driver - 77 Spit 62988U
> wip
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