My Truck Won't Go

["Linda B. Merims" <lbm@naisp.net>]

This is endurance-related in the sense that everybody here
has the problem of keeping their trucks going :-)

Looking for ideas...

'86 GMC 3/4 ton HD, 454 V-8.  New engine 33,000 miles ago.

One month ago, the starter went.  Dealer installed new starter.

Three weeks later, it appeared that the generator went.
 Symptoms were:
  1.  Truck started fine.
  2.  Drive 10 miles to feed store.
  3.  When I come out of the feed store, truck barely lurches
      into a start.  I notice that the battery guage is showing
      very low (at just about the red).
  4.  Drive home.  Keep truck running on the theory that it
      will recharge battery and if I want to go somewhere, I
      won't have to worry about getting the truck started.
  5.  2 hrs later, truck stops altogether.  Battery is reading
      in the red.

(At no time did the battery light ever go on.)

Tow guy comes.  Plugged truck into his power source, get it started,
but battery doesn't seem to be charging.  Tow truck to dealers.

Dealer replaces generator.  Recharges battery.

The next morning I come to pick it up.  I can't get it started.
Battery is showing in red.

Dealer replaces battery (big 78, just like the one already in it).

Truck starts immediately, no cranking, battery guage reads 12 volt,
pleasing surge of power.  Rrrrumm, Rrrrummmm!  Gotta love those 454s!

All is well for three weeks.

Drive truck one day.  Don't notice anything about battery.  Havn't
been paying any attention to battery since it was replaced.

Come out to start the truck the next day, and can't get it started.
Battery is reading close to 8 volts, nearly in the red.  It is
reading this from the very start, before I go through the
crank-crank-crank routine.  Truck never starts.  This morning,
it is in the red, even lower than it was yesterday.

What is going on here?


My conclusion is that something is trickle-draining my battery, but
I havn't a clue what it could be.

Any informed ideas welcome...

Linda B. Merims
Stuck driving a 4-cylinder Escort
lbm@naisp.net
Massachusetts, USA