# Electrical Issues with my 87' Chevy Caprice Station Wagon

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-issues-with-my-87-chevy-caprice-station-wagon/75354>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** chevrolet, caprice\
**Created:** [November 5, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-issues-with-my-87-chevy-caprice-station-wagon/75354 "2012-11-05T06:04:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GeronimoJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@GeronimoJones](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GeronimoJones)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-issues-with-my-87-chevy-caprice-station-wagon/75354/1 "2012-11-05T06:04:29Z")

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One night i drove my car home after work and it ran fine, The next morning it simply had no battery power, Not even clicking.

-I took the battery to get it tested- A-Ok  
So i put it in the car to check and it ran the car just fine for 2 trips to and from work, the 2nd night the headlights went almost completely out on the way home.  
-Replaced the Alternation- still not charging the Battery  
-Replaced the Started based on some advice that if the starter is weak it could be using to much to start the car

Now when I get the car jumped off the engine sounds great when I give it gas, drives just fine, If i turn on the headlights it almost completely kills the engine. once they are on if I give it gas it sounds like its back firing or sputtering once it hits mid RPMs. Anything I do that required Electrical power makes the car almost die. I’ve unhooked my radio a few weeks before this started because it would come on and go off randomly.

I’ve now been told to look in to a Voltage Regulator and/or look for shorts in my wiring.

I need to know if those sound like valid steps and how to check for shorts? Any other advice of suggestions would be great to have also.

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 6:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-issues-with-my-87-chevy-caprice-station-wagon/75354/2 "2012-11-05T06:12:47Z")

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Your battery has the side mount battery cables. If this were my vehicle, I’d replace the positive battery cable assembly.

Tester

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**Author:** ![GeronimoJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@GeronimoJones](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GeronimoJones)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electrical-issues-with-my-87-chevy-caprice-station-wagon/75354/3 "2012-11-05T06:14:09Z")

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Consider it done. Thank you so much for a very quick reply.