Changed Battery - Now won't stay running without using accelerator

so your alternator recharge wires are not working...

I ran into this problem along time ago on a chevrolet beretta i replaced the alternator and then the battery and it still wouldnt charge come to find out it was the red wire that runs from the battery to the starter the end that connects to the starter was broke and wouldnt let the battery recharge, so this is what i would check next the part only costed about 50 cents at the parts place and is very easy to replace. hope this helps.

the battery wont stay charged? if youre putting in a fully charged battery and your car runs, but then the battery slowly dies, the problem will be your alternator. the alternator is what maintains a car batteries charge. try replacing the alternator. hope this helps.

Hi,
I would suspect the alternator also, but I would check the recharge voltage before taking it off. You will require a digital multimeter. If you dont have one, you can get a cheap one at WalMart for about $12. With engine running, multimeter set to 20 volts DC, hold red lead to POS and black lead to NEG on battery. Your voltage reading should be 13.6-14.4 volts. Lower than 13 volts, you are not recharging correctly, but this could also be bad or corroded wiring, so check the voltage from the large wire (red lead) on back of alternator to ground. (Negative on battery and then to alternator to bracket bolt at alternator). If you get a good reading of 13.6-14.4 volts, could be a bad battery cable or corroded / loose connection in wiring. If your alternator checks OK, your battery may be failing. You can have it load tested free at Autozone and WalMart. Just because a battery reads 12+ volts, does not mean it can hold a charge with enough amperage to start your motor for an extended period of time. Running your battery very low or dead can cause it to fail like that. Also, batteries are usually due for replacement at 3-5 year intervals. They dont last forever.
Well, run some checks and let us know how you do. If you cant isolate the problem using those checks, reply and we can try a different route.
Thanks, Mike

The first thing you need to do is stop wasting your money by replacing parts. Then get a volt-ohm meter and a test light to test the circuits between the battery, the alternator, the ignition switch, the starter relay and the voltage regulator. (a.k.a. Charging System Circuits)

To start, the "B+" or "BATT" terminal on the alternator (large black wire) MUST have a solid, direct connection to the battery. Check for the proper voltage here. Then, the red wire on the alternator at the "F2" terminal should be HOT at all times. If not, you probably still have a bad fuse link that you missed. The "F1" terminal on the alternator (Light Green wire) is known as your "FIELD" wire. It comes from the "IG" terminal at the voltage regulator. It should be hot any time the key is in the ON position. If not, your voltage regulator is not working or your ignition switch is not providing power to the regulator. Finally, The "F" terminal (Red wire) at the regulator should be hot any time the ignition switch is in the ON position. This actually gets it's power from the starter relay, which gets its power from the ignition switch.

Please also review these articles:

What Else Could Be Wrong?

My Car Won't Turn Over

I assume you checked the battery cables and cleaned the connections and made sure they are connected tightly

Next I would check the fuse... may need to be replaced even if it looks "ok"

If so and the light is still on

Then the battery indicator lightbulb behind the instrument panel may be bad.

Now you have a good battery & a starter that turns over the motor

Have you cycled the key on & off with a fuel pressure gauge on the
fuel rail?

Do you have a fuel filter that isn't over 3 or 4 years old?

Have you checked for spark while cranking ? Use an old plug on the wires,
if you have ignition wires,don't ground the wire without resistance

If you removed the ducting & MAF Sensor it won't start

Tell us what you checked & exactly how that was done.

Testing the electrical circuits an componets is the way to find the problem , not guessing . Testing power an grounds . Voltage Drop Testing the Charging System Plus this charging system is computer controlled .Free wiring diagrams here http://www.bbbind.com/free_tsb.html Enter vehicle info. year , make , model , engine size . Under system click on engine , subsystem click charging system .

loosen the battery cable.... start the car with a boost.... after it is running... unhook the battery.... if it dies... replace the alternator... if it keeps running... replace the battery.... make sure this is done outside and everyone working on the car is wearing safety glasses

Check the NEGATIVE battery cable from the battery to the ground pont