Electrical issues on Dodge Truck

[mowerman1193 29]

Hey guys, My son bought a truck last summer to work on so he will have something to drive when he gets his drivers license . He plays around with it about every weekend but it seems to drain the battery dead ( completely ) within 7 days. I have look over some things ( tested alternator, cables etc ) and can't seem to really find any issues. I usually hold my own on mechanics and body repairs but when it comes to electrical I have no clue where to start. I have already posted a message on a Dodge forum with no response. So Maybe someone here has someplace for us to start looking.. I did take a multi meter and checked voltage at the battery cables while he pulled out fuse's from the fuse panel. Didn't see any voltage drops in doing this. I would think it should have a pretty good draw to run it bone dead within 7 days? Had a brand new battery when we bought the truck. I have even took the battery from mine to see if it was a battery issue and it ran mine dead so I think that should rule the battery out..

Any Ideas to look at?

Thanks for any ideas or advice,

Kevin

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,641]

I wonder if the methods described in this thread could be used on your son's truck .

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?showtopic=23783

There many more wires, connections and components on the truck over the tractor but I bet the threory is the same.

Good luck!

Mike.........

[Jim_M 178]

I had an Eldorado years ago that could drain the battery in about 6 hours. You would think I would have been able to find something that was drawing that much juice, but I never did.

I ended up putting a heavy duty battery cut off switch in the inner fender, when I got out I would just reach under the fender and flip the switch. It may have not been the right thing to do, but it got me by for 4 years with no dead battery.

[horse junkie 18]

This happened to me on an old Ford, it turned out to be the solenoid wasn't closing when you shut the ignition off. I know Ford and Dodge are different but might be a place to look. Hope this helps and good luck

[Irv 115]

If it's taking 7 days to drain it has to be a very tiny drain and that's why you don't see a voltage drop. Possibly the radio or maybe a gauge.

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

Kevin,

Sparky has set you off on the right path,

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?showtopic=23783

Only change I would have you make is to measure CURRENT FROM THE BATTERY - not the voltage.

Take off the battery + cable and hook a meter set on DC AMPS to the battery and then to the battery cable.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE WITH THE AMMETER IN PLACE.

Ignition switch on - engine off

start pulling fuses until the current drops significantly - do the engine computer last as it does consume a certain current flow just to keep it alive. Some vehicles do have a "shut down sequence" controlled by the engine computer. The computer is programmed to keep current flowing thru certain devices in the vehicle for a few seconds after the engine is shut down. Some vehicles can have a 60 to 90 second shutdown sequence. Ultimately, the current flow thru the ammeter should end up under 100 milliamps.

I'll be around if you have any further questions.

[smoreau 658]

Kevin,

Sparky has set you off on the right path,

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?showtopic=23783

Only change I would have you make is to measure CURRENT FROM THE BATTERY - not the voltage.

Take off the battery + cable and hook a meter set on DC AMPS to the battery and then to the battery cable.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE WITH THE AMMETER IN PLACE.

Ignition switch on - engine off

start pulling fuses until the current drops significantly - do the engine computer last as it does consume a certain current flow just to keep it alive. Some vehicles do have a "shut down sequence" controlled by the engine computer. The computer is programmed to keep current flowing thru certain devices in the vehicle for a few seconds after the engine is shut down. Some vehicles can have a 60 to 90 second shutdown sequence. Ultimately, the current flow thru the ammeter should end up under 100 milliamps.

I'll be around if you have any further questions.

Yes this right

I do auto repair for a living and I use cheep harbor fright $3 meters for this. they are less expensive on the fuses then the ones for my fluke meter. put it to amps and put the positive lead on the negative cable and the negative lead on the batt. after about 2 min. it should drop to 0.03 amps or less. if it did not, start pulling fuses with the meter hooked up one at a time. when the meter drops you found the circuit that is at fault. if you pulled all the fuses and still have a draw then disconnect any fusible links at the starter or disconnect the alt. still have a draw then there is a fusible link to the ignition switch on that truck that could be at fault. Most of the time it ends up being something simple, about 10% of the time they get difficult to find. yours should be a small draw like 0.08 amps witch is too much. that is about 5-7 days to kill a batt. most of the time on a 90 dodge it would be about 0.01 amps when times out witch would last about 2 months.

Good luck and I hope its some thing simple

Scott :thumbs:

[ozarksboy 0]

My 90 dodge had the same problem, turned out to be a fuseable link in the sterring colum. Hope this helps.

Ozarksboy

[squonk 39,010]

Dodges. If it's not the tranny it's an electrical problem. I worked Chrysler dealerships during the mid 80's and early 90's and they had so many electrical problems you would have thought you we're working on an old MG with Lucas electrics. Do what has been said with the ammeter and pull fuses and then try unhooking the alternator and starter. I've seen starter windings go bad where the starter will work but draw current all the time. Same with alts. Also check the cig lighter. I had a motor home once that the lighter element had a short and as soon as it touched the socket it would draw a small amount of current.

[mowerman1193 29]

Dodges. If it's not the tranny it's an electrical problem. I worked Chrysler dealerships during the mid 80's and early 90's and they had so many electrical problems you would have thought you we're working on an old MG with Lucas electrics. Do what has been said with the ammeter and pull fuses and then try unhooking the alternator and starter. I've seen starter windings go bad where the starter will work but draw current all the time. Same with alts. Also check the cig lighter. I had a motor home once that the lighter element had a short and as soon as it touched the socket it would draw a small amount of current.

A lot of the electrical issues I have seen with Dodge is the smart engineers seem to think the best place for the main wire harness to hook to the computer should be right under the battery box so all the acid and corrosion can drain down onto about 50 - 100 wires...I have a 93 Grand Caravan that has electrical issues. Took it to a shop and they found a bunch of bad wires right under the battery. They got me back on the road for about another 6 month or so before I started having wiring issues again with something else. Been told its most likely in the same area. I am not paying to have it fixed again. Might mess with it some myself. Super clean van and I just put a brand new motor and tranny in it about 15,000 mile ago.

Kevin

[mavfreak 11]

Kevin,

Sparky has set you off on the right path,

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?showtopic=23783

Only change I would have you make is to measure CURRENT FROM THE BATTERY - not the voltage.

Take off the battery + cable and hook a meter set on DC AMPS to the battery and then to the battery cable.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE WITH THE AMMETER IN PLACE.

Ignition switch on - engine off

start pulling fuses until the current drops significantly - do the engine computer last as it does consume a certain current flow just to keep it alive. Some vehicles do have a "shut down sequence" controlled by the engine computer. The computer is programmed to keep current flowing thru certain devices in the vehicle for a few seconds after the engine is shut down. Some vehicles can have a 60 to 90 second shutdown sequence. Ultimately, the current flow thru the ammeter should end up under 100 milliamps.

I'll be around if you have any further questions.

Yes this right

I do auto repair for a living and I use cheep harbor fright $3 meters for this. they are less expensive on the fuses then the ones for my fluke meter. put it to amps and put the positive lead on the negative cable and the negative lead on the batt. after about 2 min. it should drop to 0.03 amps or less. if it did not, start pulling fuses with the meter hooked up one at a time. when the meter drops you found the circuit that is at fault. if you pulled all the fuses and still have a draw then disconnect any fusible links at the starter or disconnect the alt. still have a draw then there is a fusible link to the ignition switch on that truck that could be at fault. Most of the time it ends up being something simple, about 10% of the time they get difficult to find. yours should be a small draw like 0.08 amps witch is too much. that is about 5-7 days to kill a batt. most of the time on a 90 dodge it would be about 0.01 amps when times out witch would last about 2 months.

Good luck and I hope its some thing simple

Scott

If you brought this to me this is how I would start to check things. It may seam time consuming but you need to start somewhere.

Now I have seen the cigarette lighter thing.

Also does this truck have a aftermarket stereo in it. I would start with that first.

[6wheeler 586]

I experienced the same thing on a 93 Grand Caravan. After alot of time and considerable effort I was just about to give up. I couldn't find any fusable link problems or anything like it. But, still the battery drained. One night, I was in the garage and caused a short and blew a breaker(thats another story) feeling my way in the dark, went by the offending caravan and saw a faint glow on the passenger side floor through the window. The dang glove box light switch was bad and the light stayed on all the time. I disconnected the switch and "TADAH" no more dead battery.

[mowerman1193 29]

Ok, This weekend we had some warmer weather so my son and I went out and run the test that Chuck had suggested.

I unhooked the + battery cable turned the ignition switch on, run a wire from my multi meter set on 10amp. to the battery + and the other wire to the + battery cable. was drawing about 3 amp. started pulling fuses. I would get a very small drop from most of the fuses pulled like 0.01 - 0.03. But I got a huge drop when pulled the fuses marked gauges went from drawing 3.04 down to 0.90. I was all hip that we found it but now I am wondering if we really did considering that the ignition switch was on and the gauges was drawing some of that power?

Thanks for all the suggestions,

Kevin

Seems like I would want the switch off to run the test as it is drawing while the truck is off? I sure wish I understood wiring better, LOL Next nice day I think I will run the test again with the switch off to see what happens..

[mavfreak 11]

Well it was a start. Live and learn as they say! try it without the key on and lets see whats up! :thumbs:

[COMMANDO1 23]

CHECK BODY GROUND WIRE.