White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

Hey Guys, i just installed new depo projector headlights and i left my car alone for like 4 hours and now my battery is dead. I just jump started it, took my girl home, and when I got back home shut her off. It had been like 35 minutes I was driving after the jump, and i tried to start her again, and nothing. My voltage gauge is reading around 10-11 volts, all the lights/radio work just fine... but no start.

Anyone have any suggestions as to what may be causing this? There are only 3 plugs on each of the lights, it doesn't take a genius to install them correctly or anything... but on my drivers side headlight my side amber/blinker is out. I have pulled out the plug and tried jiggling it around and putting it back in but still no light. Could this be draining the power while its off?

Any help would be very much appreciated, needing a jump every morning to get to work isn't going to be very much fun!

White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

Ok, so I jumped it again this morning, and when I was doing it I noticed that the MAF had been unplugged, Yesterday while the bumper was off I test fitted in all of my intercooler + piping, and didn't realise until now that it was off. Should have known since the idle was kinda irratic last night, but o well. Went through 1/4th a tank of gas in 43 miles :/

Anyway after the jump this morning my voltage was reading almost 15 on the way to work, and i drove for like 30 minutes again. As soon as i turned my car off, and tried to start it again, the voltage read like around 7-8 and not even my stereo would turn on.

Is my battery just shot now? Alternator out? lights causing a short?

mtags24

iTrader: (5)

I would take the lights off and see if the problem is fixed. If it does fix it, maybe you should post some pictures of your install so some more knowledgeable members can see whats wrong.

In any case you should think about returning the lights if possible.

sykou

iTrader: (19)

First check the fuses for the parking lights. Dont know how you hooked it up but if you didnt rewire anuthing its plug and play. Id say its your alternator. Use your multimeter and test voltage at the alt. Should be about 14 when running. Then check resistance between te pos terminal on alt and pos on batt. Also check resistance from bat neg to chassis. Keep the headlights there not the problem. If anything wiring bu i doubt it.

White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

I just pulled the fuses out on my lunch, and all of the light fuses are fine, not the problem there. If I was driving for 30 minutes shouldn't the alternator have given the battery a bit of a charge? It is dead immediatly after I shut the car off. Like not even 2 seconds later. But if the alternator is dead, would the car even be able to run for 30 minutes like normal?

Thanks again guys. I'll post pictures up of the light install tonight, they look awesome, I am just Hoping they wernt the problem. I did talk to depo, and they will replace the headlights if needed. But they are direct plug n play, right into the existing stock plugs.

pinstripdlancer

iTrader: (1)

If they are the EVO styled projectors for the 02 03 lancer then they aren't your problem. I have had mine on for over 3 months now with no problem, except my parking light didn't work. The parking light didn't wokr on mine because a wirer on the plug for the parking lights had came "loose" when I pushed it back in the plug they have worked fine ever since. Maybe it happens during shipping, i don't know. Back to your problem though, It's not the alternator or you wouldn't be able to drive for 30 minutes, you would be lucky to drive for 1 full minute from my experience. how old is your battery? My car acted the same when my battery went out, I had to jump it in the morning and when i got off of work. Go to a local Advanced or Auto Zone and have them check the battery for you.

sykou

iTrader: (19)

Hmm. Well if your alternator is bad your pretty much running straight of the battery. A quick test with a mulimeter should help. If you batt is faulty you wont be able to start it unless you jump it. It will run fine until you turn it off then it wont start up again. You gotta think tho, batteries dont usually crap out if you use the car daily. It might happen if you dont drive your car often. So maybe your alt isnt charging the bat enough causing it to drain? Again test the voltages, it'Ll tell you whats wrong

Go2fast

Most likely its the battery! The alternator is trying to charge the battery if your getting a reading of 14 to 15 volts when the car is running. The battery by its self when the car is not running should be at 12 volts. Your battery is probably shot and wont take a change anymore. Your car will run fine during driving because its running off the alternator. Like pinstripdlancer said take it to your local Advanced or Auto Zone and ask them to hook it up to their computer to test your battery and alternator.

White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

Thanks Guys. It was the battery, i also did have a blown fuse for one of the headlights, both are fixed and running/looking great!

I had tried to get one of the Optima RedTop batteries from Pepboys, but they said since the positive cable that comes off of our battery is like L shaped, that it wouldn't fit since the Optima's have their connectors like in the middle of the batery, and i have to go with a cheaper one like the stock. Anybody know how to fix that so we don't have that L shaped piece? (It holds a fuse on it)

sykou

iTrader: (19)

Ya just buy one of those universal battery cables. Got theterminal on one end, and the other is an eyelet which can bolt right up to the stock terminal.