You're almost done here, because you've found the guilty circuit (RIGHT??? You found the fuse that was carryin' the draw, RIGHT???). Going back upcurrent to the alternator isn't really good advice at all (again, that's IF you DID find the fuse that's carryin' the draw).

Pull the fuse, and check the output for voltage. You should get 0 V. The fuse 'input' will have 12 V, since it's comin' from the battery. With the fuse pulled, the output will be at 0 V. If you get voltage, there's a by-pass somewhere that has been put in somewhere. You gotta' find that, and get rid of it. That's like uppin' the amperage of the fuse. Also check the amperage of the fuse that's in there now. A higher-than-spec fuse is a fire hazard, and will allow the battery to drain, instead of blowin' the fuse, like when there's a short. Get some marshmallows.

If you got no voltage at the fuse output with the fuse pulled, put the multi-meter in the ammeter mode, and connect it to the fuse input and the fuse output. Get a read. Then disconnect and re-connect,one at a time, each device powered by that circuit - the lighter, radio, etc, whatever is on that feed. When the amp draw goes to zero, you got the guilty circuit, AND the guilty device.

If none of the devices gettin' disconnected makes the draw go away, then the short is between the fuse output point, and the first device on that circuit.

 

CWB
Thanks for the help. I get back from deployment (navy) in a month or two and I will try it then. I will let everyone know.

 

I may have found the problem. I was getting ready to check the amperage and noticed that my passenger window would not open or close. I am going to pull the motor out tomorrow and take a look. I reall hope this is the problem because I have the center gauges out and disconnected the radio wires (red/yellow) and the short is still there.

 

Hi R6R. have you found the short. i hate working on electrical problems. i had a similar problem on my 79 but the battery would drain in a matter of a day. mine turned out to be the ground to the wiper motor and blower motor where connected to a live wire. grounded those wires and the drain was gone and wiper and blower motor started working. killed three birds with one stone. so my advise is to check as much of the wiring as possible. good luck and keep us informed.

 

Phill,
no luck with the short yet. I got back from deployment about a week ago and got right into the electrical problem. I disconnected everything again with no luck. My passenger window had stopped working and I thought I found the problem but it was just a loose connection. Disconnected all the gauges and everything in the center counsel and the panel with the speed ommeter with no luck.

When I have my key on, not started, I can heara fan blowing over behind the glove box. Not sure where it is, should it be on? I can't turn it off with the fan control....One more thing I noticed, with this problem, I do not have any warning lights coming on. I assume there is a battery light and so forth but they don't light up. I am almost to the point of taking it to Tidewater Auto Electric here in Virginia Beach and tossing some money at it. I think I am to the point of "I don't know what the @%^& I am doing". I am still working on it though.

 

One more question. I have a wiring diagram for chevy cars and corvettes. My short disappears when I pull the ctsy clk fuse. Looking on the wiring diagram it goes to the stop lamp switch, horn relay, ctsy lamp timer delay timer, and the seat belt and key warning buzzer. Does anyone know where these items are located? If you know the general location, I can dig around for them in the car.

On the wiring diagram, it has the wires going to numbered boxes, can I assume that these are connectors and that is were the wires split off? I refuse to give up on this. I would really like to drive the car!

 

Hi riley6riley, As a former Airmana salute to you!
If you turn the thumb wheel to off the fan will shut off.
Letslook at page 14- 20 in the shop manual. Look at 10R- it goes to the horn relay- then 20b brings 12 volts to the fuse box.
These circuts are all feed by the fuse box and are live with the key off.
When you pull the fuse no current will flow, but my guess is that a bad diode in the altinerator is draining your battery.
Try pulling the fuse and see what happends overnight, if the battery still runs down than have Tidewater auto electric test the altinernator as explained is # 6.
PG>

 

hi riley. i believe the fan staying on is normal, mine does the same. the stop lamp swtich should be under the dashsome where close to the brake pedal. the horn relay is near the steering column, its just hanging there a few inches from the fuse block. ctsy timer delay i believe is by the rt kick top kick panel or rt pillar. you should pickup an assembly manual there cheap and there very helpful. it shows you a layout and location of all the parts. the AIM shows the seatbelt warning buzz close to the horn relay. both should be attached to the main wire harness coming from the fuse box. hope this helps.