Three Pinocchios

[ambitio]

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Earlier this evening when I tried to start the Bird after three weeks, the battery (less than a year old) was totally dead. This wasn't the first time I had the car sit for three weeks so it was weird. I jump started the car and she had the full suite of low battery attitude I have only seen in this TBird. Engine runs rough, the car stalls soon as you put it into Drive, etc. So started it with the booster again and had it idle for 15 min before her highness agreed to start driving.

As I was driving south on FDR towards Brooklyn I had three yellow lights on the cluster (picture). Made it to Brooklyn after about 40 min drive, parked and turned off the car. Tried to start it again just to test and she refused. The driver window was acting funny as well, dropping by about 2 inches every time I opened the door but not going back up. There was enough power left to pull the window up so I did but closing the door, it wasn't going into place but pushing against the soft top. So I closed the door with window out of place, locked and went to my friend for dinner.

The night had fallen by the time I came back to drive home. Trying to start the car I could hear loud clicking, no engine turning, the driver window dropping a couple of inches and the cluster flashing with each click. I boosted the car again and started driving. I t was dark so it was noticeable that the cluster is flickering every so often but the yellow lights were gone. An hour later I pulled back into the garage not daring to turn the car off. the driver window was still acting weird each time I opened the door dropping by a couple of inches. It was only after parking the car in its spot and turning it off that the driver window acted normally as a final act.

It is still unclear what drained the battery in the first place. Lights were off, keys out of the ignition, etc. The car was acting perfectly normal last time I used it. On the positive side, the fuel gauge seemed to be working fine for the first time since I bought this car two years ago!

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Best -- Reza

[007Cruiser]

I too have weird electrical things happening. Waiting for it to get cooler to explore further. I am now suspicious of the battery. The electronic modules supposedly speak to one another when the car is off. I’m thinking of installing a battery disconnect to prevent the drain. Also makes it harder to steal.

Something similar to this:

https://www.classicindustries.com/pr...7&gclsrc=3p.ds

[Lakebum]

I think that a battery disconnect is a very good idea Gene.. Maybe it's me but lately I have been reading more and more posts about Retro's sitting 3-4 months and ending up with electrical problems deluxe.. I was thinking of getting one but went with a battery tender instead.. We shall see shortly as we have had whacko weather here in the Texas this year so my Bird has been sitting longer than usual..

Sorry I don't have an answer Reza.. Three weeks was always my cut-off for letting mine sit and all was usually well. But as Covid kept screwing things up I got bit in the butt twice hence the battery tender.. Last time my battery went South I had no warning but it was overdue.. Guessing it is a combo of age of the cars and sitting longer due to the "Rona", gas prices etc.. It's all _____________ fault!!

Hope it turns out to be a cheap/easy fix..

[BLACK BEAUTY]

I get the airbag light and sometimes the door ajar light. I just keep driving...never letting Black Beauty rest for more than a couple weeks..at most...

[007Cruiser]

Mine had been on a battery tender.

[007161947]

Had mine on a battery tender for a year and a half with no issues at start up

Reza even though your battery is only a year old doesn't mean that it doesn't need replacing all the symptoms that you describe are battery related issues. Earl

[ambitio]

Thank you everyone for sharing thoughts and experiences; truly appreciate it.

I like the idea of the the disconnect as well as the tender, inconvenient as Ford geniuses made it placing the battery where it is. I will likely try them especially for the winter. Next step: negotiate power access with the garage !

[007Cruiser]

I’m thinking you won’t need the tender if you use the disconnect.

[ambitio]

I’m thinking you won’t need the tender if you use the disconnect.

I miss the days our cars were simple mechanical beings ....

[007Cruiser]

I miss the days our cars were simple mechanical beings ....

Same here. You need to be an electrical engineer today. Also, using the disconnect will cause to lose settings on the clock and the transmission will need to “relearn” the shift points.

[Elky64]

I plug in a battery tender JR about every 2weeks plus or minus. I am a little unusual in that I don't leave it plugged in as a play and forget. I realize many do tho.If I drive it a lot, then I don't bother. Lets face it the computers draw down, they are always on.
If you don't want this problem, I believe anything before'88 or 89 pretty much only had electronic ignition which didn't draw much. And older cars, off is off, unless there is actually an electrical problem.
I long ago checked with a clamp on ammeter and may have seen around .1 t0 .15 amp flowing. So that would be a1amp draw every 10 hrs and so in 100 hrs the batt. might be 10 amps down from full.Figure out how many hrs in 3 weeks and the batt is seriously down. Strictly speaking, these batts. are not deep cycle types(like for a trrolling motor) so they really are designed to be kept somewhere near fully charged.

[Brad]

I too have weird electrical things happening. Waiting for it to get cooler to explore further. I am now suspicious of the battery. The electronic modules supposedly speak to one another when the car is off. I’m thinking of installing a battery disconnect to prevent the drain. Also makes it harder to steal.

Something similar to this:

https://www.classicindustries.com/pr...7&gclsrc=3p.ds

When working properly the modules power down after 3 minutes. Parasitic drains can continue to draw power through the modules. A new parasitic drain I've discovered recently is aftermarket radios installed incorrectly.

[Elky64]

Sorry I forgot.
When you get a 'Tender' or what ever brand, they often come with a plug in pigtail that you leave permanently leave attached to the batt. It will have some variety of quick plugin. If it doesn't come with one, the guy at the auto parts store can show you one for $8-12.

[Brad]

I just got back from Florida, my retro down there with a 5 year old battery fired right up after sitting for 4 months with the alarm energized. If your battery goes dead something needs to be fixed or you don't drive often enough. Consider a float verses trickle charger.

[ambitio]

I got a tender and a portable booster (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1) to live in the trunk. Time to negotiate access to power with the garage.

The car only had oil changes since new and I changed tires last year. If there is a parasitic drain it must be factory wiring or something. I'll go back to it on Saturday. Hopefully it won't have an attitude again.