Problem with moving Battery to Trunk
 

So I have a 2004 Dodge Stratus, L4 2.4l doch engine.
And just yesterday I moved my battery to my trunk, cause it was under my driver side tire and it collects a lot of dirt.
I moved it and used a 4awg gauge power wire, and grounded the black to my trunk frame, scratched off the paint before grounding it and everything.
I left the power wire that's under the fender of the driver side alone, and ducted taped it so the bolt won't touch any metal.
Connected my new 4awg gauge straight to my alternator and ran it all the way back to the trunk where I moved the battery to.
So after all the work, I took it for a test driver and my car started dying.
My battery light came on so I stopped my car and waited a little, then drive back home.
By that time it was too late to finish everything.
Now I checked my battery, today this morning, with multimeter and it read 11.98 volts.
Only my lights and accessory lights work, I try starting it but nothing happened, it won't crank but my lights work? Is my battery to low?
And then I tried checking to see if I have resistance in my wire.
Keep in mind, this is when I have my battery all hooked up
I hooked power end of my multimeter to the end of the new wire that connects to the alternator, and the ground cord of multimeter to the other end of the new wire that connects to my battery.
My multimeter beeps when I switch it to the sound option.
Is it suppose to beep?
Or do I have a short somewhere?
And when I switch my multimeter to 12v option, it says 8.5volts?
Is that 8.5 resistance?

I need help, please help me.
Thank you

Positive battery lead should connect to the + post on the Power Distribution Center, not the alternator.. Grounding the battery to the chassis in the trunk should be fine. #4AWG may or may not be the right wire for the distance run and amperage load.

Positive should be connected to where the other positive wire you taped off connects. Sounds like you are not very familiar with vehicle electrical systems. I'd find someone who is to get it connected the correct way, and, AS STATED ABOVE, ,4 awg is not large enough for the extended distance the power is now traveling.


If your meter is on 12 volts, the it is reading volts. Not resistance.

Well that's where I connected it at first, but it was with a 5 gauge wire.
That's when I took my car for a test drive.
That's when my battery light came on, I guess my alternator wasn't charging my battery.
Then a day later I bought some 4 gauge and connected it to my alternator.
But now I have everything connected with the 4 gauge,and my car won't crank and won't start, all my lights work.
I connected it to my alternator, then tried connecting it to the fuse post and under the fuse box, where it was first, either way - no start.
My lights don't dim though, aren't they suppose up dim?
That means not enough power is getting to my starter right?
Plus my battery is at 11.95. And when I try to get a jump start, it goes to 12.20, but still won't start.
I check my fuses but all are alright.

I think you fried something.

You should have ran it up to the starter and a lead going to the distribution center(if it has one,Not familiar with stratus). That's probably where the original cable went not directly to the alternator. Also would remove any unused cables and not just leave them with tape on them. You are just asking for trouble.

Exactly!!! You could have fried the wire running from the alternator to the original battery cable(This is the only way the starter can get power since you disconnected the original from the battery. It's NOT supposed to handle the amps that the starter is pulling.

your voltage on battery to low the battery's location behind tire wont have an effect on battery performance my 04 was 8 years old when I got rid of it with original battery. using a multimeter to check battery only gives you basically surface charge voltage ,doesn't show voltage or condition of battery(could be bad cell or internal short and show surface charge) when battery under load example trying to start car, I would take battery someplace to charge it if you don't have charger and load test it then go from there

Positive battery lead should go to the starter motor via the post on the PDC, NOT to the alternator. Alternator output is back to the PDC post and is regulated by signal from the PCM. You've essentially back-wired the battery to the starter via the alternator. I would be surprised if the alternator wiring - and perhaps the alternator itself - survived having that much amperage load trying to be shoved through it..

Thanks for everyone's help!! Fixed my issue. My issue was that the gauge was not big enough. I bought a 0 gauge wire, and it works like a charm!! Thanks everyone.