EdJarHead Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 When I got my truck, it had a bad parasitic drain that was killing the battery after just a couple days. Couldn't find anything under the dash, and when I began to search around the engine bay, I remembered that there was a new starter relay in a box of parts that came with the truck. Installed the new relay and the short was gone... for a couple months. Came back and killed the battery again. I'm a former Marine, so taking things apart or breaking them is my strongest skill. Trouble shooting is weak. I do have a battery cut-off switch to save my battery while I figure this out. How do I test if the relay is causing this, and more importantly, what would be causing the relay to go bad and short out? Photo attached of the relay wired up the same as the one that was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdog Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 I don't think it will be the relay but one of the four circuit that comes off of it. i would disconnect one at a time and see when the draw goes away and then start diagnosing that circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZJeff Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 'jdog' is correct. The starter relay is merely a distribution point for the power from the battery. The wires attached to the threaded stud on the relay are the wires that distribute the power to the various circuits in the vehicle. Finding which circuit is the one that is "bleeding" the electrical system when the vehicle is turned off involves identifying the circuit by process of elimination. Start by removing ONE of the wires attached to the threaded stud, and leave the vehicle sit overnight with the battery cut-off switch left in the "ON" position. If the battery is not drained by this action, then reconnect that wire, and pull another one, and repeat the overnight test. Once you have the wire that has the bleeding identified, now you can begin searching for the specific source of the issue. By the way, I assume you have performed all of Cruiser54's tips on improving your electrical system. If you have not, do that first, before anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 Check your Glove Box Lamp switch, if equipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatslug87 Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 What Ωhm said. My neighbor’s battery kept dying, first thing I looked at and sure enough one of the screws had fallen out which made the switch pivot and not turn off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 2 Author Share Posted May 2 Did not realize I had a glovebox light, and it was loose (but no bulb in there). I've remedied that and will get out with my meter in the next couple days to begin testing which of these is drawing current. Thanks for the tips and feedback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 2 Author Share Posted May 2 On 5/1/2024 at 11:32 AM, jdog said: I don't think it will be the relay but one of the four circuit that comes off of it. i would disconnect one at a time and see when the draw goes away and then start diagnosing that circuit. Thank you for this (and to AZJeff). I used a multimeter to identify the wiring here causing a .05 amp draw. (double green wire, each leading to red wires in the harness after passing thru a diode?). Looking thru schematics now to try and ID where they go, cuz that harness has a whole bunch of red wires that all look the same... so I can track them for a couple of inches at best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 2 Author Share Posted May 2 Looking at Electric Manual schematics, I'm thinking this is Fuse Link H, as one green splits into two reds and the other into one. These appear to run to Foglamps (don't have); Engine Compartment Light (don't have this either); and Fuse "box" terminal (which is kind of a mess from clutch fluid damage and some previous "fixes"). I do have an open relay receptacle on the driver side (maybe for Fog Lights?) and an unplugged red wire I found along the passenger side of the engine compartment. Photos attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatslug87 Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 The fog light relay stock configuration would be up by the radiator support above the air intake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 2 Author Share Posted May 2 I stand corrected... there are three red wires that split off the one green (not two). So, this must be two different Fuse Links on a single ring connector? One has to be H... but how do I identify the second one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 2 Author Share Posted May 2 39 minutes ago, fiatslug87 said: The fog light relay stock configuration would be up by the radiator support above the air intake Thanks... it was actually loose and dangling underneath here. I attached it where it looked like it was supposed to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 Can you setup your meter (draw test) for the Fuse Link (H) again, but this time pull fuses out? Start with ETR, HD LP/DLY. Make sure you're not running any accessory's off of the B+tap next to them. Maybe this can help narrow down faulty circuit and put a name on it. That one single connector wire (photo) is for your Engine Compartment Lamp, if equipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 3 Author Share Posted May 3 18 hours ago, Ωhm said: Can you setup your meter (draw test) for the Fuse Link (H) again, but this time pull fuses out? Start with ETR, HD LP/DLY. Make sure you're not running any accessory's off of the B+tap next to them. Maybe this can help narrow down faulty circuit and put a name on it. That one single connector wire (photo) is for your Engine Compartment Lamp, if equipped. Thanks! Pulling the ETR fuse caused the AMP draw to go away (0), putting it back and pulling the HD LT/DLY fuse resulted in an increased AMP draw of 0.73 ?!? There is nothing connected to the B+ terminal adjacent to that slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted May 3 Share Posted May 3 Two fuses, three components. Wiring diagrams can be most confusing, especially when they try to cover all types/combinations of all the parts on a one-page schematic. Try disconnecting, one at a time, in any order, the following: Radio Clock Headlight Delay Module See if this will tell us anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 3 Author Share Posted May 3 24 minutes ago, Ωhm said: Two fuses, three components. Wiring diagrams can be most confusing, especially when they try to cover all types/combinations of all the parts on a one-page schematic. Try disconnecting, one at a time, in any order, the following: Radio Clock Headlight Delay Module See if this will tell us anything. Thank you again. May not be able to get back to this until Monday but for clarification, disconnect the actual radio (power), clock (power), etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted May 3 Share Posted May 3 Yes. Pull the connector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 7 Author Share Posted May 7 On 5/3/2024 at 5:13 PM, Ωhm said: Two fuses, three components. Wiring diagrams can be most confusing, especially when they try to cover all types/combinations of all the parts on a one-page schematic. Try disconnecting, one at a time, in any order, the following: Radio Clock Headlight Delay Module See if this will tell us anything. Took me a while to get back to this... and to get to these plugs! Still seeing an amp draw after disconnecting radio and clock. I believe the loose connector in center of 1st photo is the headlamp delay module plug, but this was loose (I can't see where it plugged into anything). In the other photo (holding plug), I believe this went to the service maintenance module? and has the black/yellow wire cut (can see a taped splice behind). Going to unwrap that and make sure it was spliced properly. Not comforting to see someone has messed around under here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdog Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 First connector is headlight delay, it was optional so yours might not have it. Where does that wire go to after the splice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 3 hours ago, EdJarHead said: 1st photo is the headlamp delay module plug, but this was loose (I can't see where it plugged into anything). Must not be equipped with Headlamp Delay. 3 hours ago, EdJarHead said: I believe this went to the service maintenance module? C115_H Backup Lamps C115_J&K Auto Trans stuff. Looks like I see a Clutch Pedal. All three (3) circuits use the TRANS fuse (7.5A). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 9 Author Share Posted May 9 On 5/7/2024 at 4:50 PM, jdog said: First connector is headlight delay, it was optional so yours might not have it. Where does that wire go to after the splice? The cut black/yellow wire is coming out of harness from fuse panel, and then feeds into the ECU harness heading out through firewall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 9 Author Share Posted May 9 Is this one end of C115 connector? The one on the right in the photo (which has the black/yellow wire cut). The one on the left I believe is the one that goes to an Emission Maintenance box (disconnected, and the warning light has been pulled also... one way to fix that I guess). I cannot find the other end for this connector, though I also haven't been able to see behind the gauge panel, as I believe the speedometer or tachometer cables are holding it too tight to move out of the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 5 hours ago, EdJarHead said: Is this one end of C115 connector? The one on the right in the photo (which has the black/yellow wire cut) Yes 5 hours ago, EdJarHead said: The one on the left I believe is the one that goes to an Emission Maintenance box (disconnected, and the warning light has been pulled also... one way to fix that I guess) Yes. C355. Color coding matches schematic. Don't know why the other end of C115 is missing or can't be found, but the only wire needed is (BLK/YEL) for backup lamps. Other two wires are for AUTO's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 11 Author Share Posted May 11 On 5/3/2024 at 7:07 PM, Ωhm said: Yes. Pull the connector. Update... I went back and retested, as I realized that I had the door open while I went back and forth testing for draw after unplugging one at a time, and the door open switch was causing me to see a higher amp draw. Retest with door switch closed resulted in discovery that the Radio unplugged got a 0 amp draw indication. Does this mean I have a bad/faulty (original) radio? Or is there a simple fix for this? Radio is one of many items on the my list to upgrade/replace, but was not considered a priority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 Maybe post a photo of your radio. @Minuit Any insight here. ↑↑↑ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdJarHead Posted May 11 Author Share Posted May 11 29 minutes ago, Ωhm said: Maybe post a photo of your radio. @Minuit Any insight here. ↑↑↑ Radio works... not great reception or sound, but working (and will keep stations with battery disconnected). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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