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Ghia Electrical Problem
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JGriffoto
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Joined: November 25, 2009
Posts: 1
Location: Port Jefferson, NY
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:41 pm    Post subject: Ghia Electrical Problem Reply with quote

I just bought a 1972 Ghia from an elderly couple who took great care of the care and kept it garaged. I took it for 2 test drives prior to buying and all was fine. I brought it home and it sat in my driveway for 2 days before I put it on the road.

Anyways, went to start it up and the battery was dead. I jump started and it ran fine for about 5 minutes. When hooked up to jumpers the lights are bright and it runs great. Un-hook and then turn on the headlights or any other switch the car dies. It will not restart w/o a jump. Battery looks new. Regulator looks old. Fuses all look fine.
Any help would be great. Thanks! Confused
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jbar1
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Joined: October 06, 2005
Posts: 86
Location: Jewett City, CT
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like you have a great looking battery that needs replacing. It may look great but if not exercised enough it may have a dead cell. I would be taking it to have it checked out on a battery tester at the FLAPS.

Good luck, sounds like you got a great car regardless of this minor problem. Any pictures?
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John

1970 Ghia
1976 Porsche 912E
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rtroy
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Joined: June 03, 2009
Posts: 259
Location: California
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whatever else may be wrong, fully charge the battery before its next use. I would recommend topping up the electrolyte (distilled, deionized, non-chlorinated water is best) before recharging, if it is a non-sealed type.

There may be NOTHING wrong, just that you didn't charge the battery enough. Batteries will self-discharge at some rate even when nothing is wrong and if you don't fully charge them, you can have problems like you report. Never intentionally store a battery in any condition other than completely fully charged.

Once you have a fully charged battery, install leaving the ground strap removed. Turn everything off. Use a volt-meter to measure from the battery post (with a negative lead), to the ground wire (with a positive lead). If you read a voltage, something is still on. One at a time, remove a fuse and re-test, reinstalling the just removed fuse when moving to the next. This should identify the circuit that's still got a load on it. Once you know which fuse, use the volt meter to determine which side of the fuse is load vs battery / ignition, and then remove all wires from the load side and then test similarly by re-connecting each wire to the load-side (with fuse in place, of course), until you find the load that is on even when it's supposed to be off. Then, perform remedial action on whatever is identified.

Don't forget warning buzzers in that year!

Rgds,
RT
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Richard

Karmann Ghia and Porsche 356 enthusiast
Founder, The Karmann Ghia Club of N. America
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