scope513

So long story short I bought a used 1996 Trans Am. Weird because BMV has it listed as a formula...anyways- So I read so much on forums and shboxs website. Alot of great info, actually have it bookmarked. So the guy I bought it froms son did some things to it. He said, it started up after second turn of the key, drove it 50 miles home. The only things he mentioned was it needs new spark plugs. Which isn't expensive. Pulled out spark plugs PITA..they were gapped to .55. Which is odd cause the acdelcos i ordered were .50. So I put in the acdelcos. Replaced the msd 8.5s with jegs 8.5s so wires are new too. Car kept dying after driving it about 200 miles. Long story short took it to shop they said I needed a new fuel pump, so I had that replaced along with relay. So now it has a parasitic draw from battery, the idiots at the shop replaced starter, neutral saftey switch and brand new purple wire to starter, new negative cable, ran a straight pos cable from top post of new yellow top optima to starter?, alternator passed with flying colors, new opti, new water pump, accel coil, new standard brand icm. Is there something else that can be draining battery? Going to jump battery again, and run multi meter with pics after letting it sit an hour after opening door. Will post pics.

ray42

Scope,

Got a multimeter? Is the battery charged? If so, set the Ammeter for Ammeter function (switch Ammeter input leads as necessary), disconnect one cable from the battery, and connect the Ammeter between that battery cable and the open battery terminal. Polarity won't matter on a digital meter, they read both ways, but get it right if you have a swinging needle Ammeter. The meter will show you the Amps being drawn, with everything OFF. Then pull out one fuse at a time, until the Ammeter shows a big drop in the current flow. That fuse powers your "slow leak." Let us know what you find.

If you do not have an Ammeter, replace that gadget with one small instrument light, and all else is the same. As long as the lamp glows (even dimly in a little box), this test process will be the same. When the light goes out, you just pulled the fuse that powers the bad circuit.

With everything working normally, there will always be small drain on the car battery, even when the car is parked and locked. You are searching for a serious current drain, if it can flatten your battery overnight. If it is an electrical system that you do not need today, such as the wipers or radio, you can simply pull out the correct fuse when you park the car, to keep the battery charged.

Track down the problem from there. Let us know what you find.

The Formula Trans Am is a rare 'bird, so rare that many so-called "experts" will claim there is no such thing. There really is a Formula version of the Trans Am; I had one. Not many were made. Track down your car on a (USA) federal government VIN decoder, to verify the claim of the Previous Owner. One of the big auction houses sold one last year for about US$14k. You may want to get better insurance for the real value of the car, once you have a print-out.

Good hunting!
.

scope513

Reconnected all engine grounds and cleaned them up. I put a 4gauge strap on the frame to ignition coil. Pics soon also the vin Ill send let me know if its a rare one.

scope513

Injuneer

You can’t tell how “rare” it is from the VIN. From Shoebox:

http://shbox.com/1/vin_engine_id.jpg

Note the “V” in position 5 = “Formula/TransAm”. That's why DMV typically lists it as a Formula. It really just means it's a base Firebird that has been modified to a V8 model.

Injuneer

It's the combination of options, color, etc. that would make it rare:

Trans Am World - 1996 Firebird Breakdown

scope513

What's the slp badge on the back? Something they added on?

ray42

Scope,

Your VIN shows as a Firebird Formula. There are lots of VIN decoders on the Internet, but you will have to pay some fee to get full reports. Some sites may be better than others on that part, but I never tried a money site. I have not found the .gov site that listed the production numbers of each model in the USA, but if it turns up, I will post it here.
.

Injuneer

Is the SLP badge chromed plastic, about 3/4” high, 4” long? If so, back in the early 2000’s SLP used to sponsor a big weekend event at Old Bridge Twp. Raceway Park in NJ. They gave everybody who signed up to attend a “goody bag” with a T-Shirt, catalog, etc., and one of those emblems. They gave it away with purchase, too. I stuck mine on the rolling tool cabinet in my garage.

Unless your car is a Firehawk, or has the WS6 option, SLP had nothing to do with it.

scope513

Yep chromed plastic..and 1st owner was from nj..hmmm

Injuneer

I'm not sure why there is so much confusion about the VIN and the RPO codes. The official GM version is available in the 1996 factory service manual. You shouldn't have to go to some "government" source to decode the VIN. And you don't have to pay for it. Compnine has a useful RPO decoder, based on inputting your VIN that you do have to pay a small fee for. But again, the factory service manual is free.

https://www.compnine.com/vid.php


Shoebox has the decoder page from the factory manual, see post #5, above.


Free factory service manual download - courtesy of GaryDoug:

http://www.mediafire.com/?40mfgeoe4ctti

Injuneer

SLP was headquartered in NJ, but they held their customer appreciation events in several other locations across the US.

scope513