CarmG993

I leave the key in the ignition when I don't want to click and unclick the alarm. I am not sure about the amount of drain on battery by leaving key in.

TMc993

I think that after confirming the alternator output and health of the battery (Occasionally a new one will be bad) I would focus on the starter circuit. It sounds to me like you've had prior trouble with that circuit and an attempt was made to remedy it by replacing the starter. From your description, the starter isn't spinning the engine after you run it and shut down. It could be that whatever caused your first problem wasn't completely repaired by the replacement of the starter and it is drawing the battery down via some type of short circuit.

I'd start with a fully charged battery, start the car and check the alternator output per instructions stated above. If alternator output is good, drive it about for at least 20 minutes (Per your previous description) then park it in your garage and see if it will start again (That way it's home if it doesn't start). If the battery is good before start-up and the alternator is putting out the proper voltage when the car is running and then after shutting down the battery is drained, then there is a good chance that some circuit is staying closed after start-up and drawing the battery down. The most likely candidate would be the starter circuit, particularly if your don't have any other accessories turned on.

Whatever you do, do it one step at a time and change only one condition at a time. Otherwise, you'll never track down the problem.

Good luck.

jimbo3

Not exactly sure what's drawing when the key is left in the ignition, but I suspect that a computer and/or other electronics are energized. Without the key in the ignition, mine draws about 15 mA (vs 90 with the key in).

The battery tender I use is the Porsche one that plugs into the cig lighter, puts out about 1/2 amp and will not overcharge. Extra long cord is about 20-22 gauge so it can feed over the door sill and the door can be closed on it. I put a mini-switch on it about 1 ft away from the cig plug so I can hop in, turn it off, unplug it and toss it (gently) onto the floor. (Eliminates the need to plug/unplug at the wall or, in the case of other pattery tenders, having to raise the hood and carpet to unplug from battery- just hop in and go.)

-Jim

Mike Murphy

Well, if they said the battery was drained, then I guess it's only 1 of 2 scenarios. 1.) It was never fully charged to completion. 2.) Your alternator isn't doing its job. Have the battery slow-charged (2amps or less in a period of 36-48 hours. After it's fully charged, the problem won't come back unless your alternator isn't charging the battery. If the alternator is not working, I'm sure whoever installed it will fix it for free.

I should mention that it is possible, although very unlikely, that you have a bad battery. Yes, some brand new batteries are bad right from the start if they have been sitting on the shelf for too long. Just keep that in the back of your head if you have to keep running around with this issue.

JasonAndreas

If your replacement alternator was a generic Bosch unit then it's not that unusual for some reason.

Oxford_Hippo

Hi,

I thought when you leave the key in the ignition, turned to position 1 - the fuel pump carries on circulating fuel around the fuel lines system?

or is that only on earlier model 911s?

T

Slow Guy

The click sound is usually just the starter solenoid "clicking", usually means the starter is not getting enough amps/current to turn the starter and the engine over. "Turning the engine over" means the engine is rotating, on our 993's you'll see the fan rotating. When the engine is running it is "turning over" but you're not having to turn the key to keep it doing it. Turning over is the step before ignition.

Others have provided excellent suggestions, I would recommend you have the shop that performed the starter/alt. repair check their work first. Could be something as simple as a loose connection.