Lincoln ls draining battery

sleeperLS

sleeperLS

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So I am trying to put 2 and 2 together, my alternator started making a whining noise about a week ago and I took it to advanced auto and they said something about the alternator draining power into my battery or vice versa. Well one of my buddies works at Honda and he hooked up a voltage reader to my battery and said it was parasitic draw. I'm not sure how long this has been occurring but I just found out right after the alternator started whining. My battery is not messed up to the point to where it would not start in the morning when I left it connected. I just bought a new alternator yesterday and am waiting for it to come in. What do you think? Is it the alternator or something else like a circuit?
 
parasitic drains can be hundreds of things, but if you started having trouble at the same time your alt started making abnormal noises, its a good bet that the problem is the alt.
 
1LoudLS said:
parasitic drains can be hundreds of things, but if you started having trouble at the same time your alt started making abnormal noises, its a good bet that the problem is the alt.
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I have read forums about it being the alternator. It's a good chance that it is that and the battery. I read the carfax and the battery was replaced 7 years ago and also my car has 70k miles on it and alternators are said to last around 80k normally. But I can't say mine went out normally because I did have a 6k Watt amp hooked up to the battery. Since I already bought a new alternator I am going to install the new one + a new battery and then test it.
 
sleeperLS said:
... and alternators are said to last around 80k ...
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Who said that? Most of mine have gone much longer than that. My 04 is over 180K miles with the original alternator, but my 06 alternator only made it to about 100K miles.

You don't have to guess at it being the alternator. There are some fairly simple tests. The checks to see if it is charging correctly have been posted many times. The test to see if it is draining the battery when off is pretty easy too. Disconnect the battery negative, disconnect the big wire at the alternator, connect an ammeter* between the terminal on the alternator and the big wire. Make sure the big wire can't short to anything (best to tape it up). Reconnect the battery. If there is any reading on the ammeter other than zero, the alternator is your problem.

*: ammeter can be a multimeter set to DC current. It should have at least a 10A range, and be able to read down to 1 mA (0.001A).

Note: Do not start the engine during any of this test. If you do, you will damage your meter.
 
joegr said:
Who said that? Most of mine have gone much longer than that. My 04 is over 180K miles with the original alternator, but my 06 alternator only made it to about 100K miles.

You don't have to guess at it being the alternator. There are some fairly simple tests. The checks to see if it is charging correctly have been posted many times. The test to see if it is draining the battery when off is pretty easy too. Disconnect the battery negative, disconnect the big wire at the alternator, connect an ammeter* between the terminal on the alternator and the big wire. Make sure the big wire can't short to anything (best to tape it up). Reconnect the battery. If there is any reading on the ammeter other than zero, the alternator is your problem.

*: ammeter can be a multimeter set to DC current. It should have at least a 10A range, and be able to read down to 1 mA (0.001A).

Note: Do not start the engine during any of this test. If you do, you will damage your meter.
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But wait you are disconnecting the alternator and then you are testing it to see if it is draining the battery when it is off. For it to be the alternator that is draining the battery it should not have any reading when it is disconnected and when you connect it back you should get a reading telling you that battery is being drawn
 
sleeperLS said:
But wait you are disconnecting the alternator and then you are testing it to see if it is draining the battery when it is off. For it to be the alternator that is draining the battery it should not have any reading when it is disconnected and when you connect it back you should get a reading telling you that battery is being drawn
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Please re-read my instructions.
"disconnect the big wire at the alternator, connect an ammeter* between the terminal on the alternator and the big wire."

That is not disconnecting the alternator. That is inserting a current meter in between the alternator and the battery. That way you can see if any current is flowing into the alternator from the battery when the engine is off.
 
Lincoln LSs are known to develop parasitic losses. When I plan to let mine set for a few weeks, I either put a trickle charger on it or disconnect the hot side of the battery. Doing any less is asking for trouble---ask me how I know!!!

KS
 
1LoudLS said:
which is the exact same thing Eric does @5:00 in that video.
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When you mean in between the alternator and the battery you don't mean putting one end of the multi on the alternator and the other on the battery? Because since the battery is in the back you would need a long wire for that. What you are trying to say is disconnected the alternator wire (which I meant before, I just described it bad) and then see if it is that by using the multimeter on the negative battery terminal and the battery itself.
 
The big wire at the alternator is directly connected to the battery. Between the alternator and the battery = between the alternator and the big wire that was attached to the alternator.

"disconnect the big wire at the alternator, connect an ammeter* between the terminal on the alternator and the big wire."
 
joegr said:
I confess, I did not watch the video.
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So one quick question, I just bought a multi Metter and when I hooked it up with the battery disconnected, I put one lead on the terminal and one on the battery and the trunk light came on. Is this supposed to happen and also will it give a reading of draining battery because of the light coming on
 
Yes.
That is how to check for a parasitic drain in general. Just wait 30 minutes or so for the car to sleep (don't touch anything while waiting.) Note that the trunk light will go off a little bit before the car actually sleeps.

This is not how to test to see if the parasitic drain is the alternator. You have to disconnect the main wire at the alternator, not the battery, for that. (Disconnecting the battery in my instructions is just to keep you from frying anything while disconnecting the wire at the alternator.)
 
1LoudLS said:
which is the exact same thing Eric does @5:00 in that video.
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Okay, now I've watched the video. What he does is absolutely not "the exact same thing" as I was describing. Please re-read my instructions.
 
no, sorry I meant more of a visual of putting the meter inline of a circuit, and not where to insert the meter. after rereading that, iit wasn't very clear. it was really only half of a thought.
 
I have a 2002 ls battery is draining,I have continuse power with key out and doors open. Didn't start doing this till I replaced alternator. Need help
 
Tay937 said:
I have a 2002 ls battery is draining,I have continuse power with key out and doors open. Didn't start doing this till I replaced alternator. Need help
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I don't know what "I have continuse power with key out and doors open." means.
Anyway, since it started when you replaced the alternator, maybe start with the test given in post #5.
Also, is your replacement alternator Motorcraft? Aftermarket alternators very rarely work with the gen I (2002 is gen I) LS.
 
joegr said:
I don't know what "I have continuse power with key out and doors open." means.
Anyway, since it started when you replaced the alternator, maybe start with the test given in post #5.
Also, is your replacement alternator Motorcraft? Aftermarket alternators very rarely work with the gen I (2002 is gen I) LS.
Click to expand...
It's a aftermarket from eBay
 
Wat I meant was when I cut my car off and take key out I still have power to Windows sunroof and radio. Even after I open the door and my seat dose not adjust back after I take key out either.
 
joegr said:
The odds are very good (but not certain) that this is your problem.
Click to expand...

joegr said:
I don't know what "I have continuse power with key out and doors open." means.
Anyway, since it started when you replaced the alternator, maybe start with the test given in post #5.
Also, is your replacement alternator Motorcraft? Aftermarket alternators very rarely work with the gen I (2002 is gen I) LS.
Click to expand...
Wat I meant was when I cut my car off and take key out I still have power to Windows sunroof
 
Tay937 said:
Wat I meant was when I cut my car off and take key out I still have power to Windows sunroof and radio. Even after I open the door and my seat dose not adjust back after I take key out either.
Click to expand...

Well, that won't be related to the alternator.
Does the key in warning chime work if you open the driver's door with the key in?
 
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