[cumminssmoke]

Today while driving, I looked down at my volt meter and saw the needle basically buried at 18V. Only for a few seconds until it dropped back to 14V.

Anyways, after shutting off, I tried starting it, and got a "click" and the battery died. Charged the battery to 12V, installed the battery (hooked connectors up) still had 12 V. Once I cranked it, I got the "click" than dead battery.

Pulled starter, passed test at autozone.
Fuse..good

What can cause this?! Should I test the alternator? Bad cell in battery?

 

[Mopars1]

I would say the batteries are shorted or you have a connection/ground problem.

 

[cumminssmoke]

Anyone ever heard of this?

 

[cumminssmoke]

Alternator tested good.. Any other things to check before I tow it to dealer?

 

[dodgetank98]

Check grounds seems like a short or bad connection somewhere also make sure there is no corrosion on anything and get the batteries tested!

 

[cumminssmoke]

Battery tested good with a load on it. I only have one battery hooked up. No connection to the second battery because I have a short on the ground for the second battery that I have no gotten to, so I only run one battery. Could not find a short. Personally I think its the voltage regulator but its located in the PCM, which means I would need a new PCM. I don't want to buy one if it's not the problem. So im trying to KEEP IN SIMPLE, and check the stupid stuff.

 

[turbomar]

check all ur connections, specially the grounds. also, try clamping the ground that is not connected to the body with visegrips and see if your problem goes away

 

[TxCTD0159]

ive had this exact same problem to a T. my ground terminal was to blame bc it was loose and also corroded once i cleaned it up and clamped it alot harder never had the problem again i gaurantee thats what your problem is. when i turned mine off and tried to restart that "click" scared me to death anyway no big deal

 

[dozer12216]

"I have a short on the ground for the second battery that I have no gotten to"
A short to ground on a ground circuit is a non problem. As others suggested, look carefully at the positive leads(grounds also) for corrosion and look for frayed wiring to alternator. This wiring runs across front of engine and could be damaged.

 

[cumminssmoke]

Thanks for all the input, but what gets me, is if there is a bad ground, wouldnt my volts have dropped, not spiked to 18?

 

[Mopars1]

When you you have a ground wire that does not give a good path to ground it lowers the voltage available from the battery. If the computer sees the low voltage, it probably full fields the regulator to give the battery a charge. I would check the voltage drop through the positive and negative cables. You could just have a bad cable. They can go bad internally even if you have good and clean connections. This could cause your click when trying to turn the starter while the battery is testing good.

 

[cumminssmoke]

This was the problem.... BATTERY. It was completely shot, and just held no charge with a load on it.. Even our battery load tester at work showed it was good? So I replaced both batteries and it runs perfect..