weird, possibly serious electrical problems

[GSntncT]

I've had my alternator checked, and it was good. My battery was good, but I opted for a red optima battery anyway. The prob is my car is dead-all the time(even before I switch to the optima). If I jump it, it runs just fine until I turn the car off. Immediately after the car shuts off, it's dead again. It reads 9.0v. WTF???

btw, nothing is left on, and applicable wire(i.e. EGT wire) is running to my Cig lighter fuse.

Help

 

[GSntncT]

Is it THAT weird?

 

[Damned Talon]

wel im going to assume that after you jump your car itll run all day long until you turn it off. correct? im going to also assume that youve checked the charging voltage at your battery at idle... right?

if you took your alternator in and it checked ok. then maybe you should check for power on the big wire on the back of the alternator. if it doesnt have power the thing wont charge.

just a thought. i would make sure that your charging.
other wise all i cann say is that maybe your alternator or starter has a SERIOUS internal short draining the battery immediately.
but that would be one SERIOUS short if the car is dead as soon as you shut it off.

this is strange to me because any car ive run into with a problem like your always turns out to be the battery.
GOOD LUCK

 

[Sk8er07999]

dude you are not going to be able to start your car if it only has 9.0v in the battery. We won't even test a battery if it has less then 12.0v at my work. It needs to be charged up. You could check for parasitic draw to see if maybe something is discharging the battery when the car is off but I highly doubt that. There has got to be something wrong with the alternator. Why don't you check the the available voltage at the battery with the car running? The battery is supposed to have ~12.6v so if the alternator is charging with the car running you need to see higher then 12.6v or else how is it going to charge? There is nothing wrong with the starter if you can jump it but there could be an internal short that is drainging the battery. If you don't think it's the alternator see how long you can drive around with just that optima powering the entire car. I give you maybe a 1 or 2 hours before your stranded. I think it's the alternator. Did you have the alternator tested out of the car or in the car?

 

[SrKegler]

[Since you have now gone thru 2 batteries, alternator checks OK, lets check your ground cables both ends and make sure they have good contact.

I would also pull the Optima out of the car, have it charged up, then put it back in. If the car starts up, you'll have eliminated the battery as the problem.

 

[GSntncT]

Well I finally got the car back from the trans shop today. I don't know wtf happened, but my car as of right now is running A-OK

, but as long as it doesn't happen again......