wicks

Pulled/disconnected CCU, Radio, extra wires from battery, all fuses and relays. Minor reduction in draw only. Still sapping .240 from battery.

Next the annoying one, pull the seat to remove alarm box.

What would be next to remove after that?

sundog

The easiest way to do this is to use a good volt meter to measure the amperage while the car isn't running. Just go to the fuse box and take one fuse out at a time. You can make a little replacement that has contacts to measure the amperage for each circuit.

Somewhere there is a chart on what circuits draw how much when the car is off. Although the data above looks correct.

Spyerx

wicks

Spyerx

Damn. You're 100% sure you don't have any old aftermarket electronics in there? The rear harness is just a bunch of plugs but it sounds like you already pulled all the relays back there? There is a bigger one that controls the rear fan unit.

Ok i'm going to shoot in the dark:
1. you already measured across each fuse individually right? With car off and locked ?
2. did you do same in rear fuse box?
3. You pulled each relay front and rear and did same at battery?

Try pulling the clock. Unplug it.

There are a few more control modules: ABS, (on turbo is there one for brake pump?), Airbags.

The G body cars have relays and fuses all over the place, but the 964 things are pretty tidy.

wicks

Pretty secure there aren't any aftermarket circuits anywhere. Been through the dash, under the seats, which is where I'd likely find that stuff no?

1. All the fuses and relays are out of the car. I first did the individual fuse pulls, noting the relating drop in current draw (post #84). Radio, clock, etc, each had a small drop in the draw. So removing those units seems redundant but there was a suggestion that those units might also have an unfused power source. Doing the cross-the-top-of-the-fuse test would not provide any additional information I think, especially since they are all out, and so no power can be being pulled by any fused circuits.
2. Rear fuse box, everything is out. Same as above.
3. Yes all relays and fuses pulled. Only relay wonkiness I had was a stick sunroof relay, but that's out now so can't be drawing.

I isolated the clock draw by pulling its fuse - noted in post #84, so removing clock should be just as redundant as removing radio was.

Should I pull an alternator wire? Could there be a short causing this much draw there?

Spyerx

so all relays and fuses are pulled and you still have the draw?
hmm at a loss one would think if a short it would burn out the wire.
power regulator on the alternator some weird draw via those diodes?

how old and what size battery?

so frustrating

sundog

Could a damaged regulator on the alternator do that? Don't think that that is fused.

wicks

I just developed a theory - had a buddy come over and work the tester/battery while I listened around the whole car, and in the engine there is something like a relay throwing, mid-motor toward the back, when battery gets connected (via the inline tester). I unplugged everything I could and it's still not eliminated. Thinks I need to pull the intercooler and air box to get at everything there in the back to unplug.

Is the alternator regulator internal or external? I unplugged a BOSCH black box right next to the intercooler intake (throttle valve switch), thought that was it but not.

Could the starter solenoid be throwing (unnecessarily) without the key even in? I figure anything that makes this kind of noise, like a relay, must be taking some significant amperage and well could be drawing my .2xx in current.

What else on the motor makes a sound like a throwing relay? Unplugged everything on the intercooler and all relays on the engine fuse box and the multi-connectors there all disconnected.

wicks

Any thoughts on this piece: What on the motor makes a sound like a switch/throwing relay when the battery is connected?

Could be the alternator or starter/solenoid as well? Would either of those draw about .240 in current when ignition off?

Spyerx

wicks

Car is young use-wise, hard to imagine a fault in the column switch (I assume this means ignition/key switch?), plus that switch is operating correctly in all observable respects. Besides, this is just by connecting the battery, not turning the ignition switch...something in the motor is clicking/switching just by connecting the battery. And whatever that thing is, it is not fused or relayed in the engine fuse panel.

Spyerx

wicks

Is there an easy way to disconnect the alternator wiring without taking the fan off? Trying a disconnect of alternator and starter to see if they are creating the drain.

Alternator charging at 13.6 to 13.8 volts (various RPMs and various accessories running) is about right?

wicks

NOTE FOR FUTURE READERS - ALTERNATOR DIODE FAILURE COULD BE YOUR BATTERY PARASITIC DRAIN SOURCE:

IF YOU LOSE BATTERY STARTING POWER IN 2-4 DAYS WITH A KNOWN GOOD BATTERY, YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT BATTERY DRAIN, WHICH IS MORE LIKELY TO BE THE ALTERNATOR WITH FAILING DIODE(S), OR ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT POWER>GROUND FAULT. CHECK YOUR BATTERY LEADS AND GROUNDS AT FRUNK, AT STARTER, AT ENGINE FUSE BAY, ETC. IF YOU DISCONNECT THE ALTERNATOR (ENGINE) MAIN POWER FEED AT THE STARTER SOLENOID AND YOUR DRAW GOES AWAY ON THE MULTIMETER, THIS IS A GOOD INDICATION THAT YOU HAVE ALTERNATOR DIODE FAILURE.

THIS IS ALSO INDICATED BY THE DRAW NOT SHOWING UP WHILE REMOVING ALL FUSES AND RELAYS FROM FRUNK AND ENGINE PANELS. NONE OF THOSE FUSES OR RELAYS WILL AFFECT THE ALTERNATOR CURRENT DRAW, AS THE POWER BEING DRAINED IS GETTING FROM THE BATTERY TO THE ALTERNATOR DIRECTLY (UNFUSED AND NO RELAY).

AN ADDITIONAL INDICATION - WHEN CONNECTING MULTIMETER IN-LINE, OR RE-CONNECTING MAIN GROUND LEAD TO BATTERY, A SMALL SPARK FLIES, AND A CONCURRENT CLICKING IS HEARD FROM THE ALTERNATOR AREA. THIS IS YOUR RATHER LARGE PARASITE REVEALING ITSELF.

IF YOUR BATTERY DRAIN CURRENT DRAW IS SIGNIFICANT, CHECK THIS BEFORE TAKING APART THE REST OF YOUR ELECTRICAL TO CHECK CCU, ALARM, ETC.