Battery Drain

[FunkBlastin]

1991 Ranger XLT 3.0L

It's been going on for about a month now. I'll have to jump it every morning after it's been left overnight. (I now just leave one side of the battery disconnected overnight so I don't have to waste 15 minutes jumping it.) The battery was replaced in December and I've had it checked at Autozone twice, plus I've checked it myself and it's great. I grabbed my multimeter and disconnected the positive cable. With the multimeter in AMPS I connected it to the cable and battery and yielded a 0.59 result. (I'm assuming that's 590ma, and from my understanding this is high.)
I then disconnected both alternator wires with no change. Then I pulled every fuse inside with no change. Lastly I pulled the fuses from the power distro box. Whenever I pulled the fuse for the EEC RELAY I received a 0.00 reading. (From my small understanding of car electronics I believe this is normal, but please correct me If I'm wrong).

Does anyone see anything I'm doing wrong or something else I can test?

 

[Big Jim M]

When you installed the new battery did you have to jump it the next day? I'm thinking your alternator isn't keeping the battery all the way charged. I'm thinking 590 ma should take weeks to run the battery down if it is fully charged.
In the past I've had Chevys that sat for weeks between uses. Many times the damn things ran there own batterys down. I now have a Wrangler that sits for 3 or 4 months and doesn't run the battery down.. I'm lovn it.
Also I've had glove compartment lights and interior lights left on that had to be traced down to find the culprit.. But you seem to be satisied that your computer is the only thing using electricity. So look to the alternator.
Just in passing.. Do you have complete battery cables? None of them silly add-on ends at the battery? Did you clean the cables when you installed the new battery?
Big JIm

 

[FunkBlastin]

When I installed the battery I didn't have to jump the car for 4 months. I also cleaned the cables and the terminals.
Maybe some Pics would help:
Amp reading. If someone doesn't mind, can you check my meter settings?

Volt reading while the cables are disconnected

Volt reading with the car idleing

 

[Earl43P]

Anything over 45 mA is gonna kill your battery.

There are some diagrams here: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/EDiagrams/index.htm

Your EEC relay (brown) should be located on the underside of that underhood distribution box. Next to the fuel pump relay (green). See if its coil is getting power to energize (one socket will ALWAYS have power, the other only gets power with key in Run and Start). If so, suspect the ignition switch? If not, it must have welded the contacts; replace it.

Try the 200mA setting, see how much it's pulling. If it overloads that range, it's too much.

Thinking about some more, if the EEC relay were welded closed, the fuel pump should be running too, unless it gets its ground elsewhere, I guess I should look that up before you get too far......OK, I did.

The PCM provides the FP relay ground (to make its relay pull in), so it COULD be a welded EEC relay contact. Pull that relay and see if it quits the draw and look for two voltages feeding it. Again, there's only one 12v present until the key is turned to Run, then there are two 12v present. If that's what you get, replace that relay if removing it makes the draw go away.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Both the computer and radio need power from the battery for the memory but not enough to drain the battery for quite a while. I had a bad eec relay and would not start after three or four days a quick check is to fully charge the battery then start the engine and check the battery voltage at about 1500 rpm you should be no more than 2.5 volts over battery voltage oh yea check the battery before you start it. Then turn the lights and A/C or heater on high and at 2000 rpm you should be no lower than .5 volts over battery voltage. The tech library under charging system will tell you how to check for the culprit and just because the battery is not old don`t mean sqwat. everything has to be working correct or you can ruin new parts so everytime you change any part in the charging system check and make sure it is working correct and don`t run it until it is.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Also a starter can keep a battery drained especially on short trips clean all the connectors as a loose starter cable will draw alot of power.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

590mA? sounds like the ECM isn't going to sleep. is any of the dash warning lights staying on or anything?

im thinking a sticky EEC relay or a sticking ignition switch/shorted wires