hey guys I just bought a new battery for my 72 Dodge Charger and i have to jump it every time to get it to start and as soon as i shut it off it wont start again. I disconnected the battery while the car was running and it didn't shut off so i know the alternator is good. Does anyone know anybody know if this is a common issue? Any ideas would help A LOT. Thanks moparts!!

Did you check your grounds?

You do have a good ground from the rear of the engine to the body don't you??

yeah, but where are the main spots to check for grounds? Its a 340 block.

do you have a consatnt draw? New radio? alarm? How's your alternator? I'd measure the back of the alt and at the battery and see what numbers you are pulling. Maybe your trunk light is stuck on...just kidding

the alternator is new, no new radio or alarm or anything like that. I can turn the headlights on with the battery, but when i go to crank it, the headlights dim a lot.

Put it on a fast idle & see what (charging) voltage you have at the posts. Then as said see if you have a draw anywhere by w it "not running" take off a batt terminal from either post at night & see if there's a miniscule spark or use your meter. The batt is always the 1st suspect but w it new I'm assuming it is good and that the prob existed b 4 & you got a new batt & still no resolution EDIT when you check your charging voltage you need to have it fully charged to get an accurate reading & w it being run down you'll get a false high reading till it's fully charged

WHERE did you buy the battery? Some of the retailers have a free service that will do a basic electrical check.

Check how many volts the battery has at rest. Should be more than 12 V, if not charge it until it does. 2) Start the car, if you can. If when you try and it does not start, the volts dropped below say 11, then the battery is probaly junk. 3) Most auto part stores have a meter to check "load" and how many amps is being starved (you did buy a battery that puts out 600 amps or more and more than 800 on a HP motor, and by the way, more than 1100 if it is in the trunk?). 4) If it starts and you run for a awile, put the gage on the battery whiles it's running and see if it is charging at somwwhere around 14V. 5)Shut off the car, check the volts every 15 minutes to see if there is a major drop, if so there is either a drain somewhere, and disconect the battery and check every 15, if it drops alot then, it's junk.

But the way the starter could be going and it takes alot of amps to get it going, and when it gets hot, it takes more.

i had an alternator that checked out fine, volt wise. it was putting out plenty of volts, and almost no amps. i discounted that as the problem as i had checked all that, until it completely died. i found out by having it tested at a shop that could test the amps as well.

You didn't mention if was a sealed lead acid or not. A few years ago I had two brand new standard, (wet), lead acid batteries from auto parts stores with bad cells. Haven't seen a new sealed one bad yet, but it's possible, as was said have a parts store run it on the diagnostic machine.