Ok My car is a 97 V6 camaro with a fairly new motor in it. Late last week I noticed my car not starting on the first turn of the key like it usually does. It slow kept getting worse like it would take 3 or four turns of the key and some wiggles of the battery cables. Then it went to only starting with a jump, so I checked the battery cable and the negative battery cable was melted a little so the copper wasn't making a good connection so I cleaned it and made sure it was making a good connection. I thought it was the vats so I bypassed the vats and the car only started with a jump again, but after a jump it seems to hold a charge for a period of time where it will start under it's own power. The other day it lasted for a about 7 hours but over night it died and need a jump again. I had the battery checked and it was ok . I then took had the alternator checked it was ok. Now I don't know where to go. I can her the starter working and I drive the car fine after it's started. Any help is much appreciated. I also just cleaned off the negative connections and the grounds. Please help I am starting to get frustrated....

 

sounds like you might have something inside the car draining the battery

 

Any ideas on where to start?

 

do you have any aftermarket electronics in your car ?

 

Nope nothing

 

Where did you have battery and alternator checked?

 

Autozone on both. I left my tester at my parents the last time I was there.

 

I talked to the guy that put my motor in for me and he said it sounds like my starter going bad.

 

Normally a starter will not draw you battery down. The windings in the starter or the solenoid can short but they do not have current flowing to them with the key off.

 

Since you have had an engine change, I would double check all the grounds and the wire bundle that goes behind the engine. Your mechanic might have pinched a wire or two while removing or installing the engine.
The short term fix would be to disconnect the negative battery cable at night.