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battery drain by relay?

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Ashten Alexander

Proven Member
32
0
Oct 13, 2015
Houston, Texas
Hey guys i know a thread like this has been posted a million times ,but non addressed a situation like mine. So i started having issues months ago when my alternator caught on fire. my power steering pump had a slow leak and the ground bolt had fallen out some how. the next day i get a new battery and alt , plugged them in and everything is working fine except i'm facing major battery drain . My dash lights will always stay on with the car off and key out( cel , srs, and oil light ). The windows and sun roof will have power even when the key is not in the ignition. so my short term remedy for that was to get a battery switch . So every time i parked the car i would pop the hood and disconnect the negative cable. This method worked for about 2 months . Now I'm actually trying to fix the issue i found something else causing the largest part of drain . Its a relay that uses the 20 amp Engine fuse. When i disconnect the fuse the high amp draw stops . When i plug it back in the battery will drop from 12v to 2v in about a minuet or so . I've read that the relay shouldn't click unless the key is turned , but i hear it click as soon as the battery is connected . So i try unplugging the relay and sure enough the battery drain stops , well the larger portion of it. The relay number is E8T1017Y11 , located under the radio on passenger side panel. Its the one on the left that has the light blue wire and 3 red wires going to it . I was thinking bad ECU so i bought a used one and sure enough I'm still having the same issue. Please help , i just want to get her back on the road asap. :idontknow::banghead:
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Did you check and go through the wiring under the hood? You also could've shorted the relay out when you had the fire. But my thoughts are you have a short under your fuse panel under the hood. You could have a few wires that melted together.
 
Did you check and go through the wiring under the hood? You also could've shorted the relay out when you had the fire. But my thoughts are you have a short under your fuse panel under the hood. You could have a few wires that melted together.
no i haven't checked the wires , as i have no idea what they go to or what I'm doing . But I'm willing to try it . Do you have any tips or a place where i should start?
 
Sounds like there's a ground side of the relay thats shorted. Get a diagram of the relays, and test pin 85 or 86 side for continuity to ground. If not that, and it's a positive switched relay, you have a short to power on the signal wire for the relay. Then with the relay unplugged you will see ~12v on 85 or 86. After you find out which, you can trace the wire and find your short
 
Sounds like there's a ground side of the relay thats shorted. Get a diagram of the relays, and test pin 85 or 86 side for continuity to ground. If not that, and it's a positive switched relay, you have a short to power on the signal wire for the relay. Then with the relay unplugged you will see ~12v on 85 or 86. After you find out which, you can trace the wire and find your short
I've tried google but cant seem to find a diagram for the relays or what each wire goes to on the relay . I did however test each pin on the plug going to it and seen that the two wires at the bottom ( red with black strip ) both have 12v . The blue with black strip has 0v and the solid red has only about 1.5v . is there something wrong here? Note this is all with the key out of the ignition.
 
I don't have a diagram handy myself so I don't know for sure. The pins with 0v, check for ground continuity.

If the relay clicks as soon as you plug it in, then you have a short. Findin the coil terminals for the relay would tell you if it's a ground or 12v short. Sounds like you have a 12v wire shorted in the bay, probably got melted during the fire.

Keep testing and triple check everything inside the bay, especially around the burn area.
 
I don't have a diagram handy myself so I don't know for sure. The pins with 0v, check for ground continuity.

If the relay clicks as soon as you plug it in, then you have a short. Findin the coil terminals for the relay would tell you if it's a ground or 12v short. Sounds like you have a 12v wire shorted in the bay, probably got melted during the fire.

Keep testing and triple check everything inside the bay, especially around the burn area.
before i do anything i just remembered something stupid i did . My car is used and I wasn't sure what the previous owner did or where each wire went to.. so i kinda connected them all together on the positive B terminal on the alt after it caught fire . They were in the same area so i assumed that they all went together . Is there only supposed to be 2 white wires going to the alt positive terminal or what ??
 
Without colots or at least some decent pics, no clue.

If your alternator is in the original position up front, then I'd be looking at power steering, oil pressure/light wires, maybe some fan or a sensor wires. Either way, you've got way to many

Take some pics or what you have hooked up, and a pic from farther away showing where the wires are coming from if you can.

U might want to start digging into the harness and seeing what you can repair. If u can find a FSM or some alldata diagrams that might help you.
 
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so corrected i have a total of 9 wires. going to the positive post on the alt . It does include the 2 large white wires . and they are all coming out of the same loom together . posted 2 pictures . Hopefully you can make them out from all of the dirt and old oil.
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U need a diagram. Looks like some sensor grounds, possibly oil pressure sensor leads, idk there's alot there and it need to be repaired. Find a diagram, start tracing.

That is definitely too many wires tho. This is a 2g and that is from underneath right?
 
U need a diagram. Looks like some sensor grounds, possibly oil pressure sensor leads, idk there's alot there and it need to be repaired. Find a diagram, start tracing.

That is definitely too many wires tho. This is a 2g and that is from underneath right?
yes sir I'm right by the front driver side wheel . how do i use the diagram if everything was redone the wrong way?
 
U need a diagram. Looks like some sensor grounds, possibly oil pressure sensor leads, idk there's alot there and it need to be repaired. Find a diagram, start tracing.

That is definitely too many wires tho. This is a 2g and that is from underneath right?
is there a way i can test them ? sorry for all the questions I'm new to this.
 
Like I said, get a diagram. That will tell you what the wires are for and what you will need to test them for.

I'll repeat once again, get a diagram. I'm not trying to be a dick, just telling you what u need
 

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after i disconnected all the other wires and left the 2 white wires twisted together i have 0 drain and the dash lights are off until i turn the key like it should be , And the MFI relay only clicks when i turn the key now . But now the next major issue is finding what the other wires go to... I'm stumped. but at least i made some progress . Thank you guys so much !
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i think the drain is so high now with the key turned might be because I'm using a different ECU , i bought a 1995 gst ecu thinking that would help . I'm going to change to the other one and see if it drops down some . will report back in a few minuets . But so far so good ??
 
It's unlikely it's the ECU. BTW in order to help you we need to know what year/model/turbo/no_turbo this is. Don't assume those other wires you had on the alt should be connected to +12v. You may have just melted some and/or burned out whatever they connect to. NEVER connect unknown wires to +12V which is what the alt B+ terminal is.

The MFI relay when activated applies +12v to nearly all engine stuff so if there's a short in one of those wires, that's why you see the huge draw when it's activated. Here's how to find a short: http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/finding-a-short-partial-short-or-battery-drain.179481/#post-1496998
 
It's unlikely it's the ECU. BTW in order to help you we need to know what year/model/turbo/no_turbo this is. Don't assume those other wires you had on the alt should be connected to +12v. You may have just melted some and/or burned out whatever they connect to. NEVER connect unknown wires to +12V which is what the alt B+ terminal is.

The MFI relay when activated applies +12v to nearly all engine stuff so if there's a short in one of those wires, that's why you see the huge draw when it's activated. Here's how to find a short: http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/finding-a-short-partial-short-or-battery-drain.179481/#post-1496998
Its a 1998 gsx eclipse turbo
 
Did you figure out all the wires at the alternator? That seems to be the general area of your problem. There's only 2 white wires going to the alt, there also should be 4 wire plug going to it. Also looks like you have some ground wires wrapped up in there, there's your short. This link will help out in some ways, plugs and wire colors.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/2g-engine-bay-electrical-connections.298047/
 
Did you figure out all the wires at the alternator? That seems to be the general area of your problem. There's only 2 white wires going to the alt, there also should be 4 wire plug going to it. Also looks like you have some ground wires wrapped up in there, there's your short. This link will help out in some ways, plugs and wire colors.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/2g-engine-bay-electrical-connections.298047/
I dint get a chance to find where they all go . i know the 4 for the alt plug and the 2 white ones but have 3 odd ones left . I tried to see if the car would start but I think the battery is bad. it cant hold a load at all . I put a little test light on it only and it dropped from 12v down to 10v in a few seconds. so on my way to autozone , hopefully they have it tested by tomorrow .
 
So it starts .. but now with a little problem . I got a new battery and new alternator . Check the voltage with car off its sitting at a steady 12.51v . As soon as i start the car it drops to 11.95-11.98v and wont go up above that while it's running . The strange thing is when i rev it the voltage drops down to 11.89. and when it goes back to regular idle speed to 11.98v . I cant seem to figure that out . The voltage should go up and not down .. And when i turn the car off and check the voltage it's back to 12.50v . I"m at a complete loss here on whats going on.
 
Your alt isn't putting out, possibly because of a short or wires that you melted. Dropping to 11.89 when revving is normal when the alt isn't working.

You have the stock alt correct? The one with the main battery positive stud and the 4 wire plug [red, green, white, black-yellow (or sometimes blue) - note white or yellow colors may be faded].

Check voltage on the red wire - should always be battery voltage whether key is on/off.

Check voltage on the black-yellow (sometimes blue) wire while it's plugged into the alt with engine running - should be near battery voltage (to provide voltage to the alt's field coil). If it's near 0 the alt won't put out and your dash battery indicator (charge light) should be on. In that case the alt relay (aka generator relay) may be bad (or the alt is bad but you said you bought a new one so probably not that - although note that auto stores are notorious for selling bad re-manufactured alts, especially AZ). Alt relay: http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/wh...g-system-relay-on-a-2g.248161/#post-151081889
 
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Your alt isn't putting out, possibly because of a short or wires that you melted. Dropping to 11.89 when revving is normal when the alt isn't working.

You have the stock alt correct? The one with the main B+ stud and the 4 wire plug [red, green, white, black-yellow (or sometimes blue) - note white or yellow colors may be faded].

Check voltage on the red wire - should always be battery voltage whether key is on/off.

Check voltage on the black-yellow (sometimes blue) wire while it's plugged into the alt with engine running - should be near battery voltage (to provide voltage to the alt's field coil). If it's near 0 the alt won't put out and your dash battery indicator (charge light) should be on. In that case the alt relay (aka generator relay) may be bad (or the alt is bad but you said you bought a new one so probably not that). http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/wh...g-system-relay-on-a-2g.248161/#post-151081889
The battery dash light was not on at first until i put the black/yellow wire ( from the alt plug) to a solid yellow wire from the loom . Now the lights come on (the battery light and yellow light on the right) and the voltages is jumping all over the place . When i unhook the wire the light goes off and the voltage sits at a solid 11.96v. Is this progress or am i standing still in the same spot?
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