Possible Electrical short...please help

[MyLadyZX]

My car is running rough, I also am loosing power. I have replaced the altinator, battery, and now my starter. I'm pretty sure its in my electrical but really not sure cant find a short anywhere. Any suggestions???

[robomatic12]

By loosing power, are you referring to loosing engine power or electrical power?

To adress the engine running rough, perform the 6P's (search) and make sure you do a power balance test to see if it is one (or more) cylinders not firing.

[MyLadyZX]

It only runs rough when my volts drop. I have been checking by battery with a volt meter and its not always charging my battery.

[robomatic12]

How are you aware of this voltage drop? What is the voltage of the battery with engine off and on? Have you gotten the alternator load tested and/or the battery tested?

[MyLadyZX]

I just replaced battery and put in an optima (red top) and just replaced altinator. I have been checking the volts with a volt meter, before i start the car and right after. I took out my a/c fuse and so far have not had much of a problem, but my volts dont jump right to 14 but they do get there quickly. before i start it latley the volts have been at 12. But as soon as I turn anything on like my defrost, lights, wipers, radio. they can drop to 10 sometimes lower. sometimes if I shut everything off i can regain volts, but not always.

[robomatic12]

It sounds like the alternator isn't keeping up with the loads being placed on it. With the engine running you should be getting around 14.4volts. I know some people have had problems with optimas though... I would be getting the alternator load tested, it could be a bad one.

[Ace2cool]

Now, Just to clarify, you don't have some "slammin" sound system, do you? Just making sure we're covering all the bases here.

[MyLadyZX]

No slammin system yet, cant find a box I want. The altenator tested good! It was running good the last two days but today my volts dropped again and there not going over 12.6. This car has given me nothing but problems! I love it so much and want to keep it but if I cant figure out what is wrong I'm going to have to sell it. Its my daily driver and I have already had to be towed once.

[robomatic12]

I would check for voltage drop over the larger cable coming off the alternator, and check for any cuts or knicks in it. Does the battery drain down over short periods of time to where you need to be jump-starting it?

[MyLadyZX]

Yes, I have had to jump it twice, any easy suggestions to check that cable off the alternator without taking it back out? Last night we hooked up a battery charger to the battery and i've been charging it all night. It sometime can regain the charge when I'm driving but most of the time it drains the alternator so low it wont charge the battery back up till i put a battery charger on it. and then it will do good for about 2 days.