Large amp draw when car off
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 127
From: Ashland Alabama
I unplugged the wires on top of the evap under the hood so that should of covered that.
Also the wire to the starter doesn't cause the load. Only the wires at the distribution point behind the battery.
Also the wire to the starter doesn't cause the load. Only the wires at the distribution point behind the battery.
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Oil Producer
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 127
From: Ashland Alabama
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 127
From: Ashland Alabama
Removed the switches and info center from the center of the dash.
Behind it I did the following:
Pulled blue box thing which I think is the chime noisemaker box.
Pulled starter relay.
All fuses in the aux fuse holder.
Horn relay and hazard flasher.
Also unplug the climate control while I was at it.
No effect.
Grrrrrrrrr.
Behind it I did the following:
Pulled blue box thing which I think is the chime noisemaker box.
Pulled starter relay.
All fuses in the aux fuse holder.
Horn relay and hazard flasher.
Also unplug the climate control while I was at it.
No effect.
Grrrrrrrrr.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: MichAgain
I don't know if I overlooked anything else or not but if this car has C68 ATC I believe the blower module is powered directly from a fusible link to the starter motor. In later years if the blower module was bad the fan runs all of the time. I'm not sure what happens with an early C68 car. Disconnect/unplug the blower module I'd think much easier than removing fusible link from the starter motor.
Red wire at the blower module is a direct feed from the starter motor if the FSM image posted earlier might be in error.
An '86 is wired this way and I'd think an '87 done similarly. The FSM image earlier doesn't seem to agree with this but I'd think it easier to just assume maybe it is similar to the '86 and unplug the module to confirm.
Later years are also done to the starter motor. I checked a '90 FSM.
Red wire at the blower module is a direct feed from the starter motor if the FSM image posted earlier might be in error.
An '86 is wired this way and I'd think an '87 done similarly. The FSM image earlier doesn't seem to agree with this but I'd think it easier to just assume maybe it is similar to the '86 and unplug the module to confirm.
Later years are also done to the starter motor. I checked a '90 FSM.
I was going to ask if you have the C68 heat/air con and if so do you hear the AC blower running at all, even after shutdown? Not sure if the wiring is the same as my '91, but there is also a fuze in the engine comp on the firewall behind the coolant fill tank that can be the culprit, as can a bad AC controller, or a short on one of the circuits to it (FSM says which wire to chase but I don't recall which one right now, but may be different on your year anyway). Mine started this crap when I was on a road trip. I ended up having to pull the wires at night to make sure it would start in the morning...
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 127
From: Ashland Alabama
Ive unplugged everything a/c related and no effect. Even pulled the controller loose in the dash, the blower motor itself and the plugs on top of the evap under the hood.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 127
From: Ashland Alabama
Also the wire to the starter doesn't cause the drain. The drain is feeding from all the wires in the distribution block behind the battery. Well all the wires have the drain except 1.
That's whats driving me nuts. I would of bet money only one wire at that block would have the drain.
What could possibly effect all those wires at once?
That's whats driving me nuts. I would of bet money only one wire at that block would have the drain.
What could possibly effect all those wires at once?
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Oil Producer
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Also the wire to the starter doesn't cause the drain. The drain is feeding from all the wires in the distribution block behind the battery. Well all the wires have the drain except 1.
That's whats driving me nuts. I would of bet money only one wire at that block would have the drain.
What could possibly effect all those wires at once?
That's whats driving me nuts. I would of bet money only one wire at that block would have the drain.
What could possibly effect all those wires at once?
and gotten your head under the dash to look at where it comes through the firewall?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 127
From: Ashland Alabama
Batteries fine. Since I started this hunt its been undone except when the volt meter has been used to check the amp draw and for the first time since I bought the car in December the battery is still fully charged 
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 127
From: Ashland Alabama
Im going to take a break and put the new door locks I bought a few months ago in. Figured achieving something positive is a healthy idea right now
Once I get at least the drivers door rekeyed I'll go back to hunting the drain again.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,456
Likes: 7
From: MichAgain
But... If your fan is not running, then probably not the problem.
Good luck. Chasing sparks is a PITA
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,677
Likes: 812
From: Saskatoon Sask.
You mention voltmeter a couple times in your posts. Can we assume this is just a mistake in terminology and you actually mean ampmeter? If using a multimeter, you are sure it is set to the amps scale? If set to volts and used in a series capacity, you could be measuring potential difference. Would explain why all the wires are doing the same.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 127
From: Ashland Alabama
You mention voltmeter a couple times in your posts. Can we assume this is just a mistake in terminology and you actually mean ampmeter? If using a multimeter, you are sure it is set to the amps scale? If set to volts and used in a series capacity, you could be measuring potential difference. Would explain why all the wires are doing the same.
Its on the amps scale too. I even used my backup meter to test it. Same readings.
Battery is 12.8 volts right now with 2.60 to 2.65 amp draw.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,677
Likes: 812
From: Saskatoon Sask.
Unfortunately Im using my $400 fluke multimeter correctly. Would be nice if I wasn't since then I might not have the drain Im seeing
Its on the amps scale too. I even used my backup meter to test it. Same readings.
Battery is 12.8 volts right now with 2.60 to 2.65 amp draw.
Its on the amps scale too. I even used my backup meter to test it. Same readings.
Battery is 12.8 volts right now with 2.60 to 2.65 amp draw.