Help short!!!

[riden2low]

Have a 93 ATX that I have been driving over a year now and all of a sudden the battery drains over night. I pulled codes and no codes, every right up to *****. Bought a new battery as the one was 8 years old and it was ok for a few days and then again was drained right down to nothing. While I was checking codes I heard a faint clinking on and off like a relay or something. When I put my charger on the battery it would do the same thing {needle] clicking back and forth. Now if I removed the cables and charged up the battery that way, the charger acted normal. So I got everything all charged up and was sitting in the car and heard that faint clicking noise and I am in the process of trying to track it down but nothing yet. So I thought I would ask you guys for your help and give me some ideas to shoot pass me. Gong nuts here

 

[Shovert]

The way I usually find a battery drain is remove one fuse at a tune and see which one makes a difference. Then you can sort of trace it down from there. I assume check the ones that usually cause problem. Underhood light and [ not sure does SHO have truck light?] Ok some other ideas that is way I did on MG and Mustang. Maurice

 

[riden2low]

Ok did that and found out the fuse to the power windows had stopped the clicking noise in side the car. The noise comes from inside the dash. I reinstalled the battery charger and as long as the fuse is pulled, it charges normal. So that narrowed it down a bit. The fuse slot says power dr lock/ window and then it has verr L/GL electric What the **** is that?

 

[riden2low]

Well after looking at the fuse box again the vrr l/gl elect is French or something so the fuse that I had taken out is for for the door locks. I put is another set of door lock switches to see if that was the case and sat there and heard the faint click like a relay switch going off and on in the dash somewhere. So pulled the fuse again and going to let the car sit for about a day and if the battery goes down. Just trial and error at the moment.

 

[rubydist]

so it seems you have these possibilities:
wiring issue in the dash
wiring issue in one of the doors
switch issue in one of the doors

the easiest way to narrow that down would be to pull the switches from the doors and disconnect one at a time to see if you eliminate the drain/clicking. if so, replace that switch, if not you have to trace wiring to see where the short is.

 

[Shovert]

If like my Mustang. At the kickpanel is a plug connection that connects door and car wiring. You can disconnect there and try it. That way isolate which door without pulling door panels. Maurice

 

[riden2low]

Thanks, that will help me narrow it down. Went out this morning and the car started up just fine. So with the power door lock fuse pulled, it had stopped my battery drain. The faint clicking sound I hear when the fuse is in it's place, is that the relay for the remote? I know the antenna is in the truck but the remote has to trigger something. Thinking that part might be bad but where to locate it is the problem. But I am going to try to pull the switches one at a time to see if one of the doors is the problem.

 

[St Louis SHO]

Key off engine off, take a screwdriver and place it near the alternator pulley. Is it magnetic? If so, there's your drain. This would be the most common parasitic draw; the alternator.

- James

 

[riden2low]

Key off engine off, take a screwdriver and place it near the alternator pulley. Is it magnetic? If so, there's your drain. This would be the most common parasitic draw; the alternator.

- James

Tried that all is ok on that end.

 

[riden2low]

got home and after the car sat for about 36 hours, it started up with no hassle. So I will try to see if I can trace that short down. I will start with the switches for the door locks see if I can narrow it down from there.

 

[riden2low]

Might have it fixed. Thanks for all of the help guys. I had some switches that I snag from the wreaking yard one day and replaced both door lock switches and sat there for quite awhile and maybe heard one or two faint clicks and then nothing. So maybe that was the problem, one of the switches were bad. Going out of town for a few days and if the battery stays charged when I get back I will be a happy camper.

 

[riden2low]

Might was a big word. LOL I left the fuse installed over night and was thinking that I had the problem licked but getting ready to leave and thought I would check it out and battery dead. So when I get back, the hunt starts all over.

 

[riden2low]

Up date. I am back and I pulled the fuse before I left and battery was up. Good sign. So I had to run some earns and noticed that my seat didn't work. Not only does the fuse operate the power windows, it powers the seats. Now I know I have one seat that the switch has some problems {passenger} so I unplugged that and see if the battery takes a dump again.

 

[SHOtime2511]

How about the power mirrors? Are they on that fuse also?

 

[riden2low]

Nope, the power mirrors will work with out that fuse in. The windows roll up and down, the sunroof opens. So far, power door locks and seats. Let it sit and see what happens with the passenger seat disconnected.

 

[riden2low]

Got up this morning and still have power. Now that will make me nervous for a few days. So is it the passenger seat that has been running my battery down? Will plug it back in and if it pulls the battery back down then that was my short and means some new switches. I hate shorts. But at least I still had a battery up and thats a good thing.