Slow drain

[izzo]

I dont drive my truck right now, it has bad tabs.

 

However, i try and start it once a week. Everytime i do the battery is dead, its only a year old. I got a slow charger, and set it on low for a night, went out and took it off. it started right up, a few days later it was dead again

 

 

i am thinking a slow drain or i didnt let it charge long enough. Anyone know of some start points to check and see whats draining it??

[MikeRL411]

[However, i try and start it once a week. Everytime i do the battery is dead, its only a year old. I got a slow charger, and set it on low for a night, went out and took it off. it started right up, a few days later it was dead again

 

 

i am thinking a slow drain or i didnt let it charge long enough. Anyone know of some start points to check and see whats draining it??

 

I had a similar problem with an Infiniti J30. Turned out to be an internal low level short in the factory stereo. Pull the fuse to the stereo or manually unplug it and see what that does.

[datzenmike]

Shut everything off and disconnect one of the battery terminals and connect a test light between the terminal and the cable. If it lights it means something is drawing power.

 

One at a time pull the fuses until the light goes out. The fuse that causes this has something in that circuit that is drawing power.

 

Do you have a stereo amp wired in? Is it on all the time or is it turned on when the head unit is powered up. Have you or a P/O installed some electrical device like an alarm? anything?

 

The alt could even have a bad diode causing a drain. Unlikely but possible.

[izzo]

nope, no stereo.

 

 

But that is a great idea. I will get a light and start pulling fuses. I didnt think of that! Thanks mike

[zed]

I've had this recently with two cars - an Audi A6 (worst car ever built) and a Volkswagen Polo. The drain on the Audi turned out to be a hidden anti-theft satellite tracking device fitted by the PO. On the Polo it was the trunk light which stayed on even when the trunk was closed. Only found it by luck after it flattened two batteries...

[izzo]

I havent had time to check on this yet, was planning on getting a 12v light and testing but man i just dont have the time, maybe next week!

[datzenmike]

Had a vehicle that the horn wire was touching ground somewhere in the column.To fix it the PO just pulled the wires off the horns. But the horn relay was still on and would drain the battery over time.

 

Some things that are not shut off by the key are:

Anything to do with the headlights including running lights, dash lights, tail lights, marker lights

Interior lights

Horn

Brake lights

 

My dad's car, a '64 Dodge would do this. Without ignition switch on...... turn the emergency flashers on, turn the turn signal on, turn the wipers on. The wipers would jump up the windshield about 2" at a time in step with the 4 way flashers! I'd leave the wipers up on the window and shut everything off and the next time my dad used the car he'd wonder how the wipers got there as only he had the keys for the ignition.

[Phlebmaster]

My dad's car, a '64 Dodge would do this. Without ignition switch on...... turn the emergency flashers on, turn the turn signal on, turn the wipers on. The wipers would jump up the windshield about 2" at a time in step with the 4 way flashers! I'd leave the wipers up on the window and shut everything off and the next time my dad used the car he'd wonder how the wipers got there as only he had the keys for the ignition.

 

Hehe....that was naughty.:lol: I used to have a 1984 Mustang Fastback with 2 15inch subs in the back, I would turn the stereo up all the way in my car and tell my buddy he could borrow it. He was not impressed....:lol:

[banzai510(hainz)]

Must be a busy man!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a 5 min ck with a 6 $ Made in China Test light.

 

I also pull the positive alternator wire off incase the alternator(diodes) could be shorted

 

disconnect anything added by you or prevous owner, Like tach,stereo Pimplights ect,alarm

[datzenmike]

He's alive!

[BEEBANI]

Thanks for the trick guys, it helped me find the drain I've had for the last 2 years: horn relay! unplugged that bitch and we're good to go! Don't have a horn, so no need for a relay.

[datzenmike]

That's what the middle finger is for!

[izzo]

Busy yes, for the time being. I live up by tacoma with my gf and two kids, I have to put work into the house right now so we can move back to oregon and be closer to my other two sons. On the weekdays im usually tinkering with something in the house/replacing the sub flooring etc and on the weekends its to oregon for visiting kids. I dont have any plans for the next 2 weeks, so now its time to start testing the truck out and getting the front end lowered.

 

 

In another note,

 

I fired it up and let it run for a half hour. I went out there and turned the heater on and it doesnt work :( I noticed the temp gauge isnt working either. Will track that down later.

 

Even worst, the chain tensioners on my daily driver (sentra) are worn, i can hear it slapping aronud good in there so ill have to get to that soon also.

 

 

My thoughts were to make sure the thermostat wasnt stuck.

I checked the system, its clean/no leaks. No leaks in side the cab either.

 

Any other ideas?

[datzenmike]

Even if the thermostat is stuck wide open the heater would blow mild to barely warm air anyway. Check the inline water valve for the heater core it may be closed. It's down on the pass side of the heater on top of the hump near the carpet. The COLD to HOT lever might slide back and forth but the cable may be off at the valve.

 

Life's a bitch, do what ya gotta do to stay in the game.

[izzo]

It must be my battery

 

after lowering it today i took a trip to the part store, picked up some new connector ends for some wiring and a test light.

 

i tested it every which way i could think, and that light did not come on once.

 

it does when i go from pos to negative, but not when i took the cables off and put one end on the post and the other on the cable. So..... i would think its the battery, but it is only a year old. it had water in it. i topped it off a little but not getting my hopes up for that :

[datzenmike]

If it was stored for any time in a discharged state... that's not good for it. Always charge the battery once a month.

[izzo]

Even if the thermostat is stuck wide open the heater would blow mild to barely warm air anyway. Check the inline water valve for the heater core it may be closed. It's down on the pass side of the heater on top of the hump near the carpet. The COLD to HOT lever might slide back and forth but the cable may be off at the valve.

 

Life's a bitch, do what ya gotta do to stay in the game.

 

 

 

Mike, thanks man. That is exactly what happened. i got underneath it and moved the knob back and forth till if found where it was disconnected. Right at the valve. I moved it by hand and it took much force, so i moved it back and forth for some time until it free'd it up a lot. However i think the best thing to do is next summer tear the box completly out and clean it up, and get some kind of lube on it. I am going to leave it on hot for now, and might just leave it at that really. I dont have AC, so theres no point ni putting it back to cold in the summer when i have the windows.........

 

 

I did notice that the fan is messed up. speed 1 and 2 dont work, where as when i put it on 3 it works ( at full blast) Not sure if its the control unit or just the fan is half assed from being so old.

 

Thanks for the help on this. I think i figured out why my temp gauge isnt working. I went under the hood and looked at the wire going into the side of the block, its old and brittle. It broke when i wiggled it lol so time for some new wiring on that piece and a new connector.