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Joe
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/25/2005
20:27:20
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 Subject: Battery drains while idling? URGENT
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Message:
My 97 CC 318 won't hold charge while idling. While sitting at stop lights during frequent city driving or while waiting in line at the drive through, my battery loses charge. If left idling long enough it will even stall out and not start back due to low juice. Jumping it off starts it right back up but then it won't charge itself up enough without taking the battery out and charging it myself.
My first thought is alternator or bad battery. However, the battery does not lose charge over night, only while idling. Also, the battery and alternator both TESTED GOOD out of the car at several places on several machines.
The problem can't be with either one.
Interestingly enough, both the battery and the alternator TESTED BAD on several machines while they were still installed IN the car.
Next I thought perhaps the computer is not targeting the correct voltage and so the voltage regulator (which I assume is built in to PCM) is not targeting enough juice. This seemed possible since I had messed with the programming several times with a Hypertech chip. I flashed back to stock at dealership with NO RESULT.
What should I try next? If there is a short, shouldn't it be draining over night????
Maybe I should just get new cables\terminals although they look good?
PLEASE ADVISE
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Forseti
Dodge Dakota
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7/25/2005
21:02:14
| RE: Battery drains while idling? URGENT
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Message:
Sounds like a bad PCM... the PCM should be covered under the 8year/80,000 mile Emission Warranties
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/25/2005
21:41:07
| RE: Battery drains while idling? URGENT
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Message:
Check all your cables very carefully. Sometimes battery cables corrode underneath the insulation, especially near the battery. Peel it back a little and take a look. If it's not shiny copper, replace it.
These symptoms can also be cause by a bad ground or bad battery connection. Remove all the cables at both ends and clean the surfaces. Clean the attachement bolts and the bolt hole threads. And finally, unplug the connectors near the alternator and clean the inside of the plugs with electrical contact cleaner.
The problem may very well be with the PCM, but check the cheap/free stuff first.
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/26/2005
08:22:30
| RE: Battery drains while idling? URGENT
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Message:
Measure the battery voltage:
1) With the engine running at idle and all accessories and lights off.
2) With engine off and battery hooked up.
3) After battery disconnected and charged overnight.
Then measure with battery installed, with an ammeter between the negative cable and the negative post. Start with 10 amp setting, and gradually dial down to 1 amp range or below to see how much current is being drawn with the engine off. Then report back with these numbers, before someone sends you on a wild goo$e cha$e.
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Joe
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/27/2005
10:19:46
| Cust underdrive pulleys, alternator, need advise
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Message:
Okay, apparently the problem is my custom pulleys. I have all custom ASP pulleys and I'm guessing the culprit is the underdrive pulley. Apparently the alternator is not in sync with this setup. Should I look into getting a different type of alternator or should I just scrap this pulley system and go back t o stock? Please advise.
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/27/2005
18:21:39
| RE: Battery drains while idling? URGENT
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Message:
If you go back to stock, it's only a difference of a couple of HP out of 175, and it solves your problem. Seems pretty clear what to do.
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JimmyD
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/27/2005
20:27:22
| RE: Battery drains while idling? URGENT
IP: Logged
Message:
If you go back to stock and the problem goes away, then you found it.
If not, Forseti suggested a PCM problem.
And it seems a battery temp sensor (if you have one) may play a part in this as well.
Here's an extract from the 2004 Service Manual. Interesting basic info about the charging system, although not all of may apply to your 97.
" The charging system is turned on and off with the
ignition switch. The system is on when the engine is
running and the ASD relay is energized. When the
ASD relay is on, voltage is supplied to the ASD relay
sense circuit at the PCM. This voltage is connected
through the PCM and supplied to one of the generator
field terminals (Gen. Source +) at the back of the
generator.
The amount of DC current produced by the generator
is controlled by the EVR (field control) circuitry
contained within the PCM. This circuitry is connected
in series with the second rotor field terminal
and ground.
A battery temperature sensor, located in the battery
tray housing, is used to sense battery temperature.
This temperature data, along with data from
monitored line voltage, is used by the PCM to vary
the battery charging rate. This is done by cycling the
ground path to control the strength of the rotor magnetic
field. The PCM then compensates and regulates
generator current output accordingly.
All vehicles are equipped with On-Board Diagnostics
(OBD). All OBD-sensed systems, including EVR
(field control) circuitry, are monitored by the PCM.
Each monitored circuit is assigned a Diagnostic Trouble
Code (DTC). The PCM will store a DTC in electronic
memory for certain failures it detects
The Check Gauges Lamp (if equipped) monitors:
charging system voltage, engine coolant temperature
and engine oil pressure. If an extreme condition
is indicated, the lamp will be illuminated. This is
done as reminder to check the three gauges. The signal
to activate the lamp is sent via the CCD bus circuits.
The lamp is located on the instrument panel. "
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