NEED ELECTRICAL HELP BAD!

Stupid Truck! - Ok, give me a little more info.... what was running when is started to die and for how long? (i.e. pumps for 1-2 minites or not) I assume the headlights were on (Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:24 am), were they a normal brightness when you started then suddenly dimmed out, or did they go dim slowly? When you say everything I assume you mean the headlights, dash lights, radio, etc.? Interesting that the switches also did not work until it died. The fact that they worked after it died tells me that the battery had enough power after the engine was off to open the valves (lift truck). Would the engine turn over at all after it died? If so, even a minimal amount it could mean that the battery is OK. On the other hand, if the battery has an intermittent short that is zappin the entire electrical system while the alternator is running, then it is possible, but unlikely.

Before you buy a new battery, can I offer a few simple test? Do you own a volt meter and a cordless drill (12v or 14.4v)? I believe your 83 has an external regulator. My 87 is running an internal regulator on the alternator. But this test should work eitherway.

What I did was start the truck normally (assuming the battery is charged enough to do this), then once the truck is running I connected the volt meter to the battery terminals (13.9v). Then I disconnected the negative terminal from the battery (14.9 to 15.5v - range is because the regulator is searching for a stable voltage to regulate how much the alternator puts out). Then I connected the charged battery from the cordless drill (verify which terminal is positive & negative with volt meter) to the battery cables (not car battery terminals) and the volt meter stabilized at 14.2v. Then, 1 at a time, I turned on all the factory accessories (headlights, blower motor, wipers, turn signals, radio - no pumps). voltage stayed at 3.7 volts with everything turned on, engine on high idle and only the cordless drill battery hooked up. If I could keep the drill battery from bouncing around, I should be able to drive around the block with the car battery still in the garage. If your truck can pass this test your car battery has a short. If it fail this test, it is unlikely you need a new car battery.

i can only drive it for about 1 mile then it dies and i have to jump it off to get it started. it seems like it only does it when the compressors kick on. like there is to much draw from them or something. when it dies it doesn't try to turn over at all, it just clicks. i was told that the voltage regulator is built into the alternator, but i am going to go out and look for an external one later. when the lights start to dim, they go from full lit to half lit to black. it is instant, not slowly.

i got up this morning and went and rewired the grounds under the hood. sanded down everywhere that they connected, and drove it. still does the same thing. this time when i went out though when it died even the switches didn't work. and i had to jump start it this morning to get it going.

i also noticed this morning that when it lost power and the truck was inches a way from dying, i tried to set it down on the ground and nothing was working. everything shuts off except the eng., then it dies and then a few things will work a little, like the switches and the electric fan.

i will try the multi meter test probably tuesday. i have one at work but not here, and i am not real sure how to work those things very well so i will get an electrician that i work with to help me out.

i was going to say something else but my wife broke my train of thought. if i remember i will get back on here. thanks for help man.

may sound lame, but it sounds like your alternator is only putting out enough juice to charge your battery, then the alternator dies then your running on your battery alone.

While the truck is running, pull the positive and negative terminals off the battery if it runs then its not ur alternator if it dies well you can guess the rest.

i just put a new alternator on it yesterday. i thought the same thing. and i pulled the terminals off already. it kept running. it is probably something really stupid and i am going to kick myself in the a$$ when i find out what it is.

you know this truck ran fine when i got it. and now all the sudden this is all happening. i think i am going to pull the coil off of my flame thrower off my 89 and put it on and see if that fixes it. a guy i work with called me today and asked how things were going. he kind of led me to the idea of the coil going bad. i don't have to buy anything to try that theory. i am glad i have been on vacation this week to be able to screw with this truck all week. haha. i just wanna drag!!!

Sounds like progress to me. Slammed may be onto something. Question - what pump(s) are you running? Also, how many times has your current battery been discharged to the point it only clicks when you try to start? I ask because most normal car batteries can only be discharged that far 4-6 times before they are junk. The yellow top Optima can handle 100's of full discharges and keep kickin.

If you current battery has just enough power to start the truck and then is done, your alternator is working hard to recharge the battery. Then your pumps kick in and lets face it, a stock Mazda alt just does not put out much power. With all this "need" along with the headlights at night I'm guessing the system voltage drops so low that the alternator can't keep up, there is no reserve in the battery, voltage drops below 8 or 9v, alternator looses the voltage to keep the field energized - truck dies.

Buy Optima Yellow Top & high output alternator

Oh wait..... to much $$$$$$

Question, if you disable the pumps so that they don't kick in, how long can you drive???

i would get a yellow top but it won't fit where the battery was relocated to. i will have to do some fab work and i don't have a shop right now. i went and got a 64 amp alternator from a camaro but once again i don't have a shop right now. haha. all it would need to be able to fit is a new bracket. i think i am just going to go get a new battery because like you said about it only being able to go down to a full discharge just a couple times, it has already done it many times. on top of the original alternator putting out low voltage and the compressors being wired wrong, this battery is probably shot.

WELL, THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP GUYS. SHE IS BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN. all it was was a battery, on top of everything that was wired wrong that probably contributed to it going bad. but she runs again so that is all i care about. and i know that all the wiring is done right this time. thanks again for all the help.

cool... glad to see you got it fixed. Sucks that you had to go thru all that to get it figured out, but atleast its done.