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06-28-2005, 01:16 PM
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#1
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13 Second Club
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ewing/Galloway, NJ
Posts: 3,904
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Something is draining my battery
whenever my car is left unattended for more than a period of 24 hours it will no longer start, this isnt occasional, its pretty much guarnteed and its not slightly drained, its out, the starter wont even give me a whirl :P...bring out the jump box, put it on and it fires right up no probs...
1. the alternator is throwing voltage back at the battery fine
2. i have not had my system hooked up for months
3. my volt gauge is pretty much useless since it swings back and forth like a freaking clock
4. my fans are no longer hotwired and they dont come on until about ~160*
5. the characters at autozone tested my batt. and came up with a clean bill of health
any advice would be helpful right about now
__________________
EB
99 Riviera, Bone stock, 14.34 @ 96 "Walking 5.0's in luxury" RIP
95 Cherokee, Bone stock 16.2 @ 83 "Treeing your 3rd gen and beating it to the line despite trapping less....and looking better"
93 TA, Bone stock, 13.8 @ 100 "Beating ****** drivers in ****** LS1's"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/285090241699967/
R.I.P. Tia
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07-01-2005, 10:43 PM
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#2
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Montgomery NJ
Posts: 1,271
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Something is drawing a lot of power. Remove the ground cable and place a multimeter in A mode to measure the amps. Run the multimeter inline and see if it's drawing more than an amp. The only thing that should be taking power is the ecm to retain memory and the radio to do the same. Everything else should be completely off. If you find a lot of amps are being drawn from the battery with key off then keep measuring and start pulling fuses. That'll tell you what circuit is the problem. Good luck.
__________________
, Jon
Owner of a Red Sled.
If it\'s EFI I can tune it. Specialize in 82-95 GM (yes Lt1\'s)
\"If you can leave black marks on a straight from the time you exit a corner till the time you brake for the next turn.......Then, you have enough horsepower\" - Mark Donohue
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07-03-2005, 04:40 PM
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#3
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hawthorne, New Jersey
Posts: 516
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yeah like he said.
Just depending on the meter make sure you do it with a quality meter that has a internal fuese/breaker and that you have it set on at least a 10a scale..
FWIW i dont think even the ecm mem and radio mem is going to draw even a full amp.
Best thing to do is put the meter in series on the amp scale..then record your reading. Leaving the meter as it is, start pulling fuses one by one..if it stays the same replace the fuse if it suddenly drops down then you found your circuit.
Check places like glove box lights console lights etc..
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07-04-2005, 02:33 PM
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#4
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13 Second Club
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ewing/Galloway, NJ
Posts: 3,904
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well i just went out there and found 3 fuses that were using juice....11.89 volts at the battery with them in and 12.01 w/o...they were the pcm, pwr accy, and courtesy lights...but theyre always on, so theres not much i can do about that
ive cleaned the terminals, grounds, and posts connected to the battery
any other ideas as to what it can be?
__________________
EB
99 Riviera, Bone stock, 14.34 @ 96 "Walking 5.0's in luxury" RIP
95 Cherokee, Bone stock 16.2 @ 83 "Treeing your 3rd gen and beating it to the line despite trapping less....and looking better"
93 TA, Bone stock, 13.8 @ 100 "Beating ****** drivers in ****** LS1's"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/285090241699967/
R.I.P. Tia
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07-13-2005, 12:20 AM
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#5
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: roxbury nj 07876
Posts: 151
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Squirrel
well i just went out there and found 3 fuses that were using juice....11.89 volts at the battery with them in and 12.01 w/o...they were the pcm, pwr accy, and courtesy lights...but theyre always on, so theres not much i can do about that
ive cleaned the terminals, grounds, and posts connected to the battery
any other ideas as to what it can be?
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try looking at the back hatch motor sometimes they draw power when they are shorted try unplugging that and see what happens
__________________
warning surgeon general says nothing about smoking a ford!!!!
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07-13-2005, 09:23 AM
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#6
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13 Second Club
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ewing/Galloway, NJ
Posts: 3,904
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hatch motor??
__________________
EB
99 Riviera, Bone stock, 14.34 @ 96 "Walking 5.0's in luxury" RIP
95 Cherokee, Bone stock 16.2 @ 83 "Treeing your 3rd gen and beating it to the line despite trapping less....and looking better"
93 TA, Bone stock, 13.8 @ 100 "Beating ****** drivers in ****** LS1's"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/285090241699967/
R.I.P. Tia
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07-13-2005, 10:13 AM
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#7
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Co-Founder / Site Admin
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ewing, NJ
Posts: 22,473
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Squirrel
hatch motor??
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It's a very nifty device that only the thirdgens got. Allows the hatch to be shut tightly without slamming it. Remind me next time you are around and I'll show you how it works
- Justin
__________________
1999 Camry - Beigemobile DD
2002 Suburban - Wife's DD
2004 Grand Cherokee - Not running / Project / Selling?
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07-15-2005, 05:29 AM
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#8
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hawthorne, New Jersey
Posts: 516
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Its prolly the stupidest device known to man kind. It requires you to use effort to close your hatch ALMOST all the way, and then the motor does it the last inch or so...why this is important i dont know..i had a thirdgen without that option and it closed without slamming..who knows.. ;(
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07-15-2005, 09:24 AM
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#9
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Co-Founder / Site Admin
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ewing, NJ
Posts: 22,473
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 89 Trans Am WS6
Its prolly the stupidest device known to man kind. It requires you to use effort to close your hatch ALMOST all the way, and then the motor does it the last inch or so...why this is important i dont know..i had a thirdgen without that option and it closed without slamming..who knows.. ;(
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Eh - I've had one third gen with it, and one without. I still think it's nifty, but it will prolly get fired one of these days in the name of weight....
- Justin
__________________
1999 Camry - Beigemobile DD
2002 Suburban - Wife's DD
2004 Grand Cherokee - Not running / Project / Selling?
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07-15-2005, 09:26 AM
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#10
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Keyboard Tough Guy
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Trenton, NJ
Posts: 6,341
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy
Quote:
Originally Posted by 89 Trans Am WS6
Its prolly the stupidest device known to man kind. It requires you to use effort to close your hatch ALMOST all the way, and then the motor does it the last inch or so...why this is important i dont know..i had a thirdgen without that option and it closed without slamming..who knows.. ;(
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Eh - I've had one third gen with it, and one without. I still think it's nifty, but it will prolly get fired one of these days in the name of weight....
- Justin
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i dont think tim ever found one to work on his car...found one, but it didnt work...i cant stand them they always kill themselves.
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10-10-2006, 10:19 AM
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#11
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hillsborough, NJ
Posts: 3,200
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Hey guys,
I'm reviving this old thread because I am in the same boat. I got the whole car buttoned back up, turned the key, and got nothing. Nothing lights up, no chime to tell me the key is in the ignition, etc. Took the battery to Autozone for testing and they said they couuldn't even charge it enough to get any cranking amps out of it. And while I have a warranty on the battery (bought it at Sears) I need to find out what drained it.
I have a multi meter as describe above, but haven't used it for anything other than checking AC outlets in a house. How do I use it for checking fuses? I'm a noob at auto electrical stuff and need some guidance on how to use the multimeter for checking electrical shorts in the car.
Thanks!
__________________
I USED TO HAVE an 85 Camaro 305 4bbl, 90 Firebird V6, 97 Firebird V6 (10 speakers!). Despite the two family vehicles, 3 kids, wife and mortgage, I can finally realize the dream - 88 TA almost all stock... for now.
http://www.cardomain.com/id/untameddave
Wanted this - , but ended up with this - for free. Can't argue with free.
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