Going insane

[WH1_T-Type]

Slow power drain. If I leave the car parked for more then a two days it will be completely dead.

Took off the positive side of the battery and jumped the cable back to the battery with a test light (thanks Corey). Sure enough, the test light lite up to indicate a drain. Had the wife pull fuses until we found the one that shut the light off. It was the clock/cigerette lighter fuse.

Leave it out and sure enough no power drain. Today pulled the radio with the thought process that it is the radio clock...nope. Still draining. Pulled the wire for the cigerette lighter..nope. Still have the light on. Touched my test light around inside the cluster trying to find an active wire when the key is off...nothing.

Anyone else had this happen? Any recommendations?

Thanks.

 

[salvageV6]

umderhood light on, glove box light on, trunk light on.

Check to make sure they shut off when lowered for the trunk and hood, and you can manually check the glove box switch with your finger.

 

[RmvBfrFlght]

List from a previous post or such:

Cig-Clk Antenna relay, AC control head, radio capacitor, security indicator, chime module, instrument cluster (digital), radio, cigar lighter, glove box lite, engine compartment lite, footwell courtesy lites, power door locks, dome lights, trunk lites, vanity mirror lites. These circuits used an orange wire for power supply.

RemoveBeforeFlight

 

[Tom Walker]

Had similar problem. If you have a power antenna, open hood, reach along side or under heater box and unplug that puppy. Stopped my drain. Good luck with it...

 

[buickruss]

I second the power antenna.

 

[groumoutis]

If it is the power antenna I put a switch on mine just so I have to flip it to get it to go up. I hated driving around with the antenna up when I was listening to the Ipod. Plus less wear and tear on the PITA antenna. I want that thing to last forever. They are not fun to change from what I understand.

Looks like the rain has got all the Indiana guys on the board.

 

[WH1_T-Type]

umderhood light on, glove box light on, trunk light on.

Check to make sure they shut off when lowered for the trunk and hood, and you can manually check the glove box switch with your finger

Glove box light checked. Underhood light bulb is currently out, but the socket could still be getting power, How do I check that since the socket gets power with the hood up? Maybe remove the socket and tilt it till it is off? Trunk hadn't thought of. I will throw my wife in the trunck and ask her if the light is off..

List from a previous post or such:

Cig-Clk Antenna relay, AC control head, radio capacitor, security indicator, chime module, instrument cluster (digital), radio, cigar lighter, glove box lite, engine compartment lite, footwell courtesy lites, power door locks, dome lights, trunk lites, vanity mirror lites. These circuits used an orange wire for power supply.

RemoveBeforeFlight

Antenna is unplugged at all points I think. Do you mean the relay under the hood? My chime module for my headlights being on w/key off doesn't work, so I made a new one. Even if it doesn't work I suppose it could be grounding power. Don't have a digital cluster. I do have a beepo-beepo noise sometimes when I shut the car down and open the door. I think it is a security alarm. I will track it down and get rid of it in case it is. As far as the interior lights go, if they were the culprit they would be on when the car is shutdown, correct? What is the best way to test these circuits? Not that great with this stuff.

Had similar problem. If you have a power antenna, open hood, reach along side or under heater box and unplug that puppy. Stopped my drain. Good luck with it...

I second the power antenna.

If it is the power antenna I put a switch on mine just so I have to flip it to get it to go up. I hated driving around with the antenna up when I was listening to the Ipod. Plus less wear and tear on the PITA antenna. I want that thing to last forever. They are not fun to change from what I understand.

Looks like the rain has got all the Indiana guys on the board.

Power antenna is unplugged.

Thanks for the tips so far guys. I worked this weekend so hoping to get back to it Monday, weather permitting.

 

[salvageV6]

You can visually see the light go out about 3-4 inches from closed with the trunk light it shouldn't need to be closed first.

Underhood lamp with no bulb should draw no power unless a wire is shorted which would blow the fuse.

If the interior lights go out always when the doors are closed that isn't the draw.

If you get some beeping with the key OFF and the key out and doors closed it may be some sort of aftermarket alarm that needs to be disconnected and then try the lamp test to the battery terminal.

I'd use a digital ammeter and set it on the highest Amps. scale and work your way down to see what the actual current draw is numerically.

 

[GNRick]

Previous owner of my car had some gauges connected to battery fuse, like trans. temp. So I guess it was always reading temperature even with key off. Anyway I rerouted some guage wires so they would go off with key off, except for the VDO clock.

 

[WH1_T-Type]

WIth the key out, should the cigerette lighter have power at all times, or only when the lighter itself is pushed in to be heated up?

 

[WH1_T-Type]

Pulled the cover for the dome light. Light bulb is blown. Pulled the bulb and used a test light, with both doors closed, both posts for the bulb have power. I'm going to go get a new bulb and see if it stays on with doors closed. Yes I made sure that the dimmer switch is off.

 

[WH1_T-Type]

bulb replaced, light goes off when it should. still have power on both posts when the doors are closed and light is off.

 

[TurboBuRick]

The interior lights have full time power. That's normal. The pin in the door jam supply's the ground when the door is open.

As long as the lights are off, their not drawing power.

 

[WH1_T-Type]

ok, thanks.

 

[TurboBuRick]

WIth the key out, should the cigerette lighter have power at all times, or only when the lighter itself is pushed in to be heated up?

The cig lighter will also have power all the time but like the lights, it only draws when the lighter is pushed in.

Now that the interior bulb has been replaced see if that circuit drawing.

 

[salvageV6]

I'd check that trunk light, and use an ammeter to read exactly how much amperage is being drawn which could lead us in the right direction.

What type of test light are you using?

 

[GWHIZZER]

WH-1
I had a similar problem with both of my cars. It was the fan delay relay. (the big one on the driver's side). Unplug the connector
coming up from the bottom o the relay and leave it. According to John Spina at Caspers, it ain't necessary, and his has been
unplugged since he bought the car in 87.
Gwhizzer

 

[WH1_T-Type]

WH-1
I had a similar problem with both of my cars. It was the fan delay relay. (the big one on the driver's side). Unplug the connector
coming up from the bottom o the relay and leave it. According to John Spina at Caspers, it ain't necessary, and his has been
unplugged since he bought the car in 87.
Gwhizzer

That one has been unplugged since before I bought the car...

I'd check that trunk light, and use an ammeter to read exactly how much amperage is being drawn which could lead us in the right direction.

What type of test light are you using?

How do I test how much it is drawing? Just put the volt meter between the positive plug and the battery post?
I don't know what brand my light is cause i got it years ago..but it's a basic test light with a pull back plastic cover the sits over the tip normally. You have to pull it back to expose the metal tip to use it.

 

[WH1_T-Type]

Still open to more ideas! but search is on hold until I find/fix this darn leak!!

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/ge...60245-water-water-everywhere.html#post2873067

 

[TheGovernment]

could be the starter. I've had that happen on two different cars. My 85 grand prix with a 350 and my 86 T.