1970 Dodge Dart- No crank or start- Battery draw

Mgc340 said
1. I installed a Optima battery. I hooked up all my wires to the starter relay. I got busy and didn't touch the car for a week. When I got some time to mess with it the battery was dead. I checked for draws and found a 2 amp draw. I started testing wires and found that the wire going from the positive battery post to the starter relay lug was the draw. I unhooked the wire from the battery and my draw went away.

As you found out, that's the main power feed. It's ALWAYS hot. Disconnecting it is basically the same as disconnecting the battery. The stud on the relay is just a junction.

Mgc340 said
When I hook the battery wire up to the the starter relay I can hear a click in the steering column area or under the dash? So its energizing something and draining my battery?

That seems to be correct conclusion. The ammeter should move slightly toward discharge. The scale on the meter is 40 to 0 to 40 amps. So small currents aren't going to move the needle much.

Mgc340 said
had the steering column out for some touch up on the paint.

Could easily have pinched or scraped a wire's insulation. One of those wires going up the column leading to the switch is connected to the main circuit. In otehr words, its always hot.

67Dart273 said
I think you have a stuck horn relay caused by bad horn button switch.

Definately another possibility. The click could be the horn relay. I don't know where its located on a '70.

Mgc340 said
I don't have any after market ad on like radio or alarms. Yes my ammeter works. The guy before me took the wiper motor out and the heater fan. The wires for that stuff are there but unplugged. I will check my horn button and the NSS hopefully tonight and post what I find. Thanks!

IIRC, the wiper power feeds to the wiper switch first, so check that's off, and no power present at the wiper motor feed wire.
The heater fan only can get power when the key is in Run or Accessory position. Again I believe it goes through the fan switch first.

With key off, everything up to the key switch and headlight switch is hot.
Not shown is the horn power - only because I don't know where it taps in on a '70.

Mgc340 said
2. My second problem is when I turn the key to start the vehicle it will not crank. I can just hear a clicking sound again coming from the column area or under the dash. When I try to start the car I can see my volts gauge peg down then back up after I let off the key.

The ammeter should swing slightly to discharge - about 5 amps, and the battery voltage will drop under load. If the battery it drops below 9.5 Volts while starter is engaged, that's an indication the battery was not fully charged or is failing.

With an Optima, its important to recharge slowly (low current) otherwise the battery will get hot and not recharge well.