Well lately I've been workin on my car getting all the codes fixed and stuff before winter.

Today I go out to try and start it and the battery hardly has any juice, I'm a bit annoyed at this point because I bought a battery just like 2 months ago! My dad seems to think its my alarm draining it. Yet I can't find where the alarm even goes to the battery?! all I have hooked up to the battery is the small amp and my nitrous switch.

I know its not really much to go on has anyone else experienced this problem? could it be a junk battery?

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-KC

1988 Formula, 3.4 modified 5spd
75 NX (Nitrous) 100% polly

Alright, yes it could be the battery. Since buying my new fiero about little over a year ago I've gone through 3 batteries because they all were duds in some way. The car seemed to be draining them, but the batteries each had a different way of malfunctioning. So I'd advise to take your battery to Advanced Auto or whereever you bought it and get it tested.

Also...I had the problem with my battery running dead over time. My problem was there were a few wires that come through the firewall into the read hood to the selonoid and the grommet they held them in at the hinge had come out and the wires were stripped in the hinge therefore shorting my trunk lock out. Also drained the battery. Doubt this is your problem, but it could happen.

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appreciate the help, I'll run out to advanced auto today and get it tested.. I'm assuming this is free?

Use your Amp Meter (Multi meter), disconnect the ground wire from your battery, put the amp meter between the battery and the ground wire and read how much current is being drawn with the ignition off. If you have more than a few milli amps being drawn, start disconnecting fuses or accesories that are supposed opperate or be energized whith the ignition off. If you don't find the culprit then, start pulling fuses/disconnecting things that are not supposed to be energized witht he ignition off.

Your car alarm would be the first thing I would check.

Carefully with your amp meter you will blow the fuse if you connect directly to the battery. Put a 1K ohm resistor in series with the amp meter to eliminate the inrush current during hook-up. Other wise it one fuse at a time until you find the load. One common problem I have seen here is the fuel pump relay located behind the air cleaner. For some reason its failure mode is to draw leakage current from the battery.

not sure if formula's have a trunk light, but if your trunk light does not turn off your battery will fail.

To see if you have a bad battery or not.....unplug it overnight. If it is ok in the morning......then you have a battery drain.

The next thing I would do is exactly what John said above. I've got lots of experience in checking for battery drains and shorts and this is the best way to do it. When you have located the drain the amps on the gauge will go way down. Take into account that in some circuits you are re-entergizing a circuit that may have a relay or other device and you may see an amp spike for a few seconds.......ignore that.

If this is a recent thing.....experience tells me that the alarm is the most likely suspect......John knows his stuff too!

Phil

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GTDude
OVER 25 years GM experience

Hmm I have no clue on where the stupid alarm even goes.. I see wires in the front and followed them underneath, but I'm a tad bit lost, had it installed for free so I have no clue on what I'm doin