Electrical short

[SrKegler]

All my warning lites on the dash started glowing. Had it checked out at advance and it showed a bad alternator. Replaced the alternator drove the car around, no problems. Let it set overnight and the battery was dead.

Had the battery checked out and then went ahead and replaced it since it was about 4-5 years old. Same problem. Battery went dead overnight.

Made a test lamp up today, hooked one end up to the battery negative post, hooked the other end up to the negative wire. Pulled every fuse under the dash and under the hood. Light never went out or even flickered.

That just about expends my electrical knoweldge. Any help/suggestions. Only thing I can do now is unhook the battery everytime I shut the car off.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Made a test lamp up today, hooked one end up to the battery negative post, hooked the other end up to the negative wire. Pulled every fuse under the dash and under the hood. Light never went out or even flickered.

I don't get what you are saying. One end on the negative post, the other end on the negative wire??? Even if you meant positive wire I don't see how that would prove anything.

Also the glowing dash lights mean a problem with your charging system, not necessarily your alternator. A lot of the time its your ALT fuse, just so you know.

 

[SrKegler]

BEfore I hooked up the test light, I unhooked the negative cables from the battery. All I done was insert the test lamp into the circuit. From what little I understand about the electrical system, I should not have any current thru the battery with the key off.

With the test lamp hooked up the bulb lit up showing me I had current coming from a ground some place, I just could not find it by unplugging fuses. Alternator fuse was the first thing I checked before replacing the alternator.

If I done it wrong, please let me know. I would imagine the stealership would want $3-$400 to trace down a short.

 

[luv2rallye]

You've done the light test correctly - good job! Do you have everything turned off and doors closed? Start disconnecting suspect things. I'd start with alternator (don't have battery connected while disconnecting alternator). Then go to things recently worked on/added. Here's my article to help with what to do: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-partial-short-battery-drain.html#post1496998

 

[SrKegler]

You've done the light test correctly - good job! Do you have everything turned off and doors closed?
Yes

Start disconnecting suspect things.

Only problem I've ever had is the radio. Disconnected it

I'd start with alternator (don't have battery connected while disconnecting alternator).

Do you mean to disconnect all the wires on the alternator? Had it checked after I replaced it, charging system is fine.

Then go to things recently worked on/added.

Only thing I've had to replace recently is the ECU. Can it be causing the drain? I'm getting a Intake Air Temp fault.

Here's my article to help with what to do: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-partial-short-battery-drain.html#post1496998

Followed everything, battery still drains and it drains fast, about 3 hrs from full charge to completely dead. Can find no "hot wires". Wish it would blow a fuse but everything works, can't narrow it down.

Any other suggetions guys?

 

[luv2rallye]

I'd still recommend disconnecting alternator, big wire 1st, then wire plug (don't have battery connected while disconnecting alternator) and test with your light on battery test. Even new (rebuilt) alts are notorious for being bad at auto stores these days. Leave alt unplugged. Every time you now disconnect something leave it disconnected while moving on to next item.

Unscrew the door open switches to disconnect them (in case they are shorting) and do the test (light in series with battery terminal on or off). Unplug every single fuse (and leave them all out) both engine compartment and inside and do the test. Unplug every relay in engine fusebox and then ones in inside fusebox and do the test. Disconnect anything recently worked on and everything that is not stock (eg. aftermarket stuff: theft alarm, turbo timer, gauges, amp, radio, remote start, etc) and do the test. Unplug ECU (disconnect battery first) and do the test.

If you still show a heavy drain (via test light still on), disconnect battery and unscrew engine fusebox and look underneath at all the wires for wires shorting, etc.

Follow the rest of my article. If you have everything disconnected and still show a heavy drain, the LAST RESORT to do is to download wiring manual (http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/fre...tions/344490-download-1g-service-manuals.html) and start measuring voltages and wire continuities (continuities with battery disconnected) on wires from the battery positive terminal outwards to look for short.

 

[SrKegler]

Unhooked the alternator big wire. Test lite went out. Does this mean a short in the alternator itself? Autozone checked the alternator and said it is fine.

 

[brian9397gsx]

yes it does get a new alternator. their tests only check if the alt charges. you can take a dvm and check for continuity (with the alt disconnected) from the alt housing and the post on the back. if there is continuity take it back

 

[SrKegler]

Thanks, guess that'll be my next step then. Been using it as a DD, hard to find the time to work on it except on the weekends.

After about 3 weeks and a bunch of help from Luv2ralley, finally fixed the problem. Mine was a defective alternator. Thanks to everyone for their help.