Hi back again with another problem that I have scratched my head raw with and hope you guys can help without looking at the car which I know would be hard...
I am having a problem starting the car from a dead start, however starts perfectly when jumped. There are no sounds or anything. I've checked the battery voltage when the car is off and it reads really low around 5 and sometimes lower. I've also checked while the car is running and it reads 14V which I would assume means the alternator is putting the charge back in to the battery. If the battery is fully charged the will start on its own with out a jump, but quickly loses the charge in less than a day. I obviously have something that is draining the battery or several things but what exactly would I do to find out what it is? Thank you guys again.
Hello. It could be that the battery is bad and won't hold a charge. You can take the battery to an auto parts store and they will check it for you. You can also charge up the battery, disconnect the battery cables and see if it dies in a day or so like that. If yes, you need a new battery. If the battery is ok, connect the positive cable and disconnect the negative and check with a volt meter to see if you have a draw with the key off and the doors closed. Put the positive probe on the end of the negative battery cable and the negative probe on the negative battery post. If that shows voltage, you have a draw.
Thank you Veronica for replying so quickly! This past weekend I had actually charged the battery and left the positive terminal connected but did not connect the negative. The battery seemed to hold the charge when I went and checked it about 16 hours later or so. However after a run to the gas station to fuel up, I left the negative connected and the following night it didn't start, not even so much as a click. I will charge the battery up and check the draw as you said. If it does have a draw how would I be able to check to find where it is coming from? And once I get a chance I will take pictures of Josey(named after my grandma) and post them on here.
I say the problem is with the alternator. I believe a diode goes bad and allows the battery to drain to ground. Find a starter/alternator repair shop in your area and have it checked.
(Carefully) Disconnect the postive cable from the battery. If you have a test light connect the grounding clip on the battery post and touch the light to the battery cable. Does it light? If it does you have a draw.
Next disconnect the fuses and the main lead to the alternator one at a time (but don't put the fuses back in yet). When your light goes out, STOP. Which wire (or fuse) did you just remove. Remember that.
Next, start plugging the other fuses back in one at a time to see if any others cause the test light to come back on. If so, leave them out and continue.
If you are lucky you will have one fuse or wire that is causing the draw. If so, look at what is on that circuit. Some items (digital radios, clocks, etc.) are supposed to have a very small draw (milliamps) at all times - maybe enough to light a test light but not usually. But from your description you have at least one big draw.
Assuming you find a circuit with a draw, chase the wires on the circuit until you find the culprit (or two, don't assume it is just one thing even though that is likely).
If there are several items on the circuit and you cannot readily tell which item is causing the draw, disconnect (split) the individual items from the fuse area to further divide the circuit.
While the alternator is a good start, especially for a big draw. Don't rule out glove box lights, truck light (if you added it), etc.
Some people use a headlight in place of the test light for big draws, but it won't find a draw that is less than 5 amps or so. Five amps may not be enough to light the headlight but still enough to kill a battery overnight).
Also, don't try this with a modern car. Too many low draw circuits and electronics. You need a multimeter that has a protected circuit in place of the test light but the process is the same.
Put the positive probe on the end of the negative battery cable and the negative probe on the negative battery post. If that shows voltage, you have a draw.
Veronica,
I've ran the suggestions you had here: charged the battery fully and left disconnected for 2 days and the battery still had the same charge. I then put the probes exactly as designated above and had no charge, which I presume means i have no draw. I guess I should test the alternator next as mentioned above to see if it's causing it to drain to ground. Thank you guys again!
I had the battery completely charged showing 12 volts with the car off and 14.1 with the car on. I took the negative cable off and the car stayed running like it was supposed to. Gonna check my fuse box next. Any other suggestions?
Hi again. When you disconnect the negative battery cable the car is supposed to die. Once running, the car will keep running if you disconnect the positive cable because the car is running off of the alternator. But, if you disconnect the negative cable, you've also disconnected the alternator's ground, and it can't keep running the car with the ground disconnected. I would go back and double check which cable is which.
I have always heard that the car was suppsoed to stay running once you pull the negative cable if it is already running. Now I don't know what to think....I had checked the fuse box currents with the car off and they all show nothing except for the courtesy lights and the cigar fuse shows 12.1 volts. Is this supposed to show a voltage or should it be dead as well?
Hi again. What you have always heard is mistaken. If you disconnect the negative battery cable, everything is supposed to die, just like turning off a switch. If there is no path to ground, the circuit is broken. The plugs can't fire, the coil can't build a charge, nothing can work. The cigarette lighter is on the same circuit as the emergency flashers and should have power all the time.
My name is not Veronica but once again, your problem is with the alternator. When the diode goes bad the alternator will continue to charge but when you shut it down the battery bleeds back thru the defective diode, to ground.
Thank you guys again for all the help I will be taking the alternator out to pepboys and have it exchanged. By the way I was finally able to upload a picture to my avatar of my car. The only thing thats different looks wise about it now is the top matches the white of the stripes and the wheels are 5 spoked and shiny , while the tires are raised white lettering bf goodriches...slightly bigger profile in the back
My name is not Veronica but once again, your problem is with the alternator. When the diode goes bad the alternator will continue to charge but when you shut it down the battery bleeds back thru the defective diode, to ground.
Voila! Dead battery!
Hi again. That was why I asked him to check for a draw by disconnecting the negative battery cable and putting a volt meter in between the cable and the post. If the alternator was back-feeding because of a defective diode, it would show a draw. All electrical circuits end at the negative battery post. What you describe is a very common issue, as is a bad regulator, but, in both of those situations, the draw will show up if you run a volt meter between the negative battery cable and the negative battery post. That isn't what's happening with his car. And, he said that the car kept running when he disconnected the negative battery cable. Something has to be seriously wrong for that to happen, like, for example, has the battery cables on backwards. That would create a situation in which he believes that he is disconnecting the negative battery cable, but it was actually attached to the positive battery post. What he needs to do now is check for the draw between those posts with the probes reversed, with the positive probe on the battery post and the negative probe on the cable. If that shows a draw, he has the battery hooked up backwards.
Hi gals and guys...I just had the alternator professionally tested as per request and as I expected from the amateur test I did prior with my voltmeter the alternator was good, although it came up showing a failed regulator which i was told by pepboys that it was bc there was no regulator hooked up because i have an external one which to me makes sense.
Veronica I do thank you for all your help but unless something got reversed in the way the current runs the battery cables I believe I have set up correctly (neg to a bolt on the engine block to ground it and the pos to the starter solenoid). On the other side of the solenoid there is a cable that goes to the starter. My alternator is wired as followed: the black and red ground wire from ground on the alternator to the same place as the negative cable from the battery and is attached at the block, the black and yellow from the batt post on alt to where the pos battery cable is attached to the solenoid, and then 2 wires that come from the voltage regulator. I have a small wonderance as to the instrument panel harness, I think I may have attached one of the grounds on it to the post on the back of the ignition switch, so I wonder if in fact that is either causing a loop or not allowing there to be a necessary ground. Once again my friends here I thank you so much for your help as I am learning so much especially with this being my first car.
I have given up. I than kyou for all your help but as I figured with this kind of problem, you have to be able to see it and tinker with it to help fix what's actually wrong and I obviously can't send my car through the computer. Josie (named after my grandma) is going to the doctor either tonight or tomorrow to be examined by a live professional and possibly have surgery on her wiring. Once again thank you and I will be back with more questino I am sure.
1964 Mustang Electrical death 
It could be that the battery is bad and won't hold a charge. You can take the battery to an auto parts store and they will check it for you. You can also charge up the battery, disconnect the battery cables and see if it dies in a day or so like that. If yes, you need a new battery. If the battery is ok, connect the positive cable and disconnect the negative and check with a volt meter to see if you have a draw with the key off and the doors closed. Put the positive probe on the end of the negative battery cable and the negative probe on the negative battery post. If that shows voltage, you have a draw. 
If you disconnect the negative battery cable, everything is supposed to die, just like turning off a switch. If there is no path to ground, the circuit is broken. The plugs can't fire, the coil can't build a charge, nothing can work. The cigarette lighter is on the same circuit as the emergency flashers and should have power all the time. 
, while the tires are raised white lettering bf goodriches...slightly bigger profile in the back
I have given up. I than kyou for all your help but as I figured with this kind of problem, you have to be able to see it and tinker with it to help fix what's actually wrong and I obviously can't send my car through the computer. Josie (named after my grandma) is going to the doctor either tonight or tomorrow to be examined by a live professional and possibly have surgery on her wiring. Once again thank you and I will be back with more questino I am sure.
