my 1982 Buick lesabre has electrical trouble

[Guest]

The car has a 307ci engine and it keeps on killing batteries. we have replace the altenator and battery both 3 times and it will work for a short time, but then we go out to start it and it is dead. Also sometimes the lights will dim while driving on the highway as though the altenator is not working. We think it could possibly be the voltage regulator. Any help on this would greatly be appreciated.

[Guest]

I think I would check the voltage regulator<BR>and/or replace it. Probably 100 percent<BR>that it is going bad or the other possibility<BR>is that you have a short between altarnator<BR>and ground or voltage regulator and ground.<BR>Loren 56 Buick Century

[rocketraider]

Check the fusible links in the main wiring harness. They're located at the starter solenoid. If one fails, you should get the ALT warning light but not always. Those years GM big cars route the charging circuit from alt output back thru a splice in the main harness, splitting the juice two ways, to the fuse block and to the (+) battery cable at the starter solenoid. If the link fails, the alternator cannot charge the battery. <P>Have alt checked by someone who knows what they are doing- not the kid who started work at AutoZone last week.<P>Since this is a computer car, you may also have a parasitic electrical load that is discharging the battery while the car is idle. Check for electronic tuned radio drain; glovebox, trunk or underhood lamp not turning off; or a ground in some other circuit.<P>GM issued a fix for undercharged battery in 1983- believe it or not, they recommended running a 12 gage jumper wire directly from the alternator output post to the battery (+) terminal, bypassing the splice and fuse link. My 83 Olds wagon had had it done and I thought someone had jerry-rigged it until I got the 83 Dealer Tech Bulletin set, and there it was.<p>[ 03-10-2002: Message edited by: rocketraider ]