Electrical System Nightmare

[markd79ta]

I used the Roadmaster to jump both my Blazer and Suburban in order to work on them this weekend. All went downhill after that. The battery won't hold a charge but indicates a good battery on a test. My alternator is putting out good voltage. My starter makes a pinging noise when I start the car kinda like it would if you hit the starter with the car running. As I am driving, the car will fade out for a second and come back. What the heck? This will be fun to figure out To make matters worse, I need to pull the opti again because a bad seal is leaking oil all over it...big sigh!!!

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

Need to test the battery under a load. Assuming you don't have a short in the wiring, the starter is going to draw several hundred amps when you crank it. The battery shouldn't sag too much below 9 or 10 volts when cranking, or it is telling you it has no cranking power. If the voltage goes really low, the battery is gone, or else it is just not charged up. a slow trickle charge might bring it back to life. The alternator should make about 13.8V or so.