[Satelliteguy]

I am losing battery power after a few days. My alternator is working putting out 13.65 V while running, yet if I let my 89 YJ sit for a few days, the battery loses quite alot of it's power. Obviously a short, but I don't really know how to locate it. Any ideas? Thanks

[sonic289]

Is the battery dead where it won't turn on the lights or radio or is it just not turing over the motor. I had these exact same symptoms, I would get in my jeep and try to start it and it would act as if the battery were dead. I thought I had a short too since if I tapped the solenoid nothing would happen and if I jumped the solenoid you could hear it click like it was fine. If I jumpstarted it it would start. Well I took everything thing in to the auto supply place for free testing and it turned out my starter was bad, as the battery and alt tested fine. I replaced the starter and everything was fine. In hind sight I kinda wish I would have cleaned all the starter wires with a wire brush first. On my year jeep there is a big wire leading from the solenoid to the starter that may have been dirty.

Anyhow, I hope this helps...

[lookin4mud]

you can tell if your battery is bad, starters bad solenoids bad or its something else pretty easily. test the battery with a battery tester that applies a LOAD. if thats good, use a voltmeter to tell if there's curent going to the solenoid. current there then go to the starter. have some one turn on teh jeep to start it ( make sure it's in nuetral) and make sure there's current to the starter, if there is then the starters bad if not, then either the solenoid is bad or the ignition (refering to the ignition where the key goes in adn its components) is bad.

[CubanJeeper]

This may sound stupid and obvious but its proven true everytime. Take a wire terminal brush (costs about $3.95 at the auto store) and clean the battery posts and the terminals. They make look clean (no corrosion) but they should be shiny silver.

Can't tell you how many times thats bitten me in the ***.

Try that before anything else. HTH.

[bidnizman]

Hey,
So if you drive it everyday, its starts up fine,but when you let it sit for a couple of days it wont start? I have the same problem. I've had the problem for quite a while, tried finding the drain, can't seem to figure it out. I just disconnect the ground terminal whenever i wont be driving it for a while. You can also buy a fancy battery disconnect switch if you want to make it easier on yourself. I know this isn't a fix, but tracing an electrical short/drain is a PITA. Much easier to pop the hood every now and then.

[jeepnguns]

You might want to check the water in the battery mine went low one time and did the same thing. make sure to fill with distilled water. You may have to charge the battery after you fill.

[beddo]

My jeep was acting like the battery was almost dead when starting too. Turn out the brushes were gone in my starter. I figured that one out..... after I bought a new battery.