My '86's is having some issues

[reeree79]

Well it started the other day when i would start my car, it would never go down to a normal idling level. It was idling at about 3000 rpm.

Then, the brake and battery indicators came on.

As I was trying to drive it home that night, all the lights lost power. The radio turned off, the dash lights, the clock, and my headlights.

Once I got home, i turned my car off.

I tried turning it on again, but the battery was dead.

I have jumped the battery once since then and it started perfectly but still idles at 3000 rpm.
I have read that it could possibly be the alternator, BUT no one else mentioned anything about a high idle.

please help me out!

[spawn7037]

I know some cars will idle high if the coolant sensor goes bad, but it wouldn't explain why your battery died and all the electronics crashing.

[4agetercel]

alternator

[aaronv94le]

Not sure, but sounds like it could be the ECM. Mine just went out in my 83 Caprice.I didnt even know it had one.

[4agetercel]

Originally Posted by reeree79

Well it started the other day when i would start my car, it would never go down to a normal idling level. It was idling at about 3000 rpm.

Then, the brake and battery indicators came on.

As I was trying to drive it home that night, all the lights lost power. The radio turned off, the dash lights, the clock, and my headlights.

Once I got home, i turned my car off.

I tried turning it on again, but the battery was dead.

I have jumped the battery once since then and it started perfectly but still idles at 3000 rpm.
I have read that it could possibly be the alternator, BUT no one else mentioned anything about a high idle.

please help me out!

Im not sure why it goes up to 3000 but my buddy has the same car and a pooched alternator and the same thing happens with the high idle,

when the brake and battery lights come on thats the indicator that the alternator isnt charging anymore, and the vehicle is running off the battery soley, when your lights died and radio turned off it was because the battery voltage had gotten so low that the car was stutting down anything not needed to run the engine, and then when you came out in the morning the next day the usual battery dead is what you had,

In conclusion your car needs a new alternator

[reeree79]

thanks everyone for the advice. it was the alternator just like i thought.

and the high idling was because the throttle was stuck open.

two seprate problems.