85 244GL what are the main parasitic battery drains?

[1choice]

I got something draining the battery over night, started about two days ago.

I just disconnected the power locks, and removed the #8 fuse for the glovebox, so nothing is gonig to be pulling from that route.


Are there any other possible points of parasitic drain, anyone can think of?


Any other possible faulting solenoids or anything else that could cause this?

(bypassed OD, new harness, lot's of recent care.)

[jimmy57]

The truck latch motors can stick and kill battery.
Likely has an aftermarket radio and those can do that.
On that car (a car not full of microprocessor controlled EVERYTHING) you use an old fashioned bulb test light and use vise grips to hold point to - post and clip to - terminal. WIth a drain there will be a visisible light and when you pull fuse for circuit with the problem the test light will go out.

[lummert]

I was also going to ask about an incorrectly connected aftermarket stereo.

[93Regina]

[quote="1choice"]draining the battery over night/quote]

Alternator diode shorting out...

[Polarice70]

Check for the glovebox light. The shut off switch may become malpositioned so the little door doesn't activate it. Secondly, always replace the B cable between the battery and the starter. I replaced my battery and alternator before resolving a failing battery problem by replacing the B cable.

[1choice]

Thanks you guys, this is a great big help!

I just went and bought a new battery, new wires, did a diode test, was successfull.


But, I actually did cut and wrap that glove box switch wire the other day. I had removed the bulb for it a long time ago, and recently thought I should cut off that switch because it indeed isn't being closed. I did do that in the time period. But having done that I don't think that could cause the drain, if it even is. The bulb without a doubt! That's why I removed it, but I hoping me cutting off that wire from that switch isn't the cause of this. (sometimes I just can't tell what's going on with these things. since they did some very high level thinking when they put this all together.)

As for the stereo. I'm honestly not sure. The way I have it wired, it shouldn't be the cause of this. Although when I turn off the ignition and pull the key out, the radio will stay on for approx. 2-3 seconds after the ignition switch circuit should be completely open. I'm guessing it's residual from the radio's caps or from the factory amp's caps. (I'm not completely sure if the factory amp is still in it though.)



I did a parasitic draw test. Set the DMM to amps, removed the neg wire, attached the dmm between the terminal and the cable and read nothing at all. I even tried to create a draw but still nothing at all. Which is a little troubling as I know it start drawing amps.


Then I went to advanced auto and had them do a battery test. It read bad. However, I haven't updated my main terminal cables yet, and haven't done a voltage drop test yet. Gonna do that before I put the new cables on, as I have to reroute them because the battery I bought has the terminals switched.

[lummert]

Then you bought the wrong battery.

[1choice]

Then you bought the wrong battery.

Got a really good deal on it from a guy that exports bmws to south africa. Some reason he can't ship them with batteries so he has a whole bunch of them. I can make it work, it's the same size as OEM just gotta do some wire massaging.


The thing about it though, I'm actually pretty happy as I hated the positive terminal being so close to the wall. Makes it near impossible to remove the terminal without sparks. (unless of course you've already removed the neg side.) It's just so close to that headlight relay, it makes it pretty hard to loosen and tighten.