Weird electrical problem

[Don Corenman]

I have a 91 with 47K and new autorotor on it. Battery for some reason the night before was discharged and would not start the car. Put it on the charger and started fine the next AM. Drove to work and it sat for 12 hours.

In the evening, the battery was discharged again. Radio and acc. worked but wouldn't turn over. Jumped it and heard the typical clicking noise like the battery was strong enough to trigger the solenoid but not the starter. A small amount of smoke was noted near the manifold. Tried to start again and again, a clicking sound and a small puff of smoke noted again.

Towed it to Pikes Peak Acura and Paul went over the car. Started right up without charging the battery and everything checks out OK. He is going over the car today again.

Does anyone have any ideas as to this mystery? Thanks!

 

[heathbar0]

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68698&highlight=battery
This was my problem...similar but no smoke. Smoke could be from a loose connection arcing and burning off a little dirt?

 

[Don Corenman]

Thanks for the input. I'll make sure Paul knows about it (hopefully- he already does)

 

[Hugh]

Put an ammeter between one of the terminals and the battery and check to make sure there is no excessive current draw.

My Range Rover's battery was constantly dying in several hours and I discovered a 7 amp draw with no key in the ignition! After pulling every fuse and relay the draw was still there. It turned out to be a bad 02 sensor.

 

[Tomrev]

By chance, is you antenna working OK? A sticky / screwed up one will not retract fully and draw down the batt trying to complete it's function when the ing. is shut off.

 

[Don Corenman]

Will the antenna motor continue to make that whining sound or will it be silent and still draw power?

Don

 

[nsxaddicted]

Bad or loose connection on starter/battery cable would be my guess. the contacts in the solenoid wear out also, and are an easy diy fix.

 

[Tomrev]

The antenna will not make any noise, just silently draw those little electron's out of the batt. until she's depleted. I had this problem a few months ago, same thing: charge car, and she'd fire up and drive fine, next day, no juice. I knew the antenna was bad, and not fully retracting, and replaced with a used but good one, and yes, end of problem.

 

[latzke]

I can't explain the smoke (maybe a short in/near the starter?) but I recently (Thursday, driving home from Pueblo) experienced one way to end up with a (nearly) dead battery...

The CTSC install requires adding an included extension to the positive lead going into the alternator. The end of this, where it connects to the alternator, failed and disconnected on my car (not sure if it was corrosion, poor manufacturing of this extension by whoever makes it for Comptech, or a combination of these/others over time - as the CTSC is 7 years old). Thankfully I had the right tools along, and stumbled upon the cause of the issue, so I was able to limit being stranded in a parking lot to about 10 minutes or so.

Anyway, knowing that you recently had a CTSC installed, I would be sure to check (yourself or Paul) that both ends of the positive lead extension cable are secure. It's probably not related to your issue given the other symptoms, but it's a good thing to check IMO when you're ending up with a dead battery on an NSX (especially one with a CTSC). That, and checking for this will rule it out as a possibility, which is more likely the case (when I think about it, it's likely Paul already checked for this...but, again, never hurts to be sure).