HEY all. Just a quick update. I used a test light, pulled the assy/radio fuse (cus I know that drawed power). The started to pull each fuse one at a time. Light never went out. At times it did get dim but not as I pulled a fuse, like whatever was pulling the juice was intermittent. After the fuses pulled the relays. Still had light. So for my next check, I charge the battery then disconnected the alternator wire. It has been for days. When I got home from work the van started right up. So I THINK it may be a bad diode. I just wanna thanks all for the help.
Tracking down a short
- Thread starter HemiPar
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67Dart273
Well-Known Member
You should be able to SEE that on the light. Before you yank the alternator, take your light and put it from the alternator output to the wire which normally connects there, and if that "is" the drain, the lamp should at least glow.
It also disturbs me when you say, you pulled fuses, etc, and the "lamp got dimmer." An obvious dimming of the lamp should indicate a drain. BE SURE you do not have something (a switch) "on" that will enable a drain, or that the brake pedal is not depressed, and PUSH THE DOOR SWITCH in!!! LOL.
It also may be that you somehow have more than one drain, it could happen
(I'm not familiar with newer cars, it just might be that some of them have magnetic door switches instead of the old mechanical kind. In this case you would have to close the door and wait for the lamp delay for each test, or figure some other way to disable it. Removing the dome/ courtesy lamps may NOT remove all the drain because these may be controlled by electronic modules. My 98 Ranger has such a module)
It also disturbs me when you say, you pulled fuses, etc, and the "lamp got dimmer." An obvious dimming of the lamp should indicate a drain. BE SURE you do not have something (a switch) "on" that will enable a drain, or that the brake pedal is not depressed, and PUSH THE DOOR SWITCH in!!! LOL.
It also may be that you somehow have more than one drain, it could happen
(I'm not familiar with newer cars, it just might be that some of them have magnetic door switches instead of the old mechanical kind. In this case you would have to close the door and wait for the lamp delay for each test, or figure some other way to disable it. Removing the dome/ courtesy lamps may NOT remove all the drain because these may be controlled by electronic modules. My 98 Ranger has such a module)
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
A whole lot of pissing going on over the very first thing my Dad taught me when looking for a drain......pop the "-" cable off and use a light to connect it to the battery.....light is on start pulling fuses.....simple concept.....
BillGrissom
Well-Known Member
Good work. Hope a new alternator is the fix. If not, consider the Battery Brain. I use one on all my cars, bought cheap on e-bay. Some models have a remote, which you can also use to purposely disable the car for anti-theft. Research, since some don't like it.
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